Business ProfileforSquare One Development Group, Inc.

Square One Development Group has been in business since 2005, however, the company began promoting its Timeshare Exit services in 2018.

The company also is affiliated with Consumer Rights Council, Consumer Law Protection, and VOI Consulting Group.  BBB maintains separate Business Profiles on these companies.  Please see links below:

Consumer Rights Council

http://www.bbb.org/us/mo/pevely/profile/timeshare-advocates/consumer-rights-council-0734-1000024789

Consumer Law Protection

http://www.bbb.org/us/mo/pevely/profile/timeshare-cancellation/consumer-law-protection-0734-1000023535

VOI Consulting Group

http://www.bbb.org/us/nv/las-vegas/profile/consultant/voi-consulting-group-llc-1086-90065777

In July 2020, Better Business Bureau challenged Square One Development Group, Inc.'s website, www.squareonehelp.com, which stated the following:

“The Nation’s Most Effective Timeshare Exit Strategists”
“The nation’s leading Consumer Protection Group”
“7000+ Contracts successfully exited via our proprietary legal process”
“7000+ Over 7000 distressed owners helped by Square One”
“…we have successfully helped over 700 clients (as of December 2019) exit their time share ownership.”
400% Growth in 2019 because of our success rate & customer service”
“Get A Free $50 Gift card when you sign up!”
“Class Action When numerous consumers get swindled by the same resort, we’re there”
“Credit Protection Timeshares can wreak havoc on credit scores, we can help repair & maintain them”
“Money Recovery Wrongful timeshare charges & in rare cases reimbursement of legit fees”
“2005 Square One was founded in 2005 & we’ve been growing since”
“Square One has been in business since 2005…”
“Fifteen Years of Trusted Consumer Advocacy”

According to BBB Code of Advertising, “The primary responsibility for truthful and non-deceptive advertising rests with the advertiser. Advertisers should be prepared to substantiate any objective claims or offers made before publication or broadcast. Upon request, they should present such substantiation promptly to the advertising medium or BBB. Advertisements which are untrue, misleading, deceptive, fraudulent, falsely disparaging of competitors, or insincere offers to sell, shall not be used. An advertisement as a whole may be misleading by implication, although every sentence separately considered may be literally true. Misrepresentation may result not only from direct statements, but by omitting or obscuring a material fact. In addition, according to the Missouri state statute 15 CSR 60-7.020 (1): “A seller shall not make a representation or statement of fact in an advertisement that is false or has the capacity to mislead prospective purchasers.”

In addition, the BBB Code of Advertising states, “Superlative statements in advertisements about the tangible qualities and performance values of a product or service objective are objective claims for which the advertiser must possess substantiation as they can be based upon accepted standards or tests.  As statements of fact, such claims, like “#1 in new car sales in the city,” can be proved or disproved.

Further, in reference to free claims, BBB’s Code of Advertising standards, Section 14, states, “An advertiser may use the word “free” in advertising whenever the advertiser is offering an unconditional gift.  If receipt of the “free” product or service is conditional on a purchase or service:

-The advertiser must clearly and conspicuously disclose this condition with the “free” offer (not simply by placing an asterisk or symbol next to “free” and referring to the condition(s) in a footnote); and

-The advertiser must not have increased the normal price of the product or service to be purchased nor reduced its quantity or quality.”

While this business has been in operation since 2005, it did not begin providing timeshare cancellation services until 2018. Therefore, the statement is misleading as it implies they’ve been conducting timeshare cancellations since 2005. This has been brought to the business' attention by BBB previously.  The business indicated that this statement would be modified to accurately reflect the length of time Square One Development has been in the timeshare cancellation business, however, it has failed to honor that commitment. 

BBB asked the business to provide substantiation to the claims made on its website.  The company has not responded to BBB’s request.