Consumer Law Protection Review & Square One Development Group Review
According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Consumer Law Protection LLC is a timeshare exit company founded by Christopher Carroll and George Reed, headquartered in Pevely, Missouri. The company is also known by a variety of other names, such as SquareOne Development Group LLC, The VOI Consulting Group, Consumer Rights Council LLC
When a brand obtains an unusually large amount of unfavorable reviews, a timeshare exit organization may often operate under several different brand names. In this case, this is the case.
Since it has been operating since 2005, Square One Development Group LLC may appear to be its original designation. Due to more than eighty customer complaints, the BBB has given this business an F grade. The BBB also displays this company’s Pattern of Complaints and Consumer Law Protection warning sign. The Consumer Law Protection website is no longer active; the Square One Development Group review will be examined below.
Square One Development Group LLC Website
The website has a semi-professional, vibrant appearance, and the homepage contains a brief, memorable phrase. The page’s header contains various social media logos intended to lead visitors to the company’s profile pages; only the Facebook page is active, but it is no longer accessible on Facebook; other links on the website are inactive and do not exist. Also, there is a link to a complimentary survival guide for timeshare owners during the coronavirus Pandemic. The website’s navigation menu includes Home, Cancellation of Timeshare, About, and Contact. Additionally, there is a link near the menu for a complimentary consultation.
Homepage
Square One Development Group asserts that it is ‘The Nation’s Most Effective Timeshare Exit Strategist,’ its logo asserts that its track record and consumer-first culture are fueling its rapid growth and have made it the most feared name in the timeshare industry. At the end of this research, we’ll know if Square One Development Group lives up to its name.
Square One Development Group is proud of its accomplishments on this top section of its homepage, including providing beneficial information for 16,000 timeshare owners at its workshop. It has effectively released 1,568 timeshare owners from their timeshare obligations and typically releases customers from their timeshare contracts within 196 days. For clients to learn more about the corporation, a link leads to the Timeshare Cancellation page. The exit period for timeshares fluctuates based on the status of your mortgage fees. Square One Development Group explains why timeshare owners should terminate their contracts in the following section. It is vital to know that on the Internet, there are several rumors about Consumer Law Protection LLC offering “educational” seminars about getting rid of your timeshare in person at its workshop. Several websites say these in-person “educational” seminars are analogous to timeshare presentations. With high-pressure sales techniques, timeshare owners are allegedly forced to pay thousands of dollars upfront and on the spot for the timeshare cancellation service. No reputable company in the timeshare exit market employs high-pressure sales techniques to convince owners to rescind their timeshare.
The About Page section of the homepage also emphasizes the timeshare cancellation page content and frequently asked questions, followed by a link that directs visitors to the consultation application form. Additionally, there is a testimonial section on the homepage, but the feedback needs to be linked to a credible source. Timeshare owners should proceed with caution. There is an enticing offer of a free $50 gift card for timeshare owners who sign up, but you must use the consultation form to determine if you qualify. The purpose of the reward is still being determined.
Square One Development Group also specifies that it provides pointers rather than points. The Contact section includes the company’s office, email address, phone number, and social media handles. The page’s footer contains several social media icons intended to direct visitors to the company’s profile pages; however, only the Facebook page is inaccessible on Facebook; all other connections on the website are defunct and inactive.
Timeshare Cancellation
The Timeshare Cancellation page explains how Square One Development Group assists clients in terminating their timeshare contracts. A link is provided for clients to initiate consultations. This page also includes a video depicting a client’s dreadful Timeshare experience. Also included is the company’s exit procedure. A link is provided for clients to learn more about its Consumer Advocate Services, which include Timeshare Transfer, Timeshare Exit, Money Recovery, Class Action, Credit Protection, and Free advice. Square One guarantees to get clients out of their timeshares within a year, and if it fail to do so, the client is entitled to a full refund. This page also contains a $50 visa offer, but applicants must qualify. Refunds without an escrow payment option are red flags in the timeshare industry, so we do not recommend working with any company that makes such a claim.
About Page
The About Page displays Square One Development Group’s guiding principles, which include Transparency, Zero-Risk, Efficiency, and Assertiveness, and highlights the company’s accomplishments in the timeshare industry. The only way to confirm these principles is through the comments of those patronizing the business. There needs to be a list of staff members or founders with job descriptions for clients’ simple access.
Contact Us
The Contact Page includes an office address, an email address, and a phone number. There is a section to schedule consultations, check eligibility, and interact with the community of timeshare owners. There are also some non-responsive social media icons on this page, which needs to speak better or demonstrate professionalism for Square One Development Group.
FAQ Analysis
Below are Square One Development Group’s responses to frequently requested customer queries.
i. How long will this process take?
Although the negotiation process with each resort is unique, Square One takes 90 days from receiving your completed welcome pack until it frees you from your timeshare ownership. Depending on the complications of your ownership, it will affect how fast the exit is accomplished. You are assured of a maximum processing time by its 100% money-back guarantee of success within 12 months.
ii. Why is Square One different from all the other exit companies out there?
Since 2005, Square One claims to have helped more than 700 clients successfully exit their timeshare ownership (as of December 31, 2019) with several exit companies that need to be more consistent. Some of these businesses claim to offer exit services but then take your money and vanish.
iii. How does Square One go about getting me out of my timeshare?
Square One claims to bargain vigorously with the resort’s proprietors by leveraging the resort’s first deceptive selling techniques and false pledges against them. It starts off negotiations by requesting the return on your initial investment. In the unlikely event that the resort accepts to pay any refund of your initial investment, Square One will pass along 75% of any recovery dollars. Although Square One almost always threatens legal action during this process, it is rarely required to do so because the resorts know they will lose. A settlement is typically reached, and Square One Development Group cost covers the cost of the title transfer and completion. It also claims that No additional fees are charged to its customers.
While these responses are specific to the company, we recommend using Escrow when making payments to any company, as it protects you and your funds from potential scams. Refrain from believing a money-back guarantee promise, as it is worthless.
Square One Development Group Lawsuit
It is common for timeshare exit companies to be associated with lawsuits, below are some of the lawsuit found while researching for Square One Development Group review.
- U.S. and State of Wisconsin v. Square One Development Group Inc. and others; U.S. and Square One Development Group Inc.
The United States Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Consumer Law Protection and related companies, as well as their owners and operators Christopher Carroll, George Reed, Louann Reed, Scott Jackson, and Eduardo Balderas, on behalf of the Federal Trade Commission and the Wisconsin Attorney General, for stealing more than $90 million from consumers, primarily senior citizens, in a massive timeshare exit scam.
Also, on June 9, 2022, Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed a lawsuit against multiple organizations affiliated with Square One Development Group, a company based in Des Peres that purports to assist consumers in getting out of onerous timeshare contracts for thousands or tens of thousands of dollars. The lawsuit alleges that the companies misled and coerced timeshare owners into paying for services they never received.
The lawsuit alleges that since 2018, the attorney general’s office has received more than 200 complaints from consumers who paid the firms more than $2 million. Christopher Carroll and George Reed, owners of Square One, were indicted in September for illegally procuring $2.8 million in COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans to assist small businesses during the outbreak.
According to the indictments, the two founded Whiskey Dix Big Truck Repairs and paid themselves $600,000 each. According to the U.S. attorney’s office, Reed and Carroll submitted PPP loan applications under the names of their spouses to conceal Carroll’s paroled criminal status. Reed and Carroll are sexual offenders on record. According to registry and court records, Reed was given a five-year sentence for possessing child pornographic material and sexual abuse or attempted sexual abuse of a minor. In 1995, Carroll was sentenced to 30 years for forced sodomy. Both are accused of federal bank fraud and money laundering.
Square One Development Group Cost
There is no fixed cost associated with selling a timeshare; however, to reduce the money you must spend, you must be current on your mortgage payments and maintenance fees. You may incur additional cost if you are delinquent on your maintenance fees. On average, the costs of exiting a timeshare range between $2,000 and $15,000.
The clients are required to contact the company and provide specific information that can be used to determine Square One Development Group cost price of selling their timeshare, and the prices are tailored to the client’s needs. It is typical for timeshare exit companies to withhold their pricing information from the public, Square One Development Group cost is not any different.
Square One Development Group Rating
Although the role of VOI Consulting Group LLC and Consumer Rights Council LLC remains determined, the company appears to have rebranded as Consumer Law Protection LLC in 2020, despite having accumulated 100 complaints and receiving an F rating from the Better Business Bureau based on 13 customer reviews. We would not recommend collaborating with a timeshare exit company that utilizes multiple brand identities.
Summary
Based on our research of Square One Development Group review claims (found on its website) and its customers’ experiences (via reviews), we cannot in good conscience endorse this company. To learn more about other options, please visit our list of timeshare exit companies, call us at 619-354-2362, or use the contact form or live chat on the right.