Anyone else get a strange phone call about your membership?

[mikerobrewer]

DVC member at Saratoga Springs since 2006.

This morning I received a call, supposedly from a law firm, that was collecting information for a group of DVC owners that purchased the same time that I did. She was asking if they misrepresented anything in any way and I replied that I didn't think so.

Then she asked if I was aware that Disney was renting DVC properties for less than our annual dues on various websites and I said no. I asked what websites she was referring to and she told me that she was not allowed to divulge the information for "legal reasons" but that I could check on AirBnB and similar websites.

I asked what this was about and said they were trying to possibly reduce or abolish annual dues and other damages then quickly ended the call.

She did not give me the name of the law firm and a reverse number lookup didn't give any info.

It sounds like a scam to me but I was wondering if anyone else has gotten any calls like this?

 

[DisneyOutsider]

That's strange, and I'd guess that there's no way it was an actual law firm calling you, as they clearly don't understand how timeshares or DVC work.

 

[lovin'fl]

Prob one of those timeshares sellers that want to buy your dvc on the cheap.

 

[RoseGold]

Your name and address are listed on the deed. It's not too hard to find some people's phone numbers from those creepy databases.

 

[JETSDAD]

Someone else had posted a little while ago about a group trying to put together a class action suit around this topic. For all the possible things to complain about this seems to be an odd one to go after.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I got a similar call several years ago. Since we own points at 3 different resorts, I asked which resort the was referring to. She named a resort that we USED to own, but had sold those points in 2003. So I just hung up.

 

[mikerobrewer]

Thanks all, it definitely seemed shady. Nothing is perfect but we've been mostly thrilled with our DVC membership.

 

[Sandisw]

What is strange is that any owner can rent reservations made with points they own, including Disney, for whatever they want, including less than dues.

So, right there, it would raise a flag for me.

 

[chalee94]

What is strange is that any owner can rent reservations made with points they own, including Disney, for whatever they want, including less than dues.

not the owners or Disney, usually. the RCI traders...

 

[karen4546]

not the owners or Disney, usually. the RCI traders...

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$250/ night including the fee is still a great price for a 1 BR. But I would NEVER rent from EBAY.

 

[Sandisw]

not the owners or Disney, usually. the RCI traders...

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Got it!

 

[chalee94]

$250/ night including the fee is still a great price for a 1 BR. But I would NEVER rent from EBAY.

It's technically against policy for a trader to rent their trade and it is theoretically *possible* that RCI could cancel the reservation, but RCI doesn't seem to police it so it keeps happening... (They are easy to find since it's almost always a 1BR at SSR for 7 nights with the extra fee at check-in.)

(But I should add that the OP most likely still got a call from a scammer as there is no legal recourse if RCI chooses to allow it.)

 

[gharter]

Received many calls from companies wanting to "help" us get out of our timeshare.
It's usually described as a meeting to discuss your Timeshare.
I tell them I happy with our purchase and please leave us alone.

 

[mikerobrewer]

What is strange is that any owner can rent reservations made with points they own, including Disney, for whatever they want, including less than dues.

So, right there, it would raise a flag for me.

The person on the phone was claiming that it was Disney that was renting DVC on various website at prices lower than annual dues. What she was saying didn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

 

[GoingSince1990]

It’s always amusing when the scam callers make it obvious thaf they have no understanding of the difference between DVC and a “traditional” timeshare.

 

[CarolMN]

Then she asked if I was aware that Disney was renting DVC properties for less than our annual dues on various websites

My response to that is: So what?

Most of what Disney offers for cash is a result of Member trades. Something is better than nothing and if Disney has a hard time turning Member trades into cash, the points Members have to pay for the trades will increase, or DVC will no longer offer them.

Agree that the call was from someone who doesn't understand how DVC works. They're just trying to get $$ from the naive. Hope no DVC Member falls for it.

 

[dismedvc]

Someone else had posted a little while ago about a group trying to put together a class action suit around this topic. For all the possible things to complain about this seems to be an odd one to go after.

I received more information and will not be attending. They are not dealing with the point inflation issue.

It appears the basis of their claim is that DVC units are being made available to non members at rates they claim is less than the cost members pay. They mentioned that non members can book DVC units on Expedia very inexpensively. I was surprised DVC units can be booked on Expedia, but found it is true. However, the DVC availability on Expedia is exactly the same as the availability for cash from Disney, so I conclude Disney is just using Expedia as another outlet for booking DVC rooms that are available for cash under breakage or trade outs.

FYI: I looked up the prices for a BWV studio BW/GP view for March and the "rack rate" from Disney is $699 per night (plus tax) but it is currently 35% off for those dates if you book through Disney, so the actual price is $454 per night (plus tax). If you look on Expedia the price shows as $699 per night (plus tax) for those same nights (I did not actually try to book). The point cost for members averages about 20 points per night (19 points Sun-Thur and 22 points Fri & Sat). That is about $156 per night based on dues at BWV of $7.81 per point (tax included).

Above is What I posted on a different thread. The group that contacted me was holding meetings at an airport hotel in Austin Texas. When I asked them about the desired outcome if I joined their action, they told me that at the end of the process I would no longer be liable for annual dues, but I would also no longer own my DCV contract. From that information I would agree with
@lovin'fl that this is "Prob one of those timeshares sellers that want to buy your dvc on the cheap."

 

[LAX]

It’s always amusing when the scam callers make it obvious thaf they have no understanding of the difference between DVC and a “traditional” timeshare.

I find it even more amusing that DVD has been trying to reduce that difference.

LAX

 

[mikerobrewer]

Above is What I posted on a different thread. The group that contacted me was holding meetings at an airport hotel in Austin Texas. When I asked them about the desired outcome if I joined their action, they told me that at the end of the process I would no longer be liable for annual dues, but I would also no longer own my DCV contract. From that information I would agree with
@lovin'fl that this is "Prob one of those timeshares sellers that want to buy your dvc on the cheap."

This is what I was told and that they wanted to discuss this in person but never mentioned a time or place.
I am 100% sure that this call was for the same thing you experienced.