Shell Vacations Club SVC Salesperson Lied To Our Faces Northbrook Illinois

Below is a conversation with customer service for SVC, the company that rippedof my family. Have a look, though start at the bottom message.
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Hello Brent,
I do understand where you are coming from, however your request is out of my hands. At Shell we can not cancel and refund money for the timeshare. You would need to sell it on your own. I have forwarded these e-mails up to management for further assistance.

Thank you
Stefanie

-----Original Message-----
From: Brent
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 1:57 PM
To: Ask The Club
Cc:
Subject: RE: Does this seems fair?

Stefanie,
I am still waiting for your response to this email. I am involved with the BBB currently, and am just looking for some closure.

Again, the bottom line is that we were lied to by your salesperson, Eric De La Cruz. He asked us about our vacation interests, and we told him Catalina-CA, Myrtle Beach-SC, Boston-MA, and Chillan-Chile. He explained to us that using RCI we could take weekend vacations to the first 3, and that we could use the SVC service to book great deals on airfare to the 4th.

You know as well as I do that these were bold face LIES. RCI books for a week, and if you want less they convert SVC points at 700 points for $100. Using the service in this way doesn't even cover our yearly dues. In addition, SVC was NOT able to assist us with airfare to Chile, as you know.

Again, we are only asking out of the relationship. SVC has already stolen a good amount of our hard earned money based on blatant fabrication of the truth. We are no longer able to visit out desired vacation spots because the money we would use for them are going to SVC, and we are not getting anything in return.

Search your soul, and then please give me an answer.

Thank you,
Brent

Brent wrote:
Stefanie,

None of the options you are providing are a reasonable return on a $9,000 investment with a $303 yearly fee. What SVC property can I get a week for 1500 points? British Columbia in January? I doubt that is even a possibility. It's the same with RCI. If you look through the book 95% of the proprties are 95% red level yearly. I could get a week in February in Minnesota for $303 on my own without the $9,000 investment.

The salesperson, Eric De La Cruz, asked us where we liked to vacation. Our answers? Catalina Island, CA... Myrtle Beach, SC... Chillan, Chile... Boston, MA. Shell is not represented in any of those areas, so then came the RCI pitch...

We did NOT sign into Shell to stay at the few Shell properties. The only place we would want to go is Hawaii, and we couldn't get more than a night there for 1500 points. Maybe we could get 2 nights in San Diego, but I could do that for $303 without the $9,000 investment.

Plain and simple, Eric De La Cruz sold us on RCI, how he uses it all the time, and "just last week bought $80 worth of points for a suite in Vegas" using your service. He told us we could spend points on airfare to Chile, specifically. Check reality to see if that is even remotely an option.

You tell me how a man with a soul convinces us to invest $9,000 and $303 yearly into a plan that covers none of those areas with any cost to value appropriate alternatives. Simple answer... He lied to our faces, period.

Reviewing previous cases on the Better Business Bureau website revealed a plethora of couples that were duped by your salespeople. Trust me, I am dead serious about the 3 options I provided in my previous email.

Ask yourself this... Could I spend 1500 points to spend a Friday and Saturday night at any Shell or RCI location in the next 3-4 weeks, where I could not get similar accomodations for $303? I ask you again, maybe I am missing the logic, but if you can even have me breaking even yearly on a $9000 investment under false pretenses, it would be a start...

Sincerely,
Brent

Ask The Club wrote:
Hello Brent,

As stated before these SVC Playdeck cards are offered as an option, and you are not forced to purchase. With 1500 points are able to get a week at some of the properties. Also if you bank you points you will have a total of 3000 points to use to stay at the properties. The point value for the SVC Playdeck card is something contracted with American Express, just like the affliated properties. It is well known to get the best value for your points is to stay at the Shell Properties. You bought into the club to stay at Shell properties not to use Playdeck, correct? SVC Playdeck is designed to let members have an option to use expiring points for different activities. Its not really meant as a primary use of points. You do have other options to use your points other than these playdeck cards. You can cruise, fly, rent cars, deposit with RCI, etc. If you are choosing to leave the club, you may do so by selling it. You would need to contact a real estate agent who specializes in time shares. Please let me know if I may be of further assistance.

Thank you,

Stefanie
Member Services Representative
Member Services/Central Reservations
Shell Vacations Club
600 W Chicago Ave Suite 690
Chicago, IL 60610
Fax: 312.753.7018
Toll Free 877.Shell. 10 opt 4
shellvacationsclub.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Brent
Sent: Tuesday, August 7, 2007 6:44 PM
To: Ask The Club
Cc: RE: Does this seems fair?

Stefanie,

The cards were mentioned to me by your representative today. Again, 700 points gets you $100 in value, making 1500 points worth $214.29. We pay an annual assessment fee of $303.10, meaning we would lose $88.81 a year if we went that route.

As far as your Shell properties are concerned, we could get barely 2 nights for 1500 points, even in the off-season. Even generously placing the value of a 2 night's stay at $400, minus the yearly fee, my wife and I would have to live for another 80 years to ever even break even.

I do see this as unfair, and your apology is hollow. Again, please do show me the value in our purchase. If I am not seeing things clearly, I would be more than happy to listen.

I have opened a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. If it goes that route we will be looking for every penny we laid down at the time of purchase, including the full loan amount. If we need to hire a lawyer, we will look into a potential class action lawsuit with other SVC members I met on-line that feel the way we do. If it goes that route, we will not only seek initial loan amount and closing costs, but interest and assessment fees paid over the last 12 months, and our lawyer fees.

In closing, if SVC is willing to do the right thing, understanding that your service does not fit the needs of myself and my wife, contrary to your salesperson's assertions, and tear up the contract and loan, we would not seek any additional settlement.

Please let me know. Thank you,
Brent

Ask The Club wrote:
Hello Brent,

Thank you so much for contacting us here at Shell Vacations Club. I do apologize that you seem like this is unfair however the SVC Playdeck cards are offered as an option. As always you will receive the best value for your points staying at one of the Shell properties. Please let me know if I may be of further assistance.

Thank you,

Stefanie
Member Services Representative
Member Services/Central Reservations
Shell Vacations Club
600 W Chicago Ave Suite 690
Chicago, IL 60610
Fax: 312.753.7018
Toll Free 877.Shell. 10 opt 4
shellvacationsclub.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Shell Vacations Club
Sent: Tuesday, August 7, 2007 5:27 PM
To: Ask The Club
Cc: Does this seems fair?

Dear Me

Thank you for contacting Shell Vacations. The following message has been sent on your behalf.
This message sent from the SVC Website
Sent To: Shell Vacations, LLC - Corporate
Sent From: Brent

We purchased a 1500 points a year membership. Our annual assessment fee is $303.10. When discussing using RCI properties (the only reason we agreed to sign on in the first place) today with Shell customer service, I learned that 700 points is equal to about $100. This means that 1500 points ir worth rougly $215. In other words, we now have a $9000 loan only to have the honor of paying $87 more for our yearly vacation than we would have without joining Shell Vacations Club.

Please tell me I am misunderstanding something.

If I do not hear back from you within a week with a logical explaination, I will have no other option than to hire a lawyer.

Brent
Camarillo, California
U.S.A.