Timeshare Owners Beware! Western Union Scams Are On The Rise

Western Union scams are on the rise. Timeshare owners should be aware and a knowledgeable consumer/timeshare owner so as not to get tricked by them.

Timeshare ownership is a wonderful thing but haven't we all had those phone calls about how much your timeshare is supposedly worth, how companies are willing to help you sell/dispose of them etc.?

These sollicitations mostly come by telephone and sometimes postcards. An an especially sticky one is the recent rise in Western Union telephone scheme related timeshare scams. I have heard of dozens of such incidents from various "companies", a term which I use loosely because most aren't legitimate companies at all. Multiple timeshare owners have mentioned this company to me that recently got caught.

Those folks on the other end of the phone are tricksters. They know what they are doing. They hope (and pray!) that you are unsuspecting and that they are convincing enough to lighten your wallet while you think you are selling or disposing of a timeshare. They do not call them scammers for nothing!

Why Western Union? There are several reasons.....

First, as a timeshare company, legitimate or not, it's become harder and harder to obtain a merchant account which is necessary to accept credit card payments. Credit card processing companies view the timeshare industry as high risk. Which is sad because it makes it harder for those buying and selling thru legitimate outlets to do business but as always, scammers ruin it for everyone.

Second, with Western Union virtually anyone can pick up the money anywhere at any location that does Western Union. Unless an investigation like the one I'm about to share takes place, it's highly unlikely that it would be traced.

So it is obvious why more and more timeshare scammers have gone the Western Union route.

Fortunately, there has been another bust and two more arrests in Western Union timeshare related scams here in Florida. While this one appeared to originate in Hillsborough County, investigators eventually tracked the money pickup location (via Western Union) to Volusia County.

You can read all about it here:

Two Women Arrested In Volusia Timeshare Scam

Thirteen victims and more than $20,000 later, they were caught. It is fortunate that they were caught that soon because it's often difficult to trace Western Union money pickup or ascertain who is picking it up. Thanks to some consumer complaints and good police and investigative work through several agencies, these two got busted fairly fast.

Interestingly enough, one of the two arrested was actually banned from using Western Union which is probably why she needed a partner in her latest scheme. This is far from surprising.

Kudos to the authorities for keeping up with these unsavory characters!

As always, be safe and aware as a timeshare owner. As you know, deals that sound too good to be true usually are.

A legitimate company will not charge you up front fees to sell your timeshare, regardless of what they call or term them. In a legitimate real estate transaction, as selling a deeded timeshare would be, all costs should be taken care of and accounted for at closing, never up front.

In short, if they are asking for a Western Union payment, know that those scams are on the rise and simply hang up the phone!

Authorities Have Been Working On Overload, Shutting Down Timeshare Scams

It puts a bad taste in my mouth, and I'm sure I'm far from alone, to hear all the bad press about timeshare scams. Sadder still that the "bad guys" make front page news which always seems to be the case right?

This morning, I myself, as a timeshare owner, received one of those calls. It in a sense amazed me because I live in Florida, was being called by a firm in Florida and it took the party on the other end a little while to realize I was on to them because they were talking so fast.

It was the same song and dance. This company had buyers and renters for my timeshare in the Orlando area. Since I own several, I asked which one, which of course the caller couldn't tell me which one. Really? What was even more amazing to me was that this call was placed to my cell phone. Somewhere and somehow, this company got my number and what is scarier in a sense is the cell phone number is on file with the resorts I own at. This company was coincidentally based in Orlando. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

My post today is really twofold:

First, to share the good news that authorities have been working overtime to bust some timeshare resale scammers this week and have taken quite a few companies and culprits out of the picture. I will share some of the links below so you can check it all out and if you are like me, you can also breathe a sigh of relief that more of these companies are out of business.

Second, and I can't stress this enough, to remind my fellow timeshare owners out there NEVER to pay upfront fees to sell their timeshare. Legitimate companies don't ask for upfront fees (regardless of the "term" they use for them). When things sound too good to be true, they usually are. While I wear two hats here, as both a timeshare owner and real estate professional, it's important to know among other things that these companies are breaking the law here in Florida with respect to Florida timeshares. Heed the warning and keep the money in your wallet.

If you do need to sell, turn to a licensed Realtor to help you. While we, as real estate professionals, can not guarantee that we can sell anyone's timeshare, we can also help you keep your hard-earned money in your pocket until we conclude a sale as our pay is based on performance.

Anyone can tell you they have a buyer for your timeshare. History has proven that once they collect those upfront fees, usually the parties who fall prey to it wind up disappointed and still haven't achieved their objective, which is to sell their timeshare they no longer use or need.

If you want to sell, find a company that will get paid when they do the job for you. Since timeshare is a real estate product, hire a real estate professional who specializes in timeshares. I would be happy to help if you own a Florida timeshare you wish to put up for sale. Please feel free to fill out this no-obligation information HERE.

Here are the articles and more information for you to look at about recent timeshare scammers that have been taken off the streets. Kudos to the authorities for making that happen!

Florida Timeshare Fraud Case Shows Why You Must Stay Safe As A Seller

FTC Halts Timeshare Property Resale Scam; Telemarketers Falsely Claimed They Had Buyers Lined Up, Agency Alleges

Orlando Police raid timeshare, credit interest telemarketing firm

Stay safe and protect yourself and your timeshare interest!