Anyone heard of Asset Management Recoveries Barcelona?

Long story, which I won't bore you all with.

Basically, we had timeshare in Tenerife, but lost it when the units were sold off privately as the resort was unable to retain RCI status due to lack of funds.
(A big scam I think with loads of losers).

Today, the above company has contacted me saying I have a refund due on the timeshare loss and a company in Tenerife is dealing with the refunds, which have been gained after siezing assets of the resort owners. 

I was told the refunds relate to a "Loyalty Bonus Scheme" we were in, for which we paid £139 annually.
I don't remember being in a Loyalty Bonus Scheme! 
But, we did pay annual maintenance, so maybe part of it was for the Loyalty Scheme? Who knows?

I am told I have to fly to Tenerife to be given my refund which could be from 5 - 12K GB pounds.

I will have to pay £175 via credit card, before I travel, to cover admin charges regarding the refund.

They will give me 5 nights free accomodation in a 4* resort for up to 4 people, with no timeshare presentation to take!!! 
Yeah right!

Am I being blonde here, is this another timeshare scam?

Has anybody got knowledge of this refund business or the companie invovled?

It would be great if I really do get a 5-12K refund, we could have an EOS party on me!!

Hi Fibby!  And a belated Happy Birthday!!  Hope you had a good one!

Fibby, this sounds like an absolute scam to me, personally.  If you were due any sort of refund, why do they not just ask for your lawyers' details and get in contact and transfer the funds?

The fact that you have to fly to Tenerife and pay 175 pounds by credit card beforehand for "admin" fees just smacks of rip-off!!  Respond to them and ask them to contact your lawyers with details and see what happens then!!  If this was for real, in my humble opinion, there would be no need for you to fly to Tenerife and to pay any sum whatsoever!

In my view, a con.

Don't know what anybody else thinks though?

Hi Pitby!
Thanks for the happy birthday!
I think it's a scam too, didn't think of the Lawyer bit, so thanks for that.
It's so tempting though when you think of the "refund"!
I could just do with that right now.
Any other opinions/knowledge of this, gratefully received............

Fibby do not believe them, I think it is a scam I know we have been ripped of by timeshare merchants, we still have our two weeks in Gran Canaria, I get so many phone calls asking if I want to sell.  You will get there and they will try to sell you more timeshare.  But give RCI a ring and ask them if they have heard of them.  Please do not fall for it.   Pat

Thanks Pat,
Didn't think of RCi either!
Must be a very bad blonde day for me.
The EOS party is looking farther away       

Sounds like a scam that I was reading about some time ago - where they offered you a refund - as long as the money was reinvested in ....................................................another timeshare!!!

Definitely sounds dodgy!

Hi Fibby, when they ring you again ask them what the Loyalty Bonus Scheme is that you were in,  it certainly would not have been in the maintenance fees, which is just that for looking after apartments and area.   So ask them how you paid for that. If you google OFT they will tell you not to part with any money up front.  Hope this helps, perhaps  they thought they were giving you a birthday present, which would have been nice if true. Hope you had a good day.   Pat 


This message was last edited by Pat and Roy on 9/29/2008.

Hi
I have also been contacted by this company and am very reluctant to  even consider what they suggest having had just about enough of the scams etc involved in timeshare. However . . . my reluctance is tempered by my desire to recover any costs so if anyone knows of this company or 'deal' they are offering please let us know. I cannot believe that if we are actually going to get any money back we need to go personally to collect it. I reckon the whole thing is yet another scam to get money off you - but I am also a bit greedy (if that's the correct word) so don't want to ditch it just yet . ..

I have recieved a call on this subject today. Very plausible as we did pay the £139 a year as stated into a Loyalty Bonus Scheme. Tried to find AMR Barcelona on the web, but no details appear - if genuine why no formal address?? Adds to the suspicion of yet another scam from United Paradise or its owners. Hearing other peoples stories are useful.

I don't think it is a scam -  They know too much about the scheme and how it was administered to be scamming people and they can't be the same Company as United Paradise no longer exist.  I too have been contacted by this Company.  The Loyalty Bonus scheme was sold to us by Chayofa country club as a type of investment.  We had to pay £139 per year for each week (we bought 2 weeks) with the promise of a lump sum after 5, 7 or 10 years.  RCI will not know about this scheme as it was administered by United Paradise who own Chayofa.  I am prepared to take the gamble and pay the 175 up front to get the minimum of £5,000.  At the very least I'll take advantage of the free accommodation and have a nice week in the sun. 

By all of you saying "LOOKS LIKE A SCAM"  I THINK IT'S A SCAM" "IN MY OPINION IT'S A SCAM", you may be frightening people off that could be in a position to claim some money that they were promised in the first place.  If you don't know for definite it is a scam the either put up or shut up!

Since my last posting I sent an email to the Spanish Consumer Association who have promptly replied to my enquiry as to the potential scam.

They believe that it looks like it, they believe that a serious company would not use an un-recognisable email address (their words), provide no names and no checkable data and no documentation Their recommendation is to not sign anything and not to pay any money in advance under any circumstances.

Gin Drinker, we don't appreciate forum abuse like your post ended up with ("put up or shut up !" ) so kindly refrain.

You're no tonic to the thread, get it ?  G&T.




This message was last edited by morerosado on 10/1/2008.

We have now had two calls about this and have been promised an email with the details - but this has so far failed to arrive. Lynn at Asset Management Recovery in Barcelona claimed that they were acting on behalf of trustees appointed by the courts to reclaim the loyalty bonus payments. A cheque was effectively waiting for us in Tenerife - although she could not tell me how much - just that it would be between £5k and £12k depending how much we had paid in. We had to go there to sign the papers and show our passports as proof of identity. The £175 was a 'legal administration fee' which had to be paid in advance but we would have 7 days free accommodation. They had thousands more people to call and the weeks were already getting booked up so it would have to be into next year. She said she would call back later to see if I have received email and have any more questions. I have emailed the Timeshare Consumers Association to get their views.

Why did Fibby get contacted then, she does not think she paid into this Loyalty Bonus Scheme.  So they are contacting everyone that was in this Timeshare scheme.   Sorry still thing this is a scam.  But would like to be proved wrong.   Pat

To Morerosado,

I don't see "put up or shut up" as abuse, it is a very well known saying.  Meaning if you have absolute proof this is a scam show me or say nothing.

Have just had a reply from Timeshare Consumers Association  which says 'don't touch with a bargepole'. 

I have also now received the promised email which comes from the Spanish equivalent of a hotmail address - hardly inspiring confidence!

"With reference to our earlier telephone conversation, I am writing to confirm that we have contacted you in regard to the Loyalty Bonus Scheme you signed for when you purchased your timeshare with United Paradise either at Chayofa Country Club or The Palms.

As discussed you paid an initial £139.00, then a further £139.00 annually and your return should have been £ 5,000, £7,000 or £12,000. To date no-one has received any monies from this scheme and you were eventually told that there was no money available. Trustees have been appointed and have recovered assets from the Company releasing available funds for those affected members. Your refund depends on the term of the investment with the minimum amount being £5,000.

There is an administration team based in Tenerife, where you purchased to deal with these refunds. The company will provide up to 7 nights accommodation free of charge to you on the Golf del Sur in the South of Tenerife for all named parties on your original Loyalty Bonus Certificate and their dependent children.

The fee of £175.00 mentioned to you, once paid for your protection by Visa or Master card is to cover legal, administration and registration fees.

I look forward to speaking to you again as arranged, should you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact me.

Subject to availability, terms and conditions apply.

Yours sincerely

Victoria
Corporate Office"

Gin Drinker, I know exactly what it means. I thought for a 1st post it read rather rudely. 

We debate on EOS, we don't all know every last thing. By discussions we sometimes get to the truth of things.

Let's agree to differ on it.

Welcome to EOS.

Hi Teddy. I would listen to what the Timeshare Consumers  Association says.  Also I did not realise that the Timeshare was not associated with RCI  that would have sent  alarm bells ringing with me anyway.  Most Timeshares are associated with RCI so you can bank weeks and exchange I have used them myself and found them very good.  The sad thing is a lot of people they are ringing will fall for this and probaly get ripped of again.   Pat   

I am really hopeful about this company despite what people are saying and have paid the £175.
What have i got to loose, 7 days in the sun and hopefully coming home with a check.
I'm going in a few weeks will post again when i return.  

 Hi Char52,  Welcome to the forum.   Yes please post when you come back would be very interested to see how you get on. Just do not part with any money is my advice for what it is worth.  Pat 

 Hi i have received phone calls from the above and also received email looks to good to be true.

i am taking legal advice on this, will keep upto date. i had a Timeshare at the Palms on the Costa Del Sur but sold it back to them at big loss.
it seems very fishy why we should have to pay £175  up front i will tell them to contact my Solisitor with details, soon find out whether a scam or not.

 Hi solisitors avice do not touch with bargpole  advice play for time.

Just received further phone call from Julie saying if not regestered by Sunday will take off the register.

anybody else had further communuication?

Spoke with AMR last night. My questions included :

who are the trustees you refer to, response - I can't tell you

why do I have to goto Tenerife to claim, response - its Spanish law

I have until the end of 2009 to claim, response - no, you must say in the next week otherwise the money will be returned to United Paradise !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've asked for the authority as to how AMR were asked to do this work, details of AMR etc, but only response is that they are trying to give us money which if we don't take will be returned to United Paradise.

They email I received is the same as posted by Teddy1 (word for word) except it comes from Carly.

I'll wait for char52 response, it will be interesting to see what reception they get.
Char52 have you been told where you will be staying at Golf del sur?

Hi

I too have been contacted by AMR in Barcelona and the same email as TEDDY1.

It does seem tempting and am expecting a "final chance" call back tomorrow. Glad I looked for a web site for AMR and found you guys having similar thoughts/problems.

Probably tell AMR not proceeding as it does seem a bit unlikely that if the resort is in administration thye would pay out loyalty bonuses rather thant their staff and other creditors first. You would think that in this day and age they could simply post the paperwork to us and give us a proper chance to look through what the are apparently offering rather than going to Tenerife (nice as it is).

Gooduck to those who take up the offer and look forward to reading how you get on.

Graham

I have also received a call from Dave at Asset Management Recoveries who has offered me and my family a weeks free accomodation at the Royal Tenerife Country Club on the Golf del Sur in Tenerife.  In order to qualify for this free week his company requires £175.00 to cover the Loyalty Bonus Scheme legal administration and registration fees. 
Having read the conversations above I also have my reservations about the whole set up.
I purchased a week at The Palms Golf and Country Club in August 1995 and joined The Loyalty Bonus Scheme in July 98.  I paid £139.00 annually for five years then sent in a claim form for the proceeds of £5,000.00 to The Trustees Office in Presbury, Cheltenham.  The adminstration of the Loyalty Bonus Scheme was then transfered to United Paradise Group in Tenerife in November 2000.  We were invited over to Tenerife to sort out the proceeds and met with the Manager at the Chayofa Country Club.  He made me an offer to reinburse me the money I had put in as he believed at that time that there would be no funds available to reimburse the members of the scheme.  He made me an offer of 1240 Euro and suggested leaving these monies as a credit to cover future maintenance charges on The Palms Golf and Country Club.  The Palms Golf and Country Club units have all now been sold privately (so we have been told) and I have not paid maintenance since 2005 leaving a credit with United Paradise.  I am still struggling to obtain these monies.   However, they did offer me a weeks free accomodation valid till the end of 2008 but this does not equate to what they owe me.  I am still liasing with them and have NOT accepted there kind offer.  
PLEASE TREAD CAREFULLY, this industry is about making money and offering dreams to individual's which they cannot meet.

BAK

i,ve been contacted earlier today by telephone and confirmed by e mail with same offer.
when making my original purchase of week at Chayofa Country Club in year 2000 made initial payment £139
to enlist in loyalty bonus scheme,but  then never asked for further payment in subsequent year.
subsequently corresponded at length with united paradise before accepting scheme closed and wrote off my £139 payment
my belief is that if it sounds to good to be true,ITS NOT,can not believe I will recieve £5000 for investment of £139.
explanation that subsequent payment was collected in maintainance fees is un-realistic when this resort recently have been
requesting additional payments to cover descrepancies.
I am expecting a follow up call from AMR on Tuesday this week and will use some of the points from this forum for questions.
feel this is a scam,but if anyone does take up the offer and can prove otherwise would be delighted to be proved wrong
Wainy 

Hi, I also was contacted by AMR with the same offer, and was hopeful to get some of our money back but as usual it sounded to good to be true. After reading the comments on this site I e-mailed United Paradise and received a phone call from Ceri Jones at Chayofa who said that it was a scam and under no circumstances to pay any money.  She also said that the loyality bonus was still at a stand still.  Apparently they have lawyers looking into this scam and would be interested in any other information anyone might have.  Her  address is reservations@united-paradise.net I have also e-mailed Timeshare consumer council for advice but as yet have not received a reply.  I'll let you know if I get anything back from them.  

Hi, I received the same phone call from AMR last week and asked and received the same questions and answers. I'm sad enough to still have the original paperwork and loyalty bonus certificate but also very sceptical and untrusting with any cold caller offering money, 'too good to be true offers' generally are exactly that.
I've not been convinced by their answers or lack of info regarding themselves and I've e-mailed OTE for any info but have heard nothing yet.
I'm expecting a call back from AMR this afternoon but will probably not bother to hang around to speak to them and will await further info and news from Char52

Paul

Nice to know from Ceri at Chayofa that the Loyalty Bonus is at a standstill.  If United Paradise paid the Loyalty Bonus money in the first place then everybody will have been paid out and there would be no need to pay anyone else to help them to claim it.

Nice to know from Ceri at Chayofa that the Loyalty Bonus is at a standstill.  If United Paradise paid the Loyalty Bonus money in the first place then everybody will have been paid out and there would be no need to pay anyone else to help them to claim it.