Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced that his office has filed a lawsuit against Martin Management, a timeshare exit company formerly located in Springfield, Missouri, and its owner Steve Martin. The lawsuit, filed in Platte County can be found here: http://ago.mo.gov/docs/default-source/press-releases/2019/2020-01-31-state's-petition(11271277-15).pdf?sfvrsn=41aeff78_2
The lawsuit alleges that Martin Management employees, at the direction of Steve Martin, solicited large sums of money from customers on the promise to obtain a release of the customers’ timeshare obligations within 180 days or money back, guaranteed.
According to the lawsuit, when consumers complained about the time it was taking to release them from their time shares, Martin Management would extract more money from its clients by promising that only one more fee stood between them and final release from their timeshares.
Despite paying Martin Management for time share exit services, consumers claim that Martin Management never delivered the promised services.
In addition to promising consumers relief from their time shares, Martin Management instructed its clients to redirect timeshare maintenance expenses to them on the premise that such maintenance payments were no longer necessary. As a result, several Martin Management customers found themselves in debt with their timeshare holding companies.
“As Missouri’s Attorney General, it’s my duty to protect consumers and hold fraudulent companies, including timeshare exit companies, accountable for their actions. If anyone has been defrauded by Martin Management or a timeshare exit company, we want to hear from you,” said Attorney General Schmitt.
“Since the Better Business Bureau issued its public warning about Martin Management Group in October, 2017, complaints about the company continued. BBB applauds the efforts of the Attorney General to protect consumers from these unscrupulous practices," said Michelle L. Corey, Better Business Bureau President and CEO.
The Missouri Attorney General’s Office offers the following tips and reminders relating to timeshares and timeshare exit companies:
Before entering a timeshare agreement to begin with, carefully review the contract. What's affordable now may not be affordable in two or three decades.
Your first step should be to contact your current timeshare operator if you want to end your timeshare obligations.
Recognize that there are no tricks to this, and no company is going to wave a magic wand to get you out of your timeshare. If companies are advertising that, it’s likely not real or reliable.
Those who believe they may have been scammed by Martin Management, Steve Martin, or other timeshare relief companies should file a complaint with the Missouri Attorney General’s Office by calling the Consumer Protection hotline at 800-392-8222 or submitting a complaint online at ago.mo.gov.
In addition to promising consumers relief from their time shares, Martin Management instructed its clients to redirect timeshare maintenance expenses to them on the premise that such maintenance payments were no longer necessary. As a result, several Martin Management customers found themselves in debt with their timeshare holding companies.
“As Missouri’s Attorney General, it’s my duty to protect consumers and hold fraudulent companies, including timeshare exit companies, accountable for their actions. If anyone has been defrauded by Martin Management or a timeshare exit company, we want to hear from you,” said Attorney General Schmitt.
“Since the Better Business Bureau issued its public warning about Martin Management Group in October, 2017, complaints about the company continued. BBB applauds the efforts of the Attorney General to protect consumers from these unscrupulous practices," said Michelle L. Corey, Better Business Bureau President and CEO.
The Missouri Attorney General’s Office offers the following tips and reminders relating to timeshares and timeshare exit companies:
Before entering a timeshare agreement to begin with, carefully review the contract. What's affordable now may not be affordable in two or three decades.
Your first step should be to contact your current timeshare operator if you want to end your timeshare obligations.
Recognize that there are no tricks to this, and no company is going to wave a magic wand to get you out of your timeshare. If companies are advertising that, it’s likely not real or reliable.
Those who believe they may have been scammed by Martin Management, Steve Martin, or other timeshare relief companies should file a complaint with the Missouri Attorney General’s Office by calling the Consumer Protection hotline at 800-392-8222 or submitting a complaint online at ago.mo.gov.
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