Have you been contacted by a scam Timeshare Exit or Claims company?
The COVID lockdown saw an unprecedented rise in scams, with even the most diligent consumers losing thousands. Unfortunately, timeshare owners were no exception. This trend has continued, with many confused and vulnerable timeshare owners sucked in by criminals based abroad. Most timeshare exit and claim fraudsters live in Tenerife or Spain, hiding from UK authorities and seemingly forgotten about by the Spanish. However, some scam companies have made it onto British shores, hoping their' hiding in plain sight ' method will not be noticed!
This simple guide will ensure that you don't become another victim.
Never speak or give information to cold callers. No matter who they say they're from. Likewise, never respond to out-of-the-blue emails or text messages. Your data has been illegally purchased on the black market. If you have had a cold contact and would like to report them, you can do so by clicking here.
The company that cold calls you will make it sound like they are calling from an official body like the 'timeshare advisory board' or an advisory that is aware that you have already lost money. This part of the scam is designed to worry you or entice you into believing you are entitled to compensation.
Once they have pricked your interest, you will be invited to attend a zoom call or have a sales rep visit your house. This is the second stage of the scam.
The vast majority of scam victims we help have been involved in the criminal activity known as 'recovery room fraud'. This is where the company that initially scammed you will call you back under a different name, telling you that they can recover your money from the previous scam. This will involve you paying another upfront fee and losing yet more money.
Stage two of the scam is to convince you to pay an upfront fee. Again, the presentation will likely sound plausible, and the salespeople will seem genuine. Don't be fooled!
Key point: If you have a timeshare claim that qualifies, you never need to pay upfront fees. Genuine companies will take their fees after they have won your claim. So always use an FCA or SRA-regulated company to make a No Win No Fee claim. Using a marketing company that passes the work to a third party means they are not qualified to do the work you have paid them for!
Key point: Paying by credit card doesn't guarantee you will get your money back if things go wrong. Most scam companies break the creditor-debtor-supplier link, so unless you can prove the link, the likelihood is that the bank will not refund you.
DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH COMPANIES THAT CONTACTED YOU OUT OF THE BLUE. NEVER PAY UPFRONT FEES. DON'T BE PRESSURED INTO SIGNING ON THE DAY
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