As a timeshare owners, especially if you are interested in selling your timeshare, you have probably heard about the prevalence and seriousness of timeshare resale scams. And according to a new report, this is especially true if you live in Florida because timeshare resale scams top the state’s list of consumer complaints, beating out even insurance and foreclosure frauds.
This shouldn’t come as such a surprise since the Sunshine State is home to over a quarter of the country’s timeshares and these properties make up a decent amount of the state’s real estate, but for these scams to top out other common fraud complaints is alarming. Florida residents who are trying to get rid of their timeshares are harassed by these scammers, and when they relent and fork over their money for what these con-artists claim to be upfront fees they are often hit a second time by the same scammers claiming to be “timeshare recovery experts” offering to get their money back for them.
In both of these cases, complaints are sent to the state’s Attorney General who then sends it off to the FTC and the Department of Agriculture. From there, it seems that things get lost in translation. The Department of Agriculture reports that there are just too many of these scams and not enough investigators to catch them all in what is becoming a serious problem in this state.
Even though Florida is one of many states championing legislation to protect consumers from these scams, it is important that you take the initiative to avoid these frauds yourself. Only work with reputable timeshare resale companies, never talk with companies you didn’t contact first, and never pay upfront fees! These are just a few of the steps you can take to protect yourself from timeshare resale scams and successfully sell your timeshare once and for all.
About Donna Connelly
