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How to Avoid Timeshare Scams

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George Thomas
How to Avoid Timeshare Scams

Timeshares happen when many holidaymakers come together to pool their money into buying a condominium or villa, with the right to spend time divided into fixed parts among the joint owners. The concept of timeshares has also been extended to resorts or even groups of resorts. How to avoid  Timeshare scams becomes a concern when , following the very real collapse of related businesses, and the proclivity of enterprising scammers to zone in on Timeshare owners finding it difficult to exit their programmes, precipitates scams. You hear about these now and then, and rightly feel concerned. 

Timeshare Resales

Timeshare owners looking to sell their timeshare – or pre-paid vacations, if you will –sooner or later pique the curiosity of scammers. The bilkers hook the timeshare owner by intimating that a buyer is willing and ready to pay for your ‘pre-paid vacation. Of course, being the middlemen or brokers who brought forward the buyer , the scammers now desire to be recompensed in the form of an upfront fee. They themselves are the ‘buyer, though. 

Timeshare Exit & Compensation Fraud

Some timeshare owners are dissatisfied with the product and would like at least some of their money back. So they drop a hint, perhaps in social media, that they are looking t sell their timeshare. That’s when the scammers approach them, promising them legal remedies that would allow owners to give up their timeshare sans hassles.                  

Recovery fraud 

What follows is the recovery fraud, closely linked with the timeshare scam. Several organizations have recently closed down their offices after not only selling consumers the idea that benefits would attend their joint ownership of the holiday resort. Not only this, they offer relinquishment and compensation services that are far from transparent. With enough of a hiatus between then and now, a random company would connect with the above-mentioned victims, advising them that they can help recover the defrauded monies. This would be contingent upon their being paid upfront legal/administrative fees, returnable on a no win no fee basis. These are, however, the same unscrupulous set again, having followed the original victims. Once they are paid that token amount, they will disappear – with a more considerable volume of money than before. 

Cloned/bogus law firms 

Timeshare owners or possible buyers are the targets of ersatz copycat legal firms. Considering that the criminals are clones of overseas firms, it becomes harder for the victim to exercise due diligence. Fortunately, there’s a handy tool at hand to aid you in the avoidance of ersatz cloned firms. 

False leisure credits 

Scammers connect with the victims, offering credits, points, or vouchers, swappable with vacations across a range of holiday destinations. Perks such as website/online shopping discounts are inserted in a well-considered presentation, convincing the former victims of their bona fide intentions. However, there appears an abyssal gap once the money is sent. The bilkers will come up with outlandish notions which, for some reason, appears real to our timeshare owners. These bilkers will promise to help the new buyers with a timeshare disposal service so that they can squeeze the last drop from the lemon. Naturally, once the upfront fee are paid to them, the scammers would disappear. 

False timeshare holiday upgrades and bonuses 

Vouchsafing to stand for legit timeshare entities, scammers seek out timeshare owners. They intimate the owner that the latter has just won a bonus holiday which is the buyer’s for an upfront administrative fee. Arriving at their bonus holiday, the owners are whisked away to yet another resort, where they are coaxed and cajoled into upgrading their current timeshare – at a price. The buyers might be duped into thinking that they can sell their current timeshare as part of a part-exchange process. There are obviously no upgrades. The scammers are just bilking the Timeshare owners out of money for the umpteenth time. 

Advice

  • Don’t ever respond to letters, cold calls or emails.

Besides, your contact details have likely been obtained thru unfair means. 

  • Opportunities for investment. 

Legit companies would not ever insist that you accede to their propositions right there and then. So there ought to be no immediate need to feel compelled to make an investment at short notice.

  • Recovery fraud, surefire sign. Bonafide companies do not request fees for money recovery in so brazen a fashion. They already know so much that they should get on with their business rather than solicit for fees.
  • As always, consult an honest face first. 

Then, consult someone you trust before finalizing a major deal.

  • RDO. 

If you needs must sell your timeshare, kindly ascertain that the RDO (European trade body for timeshare) code of conduct is adhered to, and the company specializes in resales. Scrutinize whatever info’s available upon the company you are dealing with. RDO members are all listed here https://rdo.org/members-directory/

Giving their own resort the benefit of the doubt, timeshare owners ought to approach them and tell them plainly they wish to sell/relinquish their timeshare. Personal circumstances considered, with an exit programme perhaps in place, the timeshare owners may well be able to consummate their peaceful relinquishment sans hassles and shenanigans. 

Since we are nothing if not vigilant these days, it would not hurt to peep here https://timeshareexitconcerns.co.uk

Lodging a complaint

RDO operates a cost-free complaint handling service. Find them here  https://wwww.rdo.org

Supporting resort committees, EUROC, or the European Representatives for Timeshare Owners’ Committees and its best practices code of conduct is found here at www.euroc.org. The Timeshare Task Force can also be reached out at www.timesharetaskforce.org.

Conclusion 

Timeshares were invented to be a source of pleasure , not pain. If you are finding it financially unfeasible to hold on to your ownership, just find out about the appropriate exit program. Contacting a couple of official bodies mentioned above would be a good idea too. You will be taking the mickey out of scammers yet, never fear!

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