Shell Vacation Club Timeshare sales fraud, misrepresentation, and deceptive sales practices San Francisco California, Hawaii

I truly feel that Shell Vacation Club committed fraud and totally misrepresented the contract for the purchase of our timeshare Vino Bello in Napa, California. If I had known the truth about any of misrepresentations made by the salesman at Shell before entering into the contract, I never would have done so. In March 2007, my fianc and I purchased 1,500 points in a Shell timeshare property. We thought it was a good deal because we really enjoy taking vacations and the salesman sold us on the ability to trade points for other vacation properties especially in the western United States. In October of 2007 while vacationing at a Shell property in Hawaii, we purchased an additional 2,500 points. The vacation to Hawaii was partially a gift from the Shell Vacation Club for attending the initial timeshare presentation in March. During both presentations, the salesmen misled us about the ease of trading points for other vacation properties. This was only the first of many lies made by the Shell sales staff.

Our actual timeshare property was located in Napa, California. The original timeshare presentation was at the Legacy Resort in Phoenix and we were told that there was no more time available at the Legacy. The salesman kept saying that it did not matter where the timeshare was located because we were going to be trading the points for time at other properties. The salesman was careful to say that the purchase of the timeshare was not an investment but we were assured that the timeshare would not lose money and we would be able to get our money out if necessary. This was the second major misrepresentation made by Shell.

We were also told that our points could be used to purchase airfare, cruise tickets, automobile rentals and other amenities at a discount. Technically this was true but the cost of tickets for any of these travel deals ended up being extremely expensive when using points. Other lies included the promises that we would easily be able to rent or sell our timeshare to others if were not using it. We were also told that maintenance fees rarely increased and if they did they would not increase by very much. This has not been true either.

The main reason we purchased the Shell timeshare was the promise that we would be able to easily trade our points for other timeshares in the western United States, Hawaii, Mexico, and the Caribbean. This was a huge misrepresentation. It has been extremely difficult to make reservations for other properties through Shell or RCI. In 2008, after many, many, many calls, we were finally able to make reservations for a resort in Mexico through RCI with over a year's notice. We are somewhat flexible in our travel destinations and for our travel times and still have had major difficulties. In 2009 we have made many attempts to make reservations for resorts in a number of different locations with absolutely no luck. The final straw for me is that the 4000 points we own are worth only about 10% of what we paid for them. I have had enough. I feel that Shell committed fraud and totally misrepresented the contract for the purchase of our timeshare. If I had known the truth about any of misrepresentations made by Shell before entering into the contract, I never would have done so.

Ted
Phoenix, Arizona
U.S.A.