BBB issues another warning about business owner

Consumer watchdog nonprofit Better Business Bureau is cautioning against doing business with the owner of two local timeshare exit companies.

Jeffrey Shaver, of Ozark, operates Fountainhead Group Consulting Firm LLC, the focus of a new BBB investigation, and Last Resort Fee, a company that was flagged by the organization a year ago, according to a news release.

While the latest cautionary statement involves Fountainhead Group, it largely focuses on the fact Shaver also owns Last Resort Fee, which has an “F” rating on its BBB profile. A June BBB study found Last Resort Fee was one of the top timeshare exit businesses consumers complained about, with a reported $271,637 in losses to customers who did business with Last Resort. Nearly 40 complaints filed with the BBB remain unresolved or unanswered.

“Based on this business owner’s track record, consumers should think twice before doing business with his new venture,” said Michelle Corey, BBB St. Louis president and CEO, in the release. “If you’re looking to exit a timeshare, we urge you to contact your resort first before entering into an agreement with a third-party company that demands an up-front payment.”

Attempts to reached Shaver by phone and email were unsuccessful by deadline.

Fountainhead Group Consulting was formed in August in the Show-Me State, according to Missouri secretary of state records. It originally was formed in New Mexico in January, according to the release. Fountainhead Group does not have customer complaints listed on its BBB profile.

Fountainhead Group’s website lists an address at 1015 Highway 248, Ste. D, in Branson. Last Resort’s website is no longer operational, and the company’s business filing with the secretary of state was terminated earlier this year.

In its release issued this morning, the BBB cited conversations with two customers. One customer attended a seminar in Springfield but felt uncomfortable and canceled a check she wrote. BBB officials also say a man from Gassville, Arkansas, decided to let Fountainhead work on his case after initial misgivings in June.