Comments on: Timeshare tried to con me

By: chordCVS

chordCVS — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:15:40 +0000

Nice handling Qiaoyun!

However, There’s a saying that, “not to buy, if can’t afford it”.

Anyway, Best wishes for your acting.

By: Qiaoyun

Qiaoyun — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:40:05 +0000

Mike M: Thanks. But I think I could have handled it better. I could have just ignored them at the outset. Haha.

Pragmatist: That’s pretty heavy, all the lawysuit stuff. Thanks for the feedback and your support! ;)

By: Pragmatist

Pragmatist — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:19:01 +0000

If people approach you in the street to sell you stuff, and won’t take no for an answer, you should be able to say whatever you want to them and write about it. I hung up on a telemarketer last year, after saying not interested, and they called me back four more times getting very angry with me at the end for refusing their gift. Yeah people have the right to try and sell you stuff but after you say I’m not interested, and they keep going they are fair game for abuse and invesigation I think. If you look into the “too good to be true” scheme and find out what they are really doing you should be able to write about it in the public interest.

A guy/girl from the UK at Noteapot site also got a lawyers letter http://www.noteapot.com/?p=74 for talking about someone who approached him/her in the street in Singapore with land banking stuff.

The argument most of these companies put up is they are very clear about what they do in the small print. But it’s not the small print you get in the street, or on the phone or in the glossy hotel presentation or in the newspaper adverts. Its misleading commission driven talk.

Good luck with the acting :-)

By: Mike M

Mike M — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 20:21:21 +0000

I am so proud of you Qiaoyun. You handled the timeshare asses like a pro. Kudos to you!!

By: Qiaoyun

Qiaoyun — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 06:35:03 +0000

Christina: I think there’s no clamp down because these companies exploit loopholes in the law to scam people. So they haven’t actually committed any crimes. For complaints, I think most people go to CASE. But you have to pay a membership fee to join them before you can make complaints.

By: Christina

Christina — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 02:48:18 +0000

That’s why I suspect the two companies are actually the same. However, Axial has got a office with big signboard along Upper Cross St. Just wondering how come the authorities did not clamp down totally on these companies. Any idea which govt dept can I contact to expose these companies?

By: Qiaoyun

Qiaoyun — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 15:41:51 +0000

Christina: Wow, thanks for sharing your story. Axial and Great Eastern Trust are definitely con jobs. If they’re really sincere in compensating members, why would they need people to pay so much money? It’s a bit like the Nigerian e-mail scams where they make you give them money so they can give you more money in return. Where’s the logic in that? lol.

By: Christina

Christina — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 07:32:17 +0000

I’ve signed a contract in 1999 with Emperor Resorts International (ERI) to purchase a holiday time share package that belongs to H.C. Asia Pacific Pty Ltd (Australia) (HCAP). After I received a lot of bad experience and feedback about time share companies, I decided to terminate my contract (S$15,800) by not paying the outstanding balance (S$9,350). In 2003, I’ve informed ERI that I want to terminate my contract by forfeiting the sum (S$6,450) I’ve already paid to them. And since then I’ve not heard from them.

Recently, I received a call from Axial Management (Singapore) who claims that they are associated with Great Eastern Trust & Asset Management Co. Ltd (London). They are also acting under the instructions of World Travel Organization to approach the members of ERI, to compensate the members. Their condition is – If I pay Axial a sum of S$17,800, World Travel Organisation will compensate me S$20,000 three years later through Axial. Great Eastern Trust will also pay me through Axial a sum of about S$30,000 for utilizing my package. Though this amount is guaranteed by Axial (in writing), I feel that there’s no 100% guarantee that Axial Management will pay up three years later or even exist after 3 years.. My most worrying concern is Axial Management may be scamming people into paying more money. Therefore I rejected Axial Management’s proposal.

Very soon, about 3 days later, I received a final warning letter from ERI asking me to settle the balance payment within 7 days, otherwise they will take legal action against me to recover the amount.

I find it very puzzling that ERI suddenly issue me a final letter after 4 years, and especially so just after I’ve rejected Axial’s offer. I suspect that both companies are related to each other with Axial claiming they want to help ERI members get out of the contract by making the members pay more. And if members rejected Axial’s proposal, ERI will threaten to sue, thereby leaving the member no choice but to take up Axial’s offer.

I hope this will prevent more people falling victim into these scams.