Pacific Monarch Resorts Inc

Review: We are contacting your office today as we would like to formally open a complaint against A1onarch

Vacations/Diamond Resorts. We were swindled by A1onarch's representatives; the deceptive,

manipulative and mischievous sales tactics lured us into signing a contract that bore no resemblance

whatsoever to the ownership explained to us.

Our contract was signed at a business center located in New Port Beach, California. Although we agreed

to sign said contract, our agreeing was perpetuated by the false and misleading statements made by

A1onarch Grand Vacations sales agents. When we agreed to purchase the timeshare, our decision was

based on the verbal explanations of the sales agents. Unfortunately, since our purchase we have since

discovered that the very explanations that we relied on to justify our signing of a legally binding contract,

were exaggerated, intentionally misleading, and/or completely false.

The deceit began right from the very beginning. In early July of 2011, we attended a vendor's event on the

Huntington Beach Pier (located in Huntington Beach, California), where we were approached by

Alonarch's street vendor (i.e. presentation/meeting solicitor). Subsequently, the solicitor tricked us into

attending their sales meeting, by the claim that we were receiving free airline tickets, in exchange for our

answering a few survey questions. The only catch, we had to schedule an appointment to pick up the

Page airfare vouchers at the "main office", located in nearby Newport Beach. At no point did the solicitor

mention that anything else would be required of us, much less that we would be expected to attend a sales

meeting.

Upon arriving at the main office, or rather, the SALES CENTER, we were surprised to find ourselves in

a business park with many other couples. Soon after, we concluded that we had been lied to, as the set up

at this facility was clearly geared towards selling timeshares. We spoke to the welcoming staff and

explained that the street vendor had misled us to believe that we made an appointment to pick up our

airline tickets, not that we were, or would be, attending a timeshare sales meeting. We explained our

displeasures with the fact that we had wasted our time, that we had been lied to, and furthermore, that we

would not be attending their timeshare meeting.

Just as we had reconciled to leave, the staff drew us right back in with more lies and deceit. We were told

that this was NOT a timeshare, but something "entirely different, and very new and exciting" called

"vacation ownership." We ended up agreeing to stay for the duration of the meeting, based on the

consensus that this was NOT a timeshare sales meeting. Either way, we would never have agreed to

listen to ANY sort of presentation, regardless of what it was called, had the solicitor on the pier accurately

represented what he was in fact promoting.

Throughout the presentation we heard a number of convincing promises. We were told that two new

properties were currently under construction in Mexico, of which would "greatly incentivize" the

property values and thus the profitable sales. We were told that "vacation ownership points" could be

used for everything from hotel rooms, to rental cars, even for international travel for an entire week stay

at resort destinations (none of which turned out to be true, unless of course, we purchased an additional

membership with Interval International or additional points for domestic locations).

They claimed that rates and reservations were "guaranteed" and we would never have to worry about

being able to use our "owner's privileges" as Monarch members. The speaker claimed to have bought a

timeshare himself in the past but to his great dismay (or so he convincingly said), with a different

company. He exclaimed that he was "thrilled!" to have now discovered this better opportunity with

Monarch. He assured us that Monarch was NOT a timeshare. Instead, he represented this as something

entirely new for people just like us who distrusted timeshares. In the end, it was based on all of this

misinformation that we agreed to buy a membership.

We knew our credit scores were low, but we were assured by Monarch that they would work with us. We

tried to leave the sales floor several times, when our credit reports disqualified us from financing the

$10,000 membership fee. However, the sales manager then had us apply separately, so that the person

with the higher credit rating could qualify alone. Joseph, my husband, qualified under this approach, so

they told us our membership fee that night would be $2,200. When we balked, it was reduced to $580 that

night, and the balance financed with monthly payments.

By then, we were the only couple still there and we felt compelled to sign for the loan, seeing as how they

had gone to so much trouble to ''find" this for us. We were assured that we could contact our sales agent

"at any time" for help in learning about our new owner's privileges. We attempted to reach this person,

but to no avail. The number had been disconnected and our emails were returned as "undeliverable".

Three months later, we were notified of Monarch's bankruptcy filing.

We were first contacted in writing about Monarch's bankruptcy, with assurance given by Monarch, that

our ownership status would not be affected. We were told that another company would shortly "pick up

Monarch vacation owners". At about this time, we discovered that we could not, in fact, use ANY

Monarch vacation destinations for the points we had, and the two resorts in Mexico were now being

short-sold. When we called to speak with an agent at Monarch, we were told that someone would contact

us. When that someone did indeed contact us, we were told that we needed to purchase additional points

in hopes of salvaging something from the money already invested. The salesperson on the phone called it

"throwing good money after bad" to get something back on our original investment.

In January of 2012, a mobile notary public brought us paperwork to buy additional points, but did not tell

us that the entire "vacation ownership" was now being financed at the exorbitant interest rate of 17%.

What's more, they neglected to inform us that our maintenance fees would be increased. We were offered

a weekend at a resort in Palm Springs, along with a $200 gift restaurant gift card, as a "reward" for

"expanding our owner's portfolio". Consequently, that ''free weekend" turned out to be at an older

property in the foothills outside of Palm Springs, with another timeshare presentation required to get the

''free" restaurant gift card.

Nothing that we were told about hotel rate discounts, car rental discounts, or travel savings ever

materialized. The only "resort" with rooms available for the points we "owned" was in Dana Point, a

whole 25 miles from where we lived. When we discovered this, we faxed the cancellation request from our

original paperwork, which we had been assured was our recourse if we were unable to use our points or

"dissatisfied in any way" with our Monarch membership. The form we faxed on August 15, 2012, was

not even acknowledged by Monarch (or whoever took over its business). We continued paying

maintenance fees and monthly financing payments in good faith.

Between December 2012 and June 2013, we were contacted by two different representatives of companies

affiliated with the takeover of Monarch properties, both offering us "opportunities" to buy even more

"ownership" without "sacrificing" our original investment. The worst part about these sales pitches was

the complete lack of information on the part of the callers. One representative told us that we had already

paid off our original membership and should now focus on "expanding our collateral base" by

"transferring" our ownership privileges to Diamond Resorts! Nothing that we were told by Monarch

sales staff or promised by Monarch representatives was truthful or forthcoming.

We are constantly called by other "resort ownership companies" who claim that we can transfer our

"collateralized ownership" to their timeshare corporation. We were misled by Monarch Resorts from the

first moment that we spoke with their representative on the pier, and we continue to be misled by cold-callers

preying on all of us who were deceived by Monarch. We do not, in fact, "own" anything. We

cannot, in fact, "use points" to do anything remotely travel-related. We continue to pay maintenance fees

far higher than those which were disclosed to us originally; we continue to pay usurious interest on

financed "ownership" of absolutely nothing. Having fallen for even more lies every time a mistruth is

exposed, we are now thousands of dollars in the hole, and we have received absolutely nothing that was

promised.

We never would have agreed to attend a timeshare presentation, nor to purchase an "ownership" had we

known the truth. Moreover, the airline tickets that they lured us in with turned out to be unusable

because of restrictions and an unpublished expiration date. We ask that Diamond Resorts cancels our

contract and if possible, we would like to see some of our investment returned to us. We understand that

Diamond Resorts is not responsible for what originally occurred and we understand they are at no fault,

but we ask that they cancel our contract. We have no desire to move forward with Diamond. Monarch

Vacations has made us lose all trust in the timeshare industry!

Thank you for your time and if you shall need further information from us to proceed with filing this

complaint, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Signed,

[redacted]Desired Settlement: Cancel Contract.

Review: My father was the vacation "owner" & indeed passed away in June 30th, 1993... I paid dues/ etc for years following & decided to terminate the vacation rentals ENTIRELY.. They have continued to call, send mail on numerous occasions.. I've spoken to them several times asking them to STOP with the harassing mail/ calls trying to get money out of me & trying to FORCE me to continue with them.. I find it distasteful that they do NOT acknowledge my father's death nor my numerous requests to STOP mailing/ calling me..Desired Settlement: PLEASE tell them to STOP or I will take legal action..

Review: I have been dealing with increasing HOA Fess from Pacific Monarch Vacations with out any notice and explanation as to why fees continue to rise yearly. The company filed for bankruptcy 2 years ago and was bought out by Diamond Resorts. Now Diamond employees are using scare tactics to get me to buy into their time share. I want to remain with Monarch and not spend more new money that is not necessary. Please help in getting to the bottom of this. If not can you help with making it possible to just opt out of the HOA FEES by letting go of my time share. Monarch and Diamond both state that if I stop paying my HOA FEES they will ruin my credit and that I can never let go of my HOA FEES obligations.Desired Settlement: That my HOA FEES stop Increasing!!!