WATCH OUT FOR SCAMS!
During these pandemic times, scam operators are on the rise. There are many unscrupulous individuals and companies targeting the timeshare community for resale, rentals, cancellation, transfer, and relief services. They may contact you by phone, mail, or email. Things to remember:
- #1, when in doubt call our office at 1-800-490-9042.
- If you are contacted by a company with an offer regarding your ownership and it sounds too good to be true it likely is.
- If you are asked to pay a fee up-front for “service”, it is very likely a scam. NUMBER ONE RULE – Never pay an upfront fee (no matter what the fee is called – an appraisal, a market analysis, a marketing or advertising fee – even a fee that is promised to be “refundable” is a hoax).
- The most recent industry trend is third-party “exit” companies. They typically present owners with misleading information, often using scare tactics and false advertising, in order to convince unsuspecting owners to sign up for services that require large upfront fees.
There are many unscrupulous companies and individuals targeting the timeshare community for resale, rentals, cancellation, transfer and relief services. These companies market their services in many different ways. You may get a call from someone asking if you are interested in selling or “getting rid” of your timeshare. You may also find a “transfer company” on the internet when you do a search for how to sell your timeshare. Or you may receive a postcard in the mail that says something like:
- Tired of your timeshare
- We have a simple solution for you
- This Program GUARANTEES in writing
- Our consultants will be in your area. We will be making offers on timeshares.
- We will acquire your timeshare
- See why thousands of people call us every month
If you are contacted by such a company and they request an upfront fee for any kind of service, it is likely to be a scam. A good rule of thumb, NEVER PAY AN UP-FRONT FEE (no matter what they call it – an appraisal, a market analysis, marketing, advertising, or listing fee). For accurate information on the latest timeshare scams, visit the ARDA website (American Resort Development Association based in Washington DC): www.arda-roc.org. You can register on this web site for e-mail notifications of fraudulent practices and companies.
Beware of high-pressure sales tactics when visiting exchange resorts.
When visiting a resort that has an active sales force such as a Diamond Resort, you may be pressured into attending a sales presentation. YOU ARE NEVER REQUIRED TO ATTEND A SALES PRESENTATION at any resort destination. To entice you, the salespeople offer free gifts and special incentives to get you into the presentation room. They often try to convince you to “trade in” your existing timeshare to purchase one at their property. They may promise a large discount as the “trade-in” value. An ADRA investigation revealed that many of these “trade in” deals did not properly transfer the “trade in” property, and if they did, it was to an asset-less LLC.
Several KNK owners got scammed in such a transaction by remaining the legal owner of their KNK property (and responsible for the maintenance fees) and being the legal owner of the new property. More information on this topic will be featured in our up-coming winter newsletter and will be added to the website as a permanent resource. When in doubt, call our office 1-800-490-9042 or 858.679.2016. Emergency Phone and Text Messages (weekends and holidays) 1.858.592.6047
Among the red flags of exit and resale scams for timeshare owners to be aware of are:
- Calls or emails claiming to have an “interested buyer” for a timeshare;
- A caller claiming to be a representative of ARDA or ARDA-ROC. Fact: ARDA and ARDA-ROC only respond to inquiries from owners after an inbound request – there are absolutely no unsolicited calls, emails or communications;
- A company promises to modify, cancel or transfer an owner’s timeshare for a large upfront fee;
- A company requests an upfront fee, or the wire transfer of money for a “service,” “tax” or other “requirement” for the sale or transfer to be completed;
- If an offer sounds too good to be true, it likely is.
- Owners who believe they have been unfairly taken advantage of or defrauded by an exit company should contact their state’s Attorney General (www.consumerresources.org), the Attorney General in the state where the business is located, or local law enforcement. For additional help contacting these resources, consumers can contact the Consumer ARDA-ROC Consumer Support Team at 1-855-939-1515.
For more information on options for exiting timeshare, visit www.responsibleexit.com and www.ardaroc.org.
ARDA-ROC is a 501(c)4 non-profit entity funded by over 1.5 million individual timeshare owner’s voluntary contributions. ARDA-ROC is dedicated to preserving, protecting, and enhancing vacation ownership through smart policy and sensible regulation. ARDA-ROC advocates for local, state, and federal policies that enable the vacation ownership industry to thrive and provide consumers with an enriched vacation ownership experience. For more information, visit ARDAROC.org.
Note: The Ke Nani Kai Club does not provide your personal information to any outside organization.