Mitchell Reed Sussman and Associates Review
Mitchell Reed Sussman and Associates Review
To begin, the law offices of Mitchell Reed Sussman & Associates, aka currently Timeshare Legal Action, is a real estate-based law firm headquartered in Palm Springs, California. Attorney Sussman graduated from Pepperdine University in 1076 and has over 40 years of experience in real estate law. Over that time, accusations of scamming people out of their money have been justified.
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At Your Own Risk
Upon extensive research, we’ve found several issues with the practices of M.R. Sussman, including scamming, alligations of disappearing with client’s money, and opening and closing multiple companies, all aimed at timeshare exits.
First, Mitchell Reed Sussman & Associates’ current timeshare exit company has one website with two website addresses. Timeshare Legal Action & Timeshare Attorney California (unsecured site) both go to the same website.
Listed below are three parts of Sussman’s law practice. It seems Atty. Sussman has not invested in technology over the past 40 years as most of these websites are grossly outdated and unsecured. So, enter at your own risk.
- Student Debt Cancellation (secured site)
- Los Angeles Real Estate Attorney (unsecured site)
- Palm Springs Litigation Attorney (unsecured site)
While it’s not unheard of for a company to have more than one website based on its unique services, Sussman has a long list of business ventures that have mysteriously closed and websites deleted after lawsuits and scamming practices came to light.
The Nitty Gritty
In California, Mitchell Sussman also owned Timeshare Rentor Sell (website deleted) and Timeshare Realty Specialists (website deleted).
As a result, the Federal Trade Commission has named both of the above companies as “Engaging in acts that violate the California Business and Professions Code, including assuming to act as a real estate broker without a license relating to the resale; of timeshare interests.”
Not to mention, another former business venture of Sussman’s is US Consumer Attorneys, another notorious operation in the timeshare cancellation scam industry that has been deleted from the world wide web. However, it seems someone forgot to delete the USCA Facebook page though.
As recently as 2021, before US Consumer Attorneys ghosted the internet, Sussman’s company allegedly scammed clients out of money and disappeared. The 5/5 negative reviews on yelp paint a pretty clear picture.
Next, Mitchell Sussman, along with Atty. Ron Stormoen, were essential players in the discredited timeshare cancellation scam company known as Nevada National Advertising, Inc. (website deleted), which sometimes operated as Dump Your Timeshare Now (suspicious website link).
In addition, Sussman opened Vacation Tree, Inc. (website deleted) in 2010, with 3 locations listed with the BBB. Two more businesses connect with Vacation Tree, Inc. Las Vegas Events and Shows (website deleted) and Timeshare Resale Source (website deleted); both were based in Las Vegas, where Atty. Bob Sussman (possibly a relative) owns a law practice. Both of these sites categorized as ‘timeshare companies’ are no longer in business under these names.
Lawsuits, Lawsuits, and more Lawsuits
Here are a few of the lawsuits filed against Sussman for deceptive timeshare exit practices in recent years.
Diamond Resorts Lawsuit Against Timeshare Exit Scammers
Most recently, in March of 2021, Diamond Resorts filed a lawsuit that alleges Sussman’s firm used false and misleading advertising to induce timeshare owners to stop making payments on their timeshare contracts—at the same time, charging the unsuspecting victims thousands (and sometimes tens of thousands) of dollars in upfront fees in exchange for no legitimate service.
Westgate vs. Mitchell Reed Sussman
In June 2019, a federal judge in Florida referred to Mitchell Reed Sussman as “the weasel” and finds that the law firm’s practices of collecting hefty fees upfront from timeshare owners and then not delivering on the promised service of getting the owners out of their timeshare obligation was purposeful fraud and deception. “Mr. Sussman’s letters informing timeshare owners they successfully exited… are objectively deceptive.” – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr.
Hilton Resorts Corp. v. Sussman, 2019
In 2019, Hilton Resorts sued Sussman for basically the same illegal practices as above. According to the court docket, “This action is one of many recent suits brought against Defendant Mitchell Reed Sussman by timeshare companies based on alleged false advertising and deceptive trade practices.”
Silverleaf vs. Mitchell Reed Sussman
In February of 2017, Silverleaf Resorts sued Sussman’s former business, Nevada National Advertising, and won the deliberate solicitation of owners with Silverleaf for the following illegal activities.
- Intentional interference with existing contracts
- Intentional interference with prospective business relations
- Defamation
- Business disparagement, and
- Civil conspiracy
If you are still reading this article to find out if you should hire this law firm to get you out of your timeshare contract, why?
Website Home Page
This grossly outdated website plummets the company’s credibility level to zero. We’re sure anyone born in the last five decades will most likely click off the site immediately. The entire site feels cluttered and wordy. Primitive pdf files are scattered throughout the site are annoying and prove nothing as anyone can write a letter and upload it to the web.
Cancel Your Timeshare Page
On this page, you’ll find a short questionnaire where you can briefly explain your timeshare dilemma. Then, after submitting the form, a representative from Mitchell Reed Sussman & Associates will give you a call for your free consultation. Although, nowhere on the site explains the steps the law firm will take to cancel your timeshare contract or how much it will cost you. However, reading tons of reviews from unhappy clients, we see the cost ranges from $4,000-$11,000 to get rid of your timeshare.
Proof of Performance Page
PDF documents uploaded are supposed to prove that Timeshare Legal Action, aka M.R. Sussman, does cancel some timeshare owner’s contracts. In contrast, all PDFs are from 2012-2014. No recent ones have been uploaded. I’m sure this archaic practice is time-consuming and hard to keep up with, so a modern website with review links is necessary for transparency. Nevermind that Sussman has been accused of falsifying documents over multiple lawsuits, including cancellation letters and certificates of cancellation.
Better Business Bureau Page
Sussman relies heavily on the fact that 1. nobody will check into his shady past and 2. that potential clients will hire him based on an A+ rating with the BBB. However, looking closely at these reviews, there are some red flags.
Adria states that she never received a cancellation letter from the firm. What is even more telling is the condescending response by Mitchell Reed Sussman and Associates.
Never once in the above response did the firm admit that they had indeed legally released this client from her timeshare contract. Nor did the firm offer any proof to that effect, which confirms Adria’s statement.
“You are not a paying customer, and you have no further personal obligation to them based on legal principles and the rulings of many, many courts…”
This vague statement eludes that the firm may have told this client to simply stop paying the timeshare fees and did nothing else to protect her interest or free her from her contract.
They go on to criticize her further, “So I suggest that you simply do your homework and be calm...”
Additionally, of the four other ratings on this site, one client writes, “I hope Michelle (??) can show me the laws preventing the Timeshare from holding me hostage to the fees.” Which eludes that this firm has not yet begun her case but may have persuaded her to write a premature review.
We also find it odd that Sussman joined the Better Business Bureau in 2014, yet there are only a few reviews, most written in the past seven months.
Two favorable reviews listed seem legitimate.
Subpar Social Media
Just like their website, each of Mitchell Redd Sussman and Associate’s social sites is out of date.
- Facebook link broken.
- Youtube last video was nine years ago
- Twitter updated in 2017
Final Words
While we did not find that Sussman scammed 100% of their clients out of their money, there are some favorable reviews. Sadly, ripping off just one person is enough to ruin your reputation. In the light of this information, we are giving a timeshare exit company an F- rating. Will this website be around tomorrow? We don’t know. Run.