BBB PARTNERSHIP RELEASE:
BBB Serving Eastern WA, North ID and MT with BBB Tulsa OK
INTERNATIONAL EVENT COORDINATORS of Tulsa, OK and RESORT ESCROW EXCHANGE of Liberty Lake, WA Working in Tandem on Timeshare Rental Scheme
International Event Coordinators
Wood Land Hills
7021 S. Memorial Drive
Tulsa, Oklahoma, 74133-2025
918-876-4462 www.internationaleventcoordinators.com
Resort Escrow Exchange
2310 N. Molter Road
Liberty Lake, WA 99019
http://resortescrowexchange.com
509-590-4576
BBB is receiving information from caller(s) claiming International Events Coordinators (IEC) of Tulsa, OK has contacted them about the rental or purchase of their timeshare. When one timeshare owner asked IEC how his contact information was obtained he was told it was given to IEC from the group that owns his timeshare condo.
According to callers, IEC offers to rent the consumer's timeshare for a "too good to be true" price. The company then requires timeshare owner to set up escrow with their escrow company only, Resort Escrow Exchange of Liberty Lake, WA, and to deposit money in escrow to secure the rental payments. This escrow group also requires you to authorize them to charge your credit card to wire funds. The agreement paperwork for this transfer is merely designated to a "To Whom It May Concern," a huge red flag.
BBB of Eastern OK obtained a copy of an “Exclusive Rental Contract” that IEC is using. The address listed on the document for IEC is for a shopping mall located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. When BBB investigators contacted the management of the shopping mall to verify the address for IEC, BBB was informed IEC is not, and never has been located at the given address. BBB serving Eastern Oklahoma has made attempts to obtain more information from IEC. The company has yet to return BBB calls.
On August 2, 2010, and another occasion, the BBB of EWA, NID and MT left a message with Resort Escrow Exchange of Liberty Lake, WA to address concerns. The company did not respond to BBB. BBB made one last effort to contact the company on August 12, 2010, and was able to reach Laura Hodge, who stated that she was co-owner of the company. Ms. Hodge was unable to confirm or verify any proper registration and/or licensing for the company, and stated that they were a “satellite office” only. She then sent BBB to its Legal Department. The Legal Department was answered by a John McFarland, who did not state his position, but stated that he was not the attorney for the company, but “handled such matters” for the company. Mr. McFarland stated that his company is not public, but private, and that they are not required to register or be licensed in the state of WA to do what they do. Mr. McFarland stated that BBB could visit them at any time
As of August 2, 2010, this company is not properly registered as an escrow agent in the state of Washington with the Department of Financial Institutions. BBB is also unable to find any proper business registration for this company with the WA Department of Licensing and the WA Secretary of State.
The address used by this escrow service is a business complex in Liberty Lake, WA, with several suites in it. This escrow group does not designate a suite number in its address it has posted at its web site, and BBB confirmed that there was no escrow service operating in that building with current tenants there. Also, as of August 9, 2010, mail delivered to this company’s address by BBB has been returned “unable to be delivered.”
HOW TO FILE COMPLAINTS
We urge caution dealing with these two groups. If you have an unresolved issue with these groups, we urge you to be pro-active and file formal complaints where appropriate.
For Resort Escrow Exchange complaints, file formal complaints with BBB at www.bbb.org, WA Department of Financial Institutions at: www.dfi.wa.gov, and the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov If any group states that they received your contact info from your timeshare group, we urge you to contact your group directly to confirm the validity of that statement.
BBB ADVICE
Timeshare scams abound right now, so whether you are a seller or a purchaser, make certain that you do your research prior to agreeing to anything. Check 1st with BBB for a business review on the company. BBB urges consumers to use caution when dealing with any company that requires you to wire money and/or asks that you sign an agreement you may not fully understand, and contains blank spaces in the document. Also, think twice about going with a company that states to you that they aren’t required to register as a company in the state in which they operate because they do “international business.”
