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The FTC and state consumer protection agencies have shut down dishonest timeshare resellers for bilking timeshare owners out of millions of dollars. If you’re selling a timeshare, listen carefully for the promise of lots of money quickly and a request for an upfront fee. Those are two key signs of timeshare resale scam — and someone you don’t want to do business with.     

In one recent case, Vacation Property Services claimed to represent big-name companies eager to buy timeshares for business travel and events. The company guaranteed timeshare owners hefty returns if they moved quickly on the offer. But first, the company said the owner had to pay from $500 to $2,000, via credit card, in “registration” and other fees to seal the deal.

Timeshare Resale Scams Infographic

Timeshare Resale Scams
Infographic

The company’s promises of ready buyers, fast sales, big profits and money-back guarantees turned out to be lies. What’s more, the timeshare owners were stuck with debt on their credit cards from paying the “fee” after the company told them that the sale would be complete — and that they’d have their money — by the time the credit card bill came.

If you own a timeshare, question any offers to help you resell it. Be skeptical of companies that:

  • claim the market in your area is “hot” and that they’re “overwhelmed” with buyer requests
  • say they have buyers ready to purchase your timeshare — or promise to sell your timeshare within a specific time
  • guarantee you’ll get big returns on your resale
  • require you to pay fees upfront — even if there’s the promise of a “money-back guarantee”
  • don’t provide a contract — or provide a contract that doesn’t accurately reflect conversations you had   

Read about buying and selling a timeshare, or check out our infographic to see how timeshare resale scams typically work.

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The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.

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prosecute all …
October 11, 2015
lets help prosecute these scammers we work sooo hard and they just want the easy money like drugs dealing. all atty generals this should be a priority
nero
October 13, 2015
Was contacted by a NY phone number. The company is called 9W Capital Investments. This is too good to be true, right? I see they want to pay almost double what I purchased my timeshare for back in 2008/2009. I'm looking at the contract and they want me to sign by this Thursday (in 2 days). --- here is some info in the contract --- GENERAL TERMS OF PURCHASE OFFER Due Diligence: Purchaser requires appropriate feasibility and due diligence for their use prior to Act of Sale. It is estimated that approximately five (5) days are needed, after full execution of a Purchase Agreement, to perform that inspection of the Property and to remove contingencies and obtain necessary permits. Act of Sale: Shall occur thirty (30) days after expiration of due diligence and not later than sixty (60) days from date of Purchase Agreement. All fees incurred by Seller to render Sellers´s Title valid and merchantable including transfer fees, loan balances, and all assessments bearing against the Property at the time of closing shall be paid by the Purchaser with the exception of the following: a. costs of Seller´s attorney, if any, and b. brokerage fee of six percent (6%). Purchase Agreement: To be prepared upon mutual acceptance of the terms of this Letter of Intent and delivered to the Seller within three (3) days of acceptance of this Letter of Intent. The Purchase Agreement shall contain provisions customary for a transaction of this size and nature, including representations and warranties and closing conditions as are mutually agreeable to the parties. Expiration of Offer: This Letter of Intent shall constitute an open offer until 15 October 2015, at which time it shall be automatically terminated if not executed by Seller. Upon acceptance of this Letter of Intent, Purchaser shall deposit by direct transfer the full purchase price including any entitled reimbursement payments as a refundable deposit pending execution of Purchase Agreement. Escrow Holder shall deposit such sum in an interest-bearing, federally insured transaction account with interest accruing for the benefit of the Purchaser. The parties agree that this Letter of Intent is not binding and is not intended to create any agreement or obligation by either party to negotiate a definitive Purchase Agreement and imposes no duty on ether party to continue negotiations. The parties intend that neither shall have any contractual obligations to the other with respect to the matters referred herein unless and until a definitive Purchase Agreement has been fully executed and delivered to Seller within three (3) business days of acceptance of this Letter of Intent. ---------------- what do you guys think? scam, right? :)
Rcb
October 14, 2015
Premium marketing sold me with a promise to sell timeshare using Orlando office. Paid $1500 upfront. I'm on disability and having used it for years. Sounded like a good deal. After paying I've never heard from them again
wondering
October 19, 2015
Has anybody had any dealings with D&D Closing out of San Diego ,Dave Randall or John (Tony) Vargas,or Carlos Miranda from Banamex in Mexico City? Are they legitimate? I am afraid we are being scammed on a large scale, with repeated calls saying more money is needed for federal notary, etc...
MeToo
October 27, 2015

In reply to by wondering

Have been contacted by them for closing a sale brokered by Dreamscape Destinations. Have not decided if it is a scam or not yet.
wondering
January 22, 2016

In reply to by wondering

I am convinced they are a scam. They repeatedly asked for more money because the "wire transfer was sent to the wrong bank, or delivered to the wrong address. Do not trust them. We checked with a Mexican attorney, and he said there is not erasure of records fee, and that when he checks with Banamex, there was no Carlos Miranda. Run away and save yourself thousands of dollars. If it sounds too good to be true, it is. D & D closing isn't listed in San Diego liscensed businesses, either.And Dave Randall refused to give me information on who the parent company is, though a search of the website shows that the owner is from Puerto Vallerta, Mexico.
hv
October 20, 2015
I have received a phone call from Property management Plus offering to pay more than I have in the timeshare, after sending them some money for RFC we finally realized they are continuing to want more. Stay away!
mcb
October 22, 2015
Anyone heard of atsa group? they are calling me for my timeshare and they want me to pay the closing costs up front.
ginger
October 24, 2015
Has anyone heard of Laura Baker or Emerald City Property Services out of Seattle, WA? I think my husband and I were scammed by this group! Sounds very similar to everyone else
Dave
October 26, 2015

In reply to by ginger

ginger, we too were in contact with Laura. She has a post on yelp and a response. But interestingly their website is down and emails are bouncing back right after our sale was to go through. The phone still has a message but no one is answering.
estate represe…
October 26, 2015
Received letter from US Owners Advocates, 1920 E. Hallandale Beach blvd #805, Hallandale, FL stating timeshare property was on desired list and they were prepared to make a FMV offer. Called 410-220-5235 (identified themselves as Smart Life Solutions) and was told to show up on 10/25/2015 at a Seattle Holiday Inn with the deed. There were 4 reps. They brought about 10 of us up to a conference room. A rep gave a 45 slide show on history/horrors of timeshare & his parents personal story. They then passed out 30 year projections of the timeshare maintenance fee liability for the property each person owned with a red square showing the FMV of the timeshare as zero. For $7500, a paralegal could fly out to our house, scan documents, but they were running a $5500 special. For the $5500 fee, their attorney would transfer the deed, and cause the future maintenance fees to go away. They explained they could market stays in the timeshare to their partner companies, like Apple and Microsoft, who would pay for a week to give as employee recognition. The charts inferred that upon death, the children would inherit the liability to make maintenance payments. I went to this because my parents, now deceased, bought a timeshare in 1991. Their records around the maintenance fee were fuzzy however under Washington State law, once you publish a Probate Notice to Creditors, creditor claims are barred after 4 months. I urge everyone to do their due diligence. I have no idea whether Smart Life Solutions is genuine or not, however they did not follow through. They had a file reference on their letter and one would have thought they knew the time share value was zero - yet they wanted to make me an offer.
Help Me
October 28, 2015
Has anyone heard of Luxury Platinum Adventures? Also called LPA Enterprises. Not sure they are on the up and up.
Unhappy
February 18, 2017

In reply to by Help Me

Do not give Luxury Platinum Adventures any money or talk with them. They have tried to scam us out of thousands of dollars that they put on credit cards. We are working with the credit card company now trying to get our money back. Or at least not pay the balance of the credit card. They promised us they would take over our timeshare. We signed all the papers and they sent them to their closing company. Neither we nor the closing company have been able to contact them since.
rudyjohn2015
November 03, 2015
have you heard of Timeshare Sales Group 410 s.Santa Fe Avenue Ste.103 Vista,CA 92084.
LO
November 06, 2015
If I was victim of this fraud, what are the legal options to address this situation? Where can I get advice?
lwatts
November 12, 2015
Here's another scam timeshare buyer: Central Charlotte, 269 W Monroe, Chicago IL 60606 (note this is a fake address) Phones: (312) 219-6809 Fax: (773) 654-4939 Web site: Complete scam offering to buy timeshares Mayan Palace in Mexico.
FTC Staff
November 12, 2015

In reply to by lwatts

Please report this to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint. The information you give goes into a database that's used by law enforcement nationwide for investigations.

Blog comments don't go into the database.

norline
November 12, 2015
any one heard from Internation Marketing Associates LLC. and the name of the Broker is Alexis Rodriguez
Don'tBScammed
November 17, 2015
Don't do any business with Universal Value Advisors (We were called from Oklahoma. Some clown named Joe Johnson made the initial contact.) OR the Dixon Group (from Colorado. A stooge named Daniel handled the scam from there. We were promised a large return THEN a "yellow flag"before funds were to be wired to our account, claiming Mexico wanted it's 25% share in taxes....IN ADVANCE!!They even provided a link to a phony Mexican Govt. website which "proves the taxation at 25% on the sale of timeshares in Mexico". These guys promise and don't deliver. 100% scam!
sdost77
November 17, 2015
Has anyone heard of Westport Equity Group? My father got a letter from them wanting to buy his timeshare.
ladyhana
November 17, 2015

In reply to by sdost77

I'm I retested to know as well, my son just got a letter from them too.
sdost77
November 24, 2015

In reply to by ladyhana

Let me know if you find out anything about them please.
ryan
December 23, 2015

In reply to by sdost77

My father was contacted by Westport recently and then Windsor Escrow services. Did your father go through with the sale or was it a scam? Thank you for any info you can provide.
Alert Man
January 14, 2016

In reply to by sdost77

Yes, they seem to follow the same patterns as others. Contacted by them in October and played along to this point. Big promises, sketchy documentation. Received the "closing" info from Zach in Detroit [supposedly], including VAT for Mexico mor than $11k US. Then the other items that could allow them to tap into your accounts. "If it sounds to good to be true... "
dtieman
November 19, 2015

Has anyone heard of a company out of Chicago IL, called vacation connections LLC.

Nicole Jones Administrative Assistant Vacation Connections LLC. 55 E. Monroe, Suite 3800 Chicago, IL 60641 Office: (312)248-7959 Fax: (312)661-5170 has emailed me what seems in my opinion something to good to be true.

They want to buy my timeshare at what seems to a great price, but they want 6% closing cost etc. My gut tells me SCAM!!! who out there has had the same experience and went through the process with this company. Just don't want to be dragged down the rabbit hole by scammer's.

Joseph S
December 02, 2015
Watch out for Travel Associates, Inc., 859 Willard Street, Suite 400, Quincy, MA (339) 526-1043 and True & Clear Title, Inc. 925 Concord Street, Framingham, MA, (508) 232-6381. They have created a very real looking timeshare purchase scam. These companies appear to have been stolen by the scammers so if you check BBB, State of MA registration and websites they appear very real. Their ultimate goal is to get you to wire money to a fraudulent account.
jim and barb
December 02, 2015

In reply to by Joseph S

hello I am being contacted by them right now...my timeshare company has a strange policy for 10 weeks maintenance fees upfront and they want me to pay it to them.
Sally
December 02, 2015

In reply to by Joseph S

Hi Joseph, how did you eventually confirm that they are not legitimate? Did they take money from you or somebody you know? Just curious because I have been contacted by them.
jim and barb
December 02, 2015
Has anyone ever dealt with True Clear Title or Travel Associates?
Fritz
December 08, 2015

I think I may have been scammed in a big way. I was contacted by a John Miller of Westwood Benson Brokers who indicated he had a buyer for my timeshare in Mexico. I signed a contract and was put into contact with a Simon Silvestri of U.S. Federal Holdings in San Antonio who functioned as the escrow company. I have wired approx. $17K to Scotia Bank in Guadalajara. Now no response from either Westwood. I could use any advice on what to do next other than kick myself repeatedly for being so dense. Brokers or U.S. Federal Holdings.

HE
December 10, 2015
HW Have anyone heard of Business Travel Consulting Services? Michael Cooper or Bryant Cooper. Is this business creditabe or fake? Need your comments
HW
December 10, 2015
Need your help on Business Travel Consulting Services creditable or fake. Denver, CO.
Be Alert
December 11, 2015
Does anyone know Ace Travel Agency Inc at 702 W. Idaho Street Suite 1100 Boise, Idaho 83702 Office: (208) 591 6042 I got a call and email from them offering to sale my timeshare in Mexico.
Scam me?
January 13, 2016

In reply to by Be Alert

We received a call and a proposal from Ace Travel Agency in January of 2016. Need to determine if the company is a scam. Called the number listed and received a voicemail???? Any info
Sporty
February 08, 2016
Add Icon Brokerage Group ( to your list. Contacted us indicating a buyer wanted to buy the timeshare for what seemed a great price for us. They had all the info about the type of unit and location and such. I'm guessing the timeshare companies sell this as 'Marketing Data' (or a company was compromised)
ryan
December 23, 2015
Has anybody dealt with Westport Private Equity Group and Windsor Escrow Services. Names are John T Cardoza and Zachary Hirschey. They have offered to buy my time share for more than what I paid for it.
TMiller
December 30, 2015
Received an offer from David Smith who says he with Diamond Resort International on my timeshare. Said he had a couple from Canada wanting to buy my timeshare. The total he gave me was twice what I paid. He sounded very legit. Emailed me the paperwork with their letterhead and everything. Said I would need to pay $2200 up front for Title Transfer and Documentation but I would receive $16000 within 7 days of that payment. I called Diamond Resorts directly after receiving the offer. Was told not to do it by them, they would never ask for up front money.
outofmoney
January 11, 2016
I received a call from Diamond International, Yvonne Fernandez offering to sell my timeshare and after reviewing the contract she had Western Title and Escrow Corp contact me to complete the transaction I received a call from Joseph Miller first he told me I had to pay for the property taxes first before they can sell the time share, after I reviewed the documents which looked legit he then didn't call me for a couple of days then when I tried to call the title company told me he had been fired because he had asked for the wrong amount that it was 19% of the total sell price which I needed to pay before the mexico government can released the property. I then call and started talking to Angel Lopez from Western Title Corp, which scam me out of more money because I couldn't back out of the contract because I would loose more money. I lost more than $8000.00 and their is nothing I can do. I called all the numbers in Mexico that I have in the contract and their all wrong. The title company they are using has a web page with the correct name but I think this is all a scam they are using company's that exist already so people get confuse. BE AWARE DON'T TRUST ANYBODY . IT'S SO TRUE, IF IT'S TOO GOOD TO BELEIVE THAN IT'S PROBABLY NOT TURE. To bad I had to find out the hard way. But I believe in KARMA and sooner or later they will pay.
jimori
November 06, 2017

In reply to by FTC Staff

Does one have to actually lose money to file a complaint or can we do an inquiry? We have an offer to sell to a Gold Coast Real Estate in New York. Could not locate the sales broker but they did show a name of a Brian smith that does list Gold Coast Real Estate.
FTC Staff
January 02, 2018

In reply to by jimori

You can report a scam, possible scam or problem any time - even if you didn't lose money. The information you give goes into a secure database that law enforcement uses for investigations. Report at FTC.gov/complaint.

Don't Do It
January 13, 2016

The latest one is:

CORPORATE BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL 1612 STOUT ST. DENVER,CO 80202 tel. (720) 726-9767

Similar to above. Offering more than 2x paid. They want money up front. I paid some and then they came back and asked for more. They use Mexico to further confuse it. They also provided a "reference". I should have known better. BEWARE. Don't let it happen to you.

FTC Staff
January 13, 2016

In reply to by Don't Do It

If you spot a scam, please report to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint. The details you give will go into a database that law enforcement uses for investigations.

Blog comments don't go into the database.

savrina
January 13, 2016
I received a letter from US Owners Advocates of Smart Life Solutions, Inc. My timeshare was on their desired list and to please contact them before Jan 25th, 2016. Has anyone heard of this company and are they a scam?
savrina
January 13, 2016
Has anyone had any success selling their timeshare and if so what was the name of the company, please. Thank you!