The Halloween season seems to get longer every year.
“Trick or Treat” specials on candy and costumes start on Labor Day. Inflatable pumpkins and giant skeletons pop up in front yards not long after.
But at Capital Vacations, “Trick or Treat” season is a year ‘round affair – with an important difference.
On Halloween, the costume wearing children offer you a choice: trick OR treat.
At Capital Vacations, you only get tricked, as one Capital Vacations owner recently discovered.
We found their frightful tale among the hundreds of complaints Capital Vacations owners have filed with the Better Business Bureau.
“I’ve had a stressful experience with Capital Vacations, especially trying to exit my timeshare.”
“After a cruise in March 2025, we were pressured into attending a high-pressure sales meeting disguised as an account review.”
Tricked, right off the bat!
“The worst issue came when a rep convinced us to sign up for a new plan, claiming it would eliminate our mortgage and save us $300/month if we cashed in points.”
Savings plus more points? What a treat!
“None of which were true.”
Oh. Never mind.
“He required a $2,900 down payment on a credit card he signed us up for, promising we’d get it back.”
That’s kind of like asking trick or treaters to give you their candy and you’ll get it back to them…sometime.
“None of this was true. The mortgage continued, and the points couldn’t be cashed out.”
Tricked again!
“He later admitted he lied and even told us to lie during the contract signing.”
Quite the prankster, that Capital Vacations rep.
“This experience has caused my family financial loss, stress, and a complete lack of trust.”
“Avoid Capital Vacations at all costs.”
A scary story indeed.
Who will put a stop to the ghoulish behavior at Capital Vacations?
We know at least two U.S. Senators who would like to try. Last December, U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-UT) and Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) introduced the Timeshare Transparency Act (S.3502).
Essentially, it’s a long overdue “bill of rights” to prevent timeshare consumers from being sold a dream and delivered a nightmare.
The Timeshare Transparency Act (TTA) sets out clear, commonsense requirements for timeshare companies, so consumers understand exactly what they are purchasing. And it includes a requirement for clear, documented procedures for exiting timeshare ownership.
To be considered further by the U.S. Congress, however, the Timeshare Transparency Act needs more support.
If you agree, contact your U.S. Senators and U.S. House Representative. Tell them you support the Timeshare Transparency Act (S.3502). Share your own timeshare horror story. Tell your representatives you’re tired of seeing families “misled and flat-out lied to” by an industry that seems to value profits over fairness and transparency.
- Find your Senator: senate.gov
- Find your Representative: house.gov
For now, we need to rely on people like Travis Bary, the co-president of Capital Vacations. Let’s email him at tbary@capitalvacations.com and ask when he’s going to stop tricking owners and start treating them to the vacations they deserve – and paid for.
And don’t forget Jason Gamel, the President and CEO of American Resort Development Association (ARDA), the trade association for the timeshare industry. We haven’t heard “boo” from him about how to solve this monster problem. Let’s email him at jgamel@arda.org to find out why.
Got an eerie feeling that your timeshare company may have tricked you into an upgrade? Use this list of ARDA VIPsto contact your company’s leaders.
Had a timeshare experience that haunts you to this day? Treat us to it at info@timesharefacts.com.
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