SAGE
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2006
You certainly have reason to be nervous, but I wouldn't be in panic mode yet.
The steps you went through - extensive email exchange, personal telephone contact, written contract - do not sound like steps a ripoff artist would go through. Nor is using Paypal. A ripoff artist would pressure you to pay quickly in a manner that is difficult to trace, and if you insisted on going through the good procedure you used, they'd just move on to another victim.
Also, just to put things in perspective, actual ripoffs in DVC rentals are EXTREMELY rare.
I would continue your attempts to contact the owner and find out what happened. They may just be on vacation themselves.
One thing I am confused about is you say you saw the reservation cancelled on the "DVC site." To me, that means the DVC Member site, and I'm wondering how you got access to that. Whatever site you used, Disney website info is often incorrect or inaccessible, and I would not panic based on that alone.
On another note - I believe Dean is correct. Do NOT post the owner's real or screen name on the DIS. If you have any doubt, check with a moderator, but I'm sure that's the answer.
Whatever your outcome is, be sure to come back here and update everyone.
I have rented points from members here on the Dis boards, and didn't think we could access our reservations....well I just tried for my Aug trip & got to my reservation.
Very sorry to hear of the OP's trouble. I would be concerned too.
My feeling is the majority of people here on the boards want to rent their unused points honestly.