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 Post subject: Timeshare Marketing Scams
PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 9:05 pm 
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Another year, another scam. :cry:

Timeshare Marketing Scams

Timeshare owners across the country are being scammed out of millions of dollars by unscrupulous companies that promise to sell or rent the unsuspecting victims' timeshares. In the typical scam, timeshare owners receive unexpected or uninvited telephone calls or e-mails from criminals posing as sales representatives for a timeshare resale company. The representative promises a quick sale, often within 60-90 days. The sales representatives often use high-pressure sales tactics to add a sense of urgency to the deal. Some victims have reported that sales representatives pressured them by claiming there was a buyer waiting in the wings, either on the other line or even present in the office.

Timeshare owners who agree to sell are told that they must pay an upfront fee to cover anything from listing and advertising fees to closing costs. Many victims have provided credit cards to pay the fees ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Once the fee is paid, timeshare owners report that the company becomes evasive – calls go unanswered, numbers are disconnected, and websites are inaccessible.

In some cases, timeshare owners who have been defrauded by a timeshare sales scheme have been subsequently contacted by an unscrupulous timeshare fraud recovery company as well. The representative from the recovery company promises assistance in recovering money lost in the sales scam. Some recovery companies require an up-front fee for services rendered while others promise no fees will be paid unless a refund is obtained for the timeshare owner. The IC3 has identified some instances where people involved with the recovery company also have a connection to the resale company, raising the possibility that timeshare owners are being scammed twice by the same people.

If you are contacted by someone offering to sell or rent your timeshare, the IC3 recommends using caution. Listed below are tips you can use to avoid becoming a victim of a timeshare scheme:

Be wary if a company asks you for up-front fees to sell or rent your timeshare.
Read the fine print of any sales contract or rental agreement provided.
Check with the Better Business Bureau to ensure the company is reputable.
To obtain more information on Internet schemes, visit http://www.LooksTooGoodToBeTrue.com.

Anyone who believes they have been a victim of this type of scam should promptly report it to the IC3's website at http://www.IC3.gov. The IC3's complaint database links complaints together to refer them to the appropriate law enforcement agency for case consideration.

http://www.ic3.gov/media/2012/120125.aspx

EDIT:

The FBI has also posted a warning about this.


http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/e-scams ... tent=65935

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Media Reporter for ScamVictimsUnited.com

Google is your best online friend. Google everything.
http://www.google.com/

For Romance Love scams
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 Post subject: Re: Timeshare Marketing Scams
PostPosted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 1:05 pm 
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Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 10:39 pm
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Location: Third Rock from the Sun
Trying to Sell That Timeshare?
Beware of Fraudsters

02/17/12

Last October, after a joint FBI-Ft. Lauderdale Police Department investigation, 13 individuals from a Florida timeshare resale company were charged in federal court in Miami in a massive telemarketing scheme to defraud timeshare owners who were trying to sell. The Federal Trade Commission then filed a complaint against the defendants’ company—Timeshare Mega Media—to shut down its operations, which had allegedly bilked millions from owners across the country.


Selling Your Timeshare?
How to Avoid Being Scammed

- Don’t agree to anything on the phone or online until you’ve had a chance to check out the reseller (contact the Better Business Bureau, your state’s attorney general’s office, and/or local consumer protection agencies where the reseller is located).

- Ask the salesperson for all information in writing.

- Ask if the reseller’s agents are licensed to sell real estate where your timeshare is located (verify this with the state’s real estate commission), and get references.

- Ask how the reseller will advertise and promote the timeshare unit. Will you get progress reports? How often?

- Ask about fees and timing. It’s preferable to do business with a reseller that takes its fee after the timeshare is sold, but if you must pay a fee in advance, get refund policies and promises in writing.

- If you want an idea of the current value of the timeshare, consider using a licensed timeshare appraisal service.

- Before you sign any sort of contract, make sure you get the details of its terms and conditions. It should include the services the reseller will perform; the fees, commissions, and other costs you must pay and when you must pay them; whether you can rent or sell the timeshare on your own at the same time the reseller is trying to sell your unit; the length or term of the contract to sell your timeshare; and who is responsible for documenting and closing the sale.

Source: Federal Trade Commission


Fraudulent timeshare schemes are becoming a very real problem…especially in these economically challenging times as more timeshare owners decide they can no longer afford them. A timeshare involves joint ownership of a property—usually located within resorts in vacation hotspots (i.e., Florida, Colorado, Mexico). A property can have up to 52 owners—one for each week of the year—although some timeshare owners purchase larger blocks of time. The property is usually managed by the resort in which it is located.

Earlier this year, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) issued an alert on timeshare telemarketing scams after seeing a significant increase in the number of complaints about these scams. The victims—mostly owners trying to sell—were scammed by criminals posing as representatives of timeshare resale companies or by actual employees of companies that were committing fraud.

In the IC3 complaints, perpetrators telephoned or e-mailed timeshare owners who, in many instances, had advertised their desire to sell in industry newsletters and websites. These company representatives promised a quick sale, often within 60-90 days. Some victims reported that sales reps pressured them into a quick decision by claiming there was a buyer waiting in the wings, either on the other line or in the office. Timeshare owners who agreed to sell had to pay an upfront fee—anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars—to cover various costs such as advertising or closing fees. Many victims provided credit card numbers to cover the fees.

And then, as time went on and no sales were made, victims tried reaching back out to the companies, but their phone calls and e-mails went unanswered.

And to add insult to injury, some of the complainants reported being contacted by a timeshare fraud recovery company that promised assistance in recovering money lost in the sales scam…for a fee. IC3 has identified some instances where people involved with the recovery company have a connection to the resale company, raising the possibility that victims were being scammed twice by the same people.

What’s the FBI’s role in these kinds of cases? Many of these types of complaints are handled by each state’s attorney general’s office and local law enforcement. As in the above-mentioned Miami case, the FBI can become involved when there’s evidence that the fraud extends across state lines (usually wire or mail fraud on the part of the perpetrators) and/or involves a large number of victims, large dollar losses, and an organized criminal enterprise.

If you suspect you’ve been scammed, file a complaint with your state attorney general’s office and the IC3. The IC3 not only collects complaints but also analyzes them, links similar complaints, and discerns patterns in order to help law enforcement identify the scammers.

And if you’re trying to sell your timeshare, do your due diligence (see above sidebar).

http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2012/fe ... tent=72238

_________________
NEVER send money

Media Reporter for ScamVictimsUnited.com

Google is your best online friend. Google everything.
http://www.google.com/

For Romance Love scams
http://romancelovescams.mysubdn.com/forum/index.php


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