Timeshare cancellation and timeshare resale scams in Mexico continue to target even the happiest of timeshare owners, and it seems that the scammers are becoming more and more sophisticated in the ways that they operate. It used to be much easier to spot cancellation and resale scams in Mexico; you could check up the name of the company on the Better Business Bureau and do a quick internet search… These days, however, the rise in identity theft has meant that many scammers wear the skins—so to speak—of legitimate businesses and business people. Part of their scam is now making you believe that they are who they say they are;
Identity Theft and timeshare resale scams in Mexico
The trend of assuming the identity of a certain business is quite new, but it’s very worrying. The scammers assume the identity of a legitimate company, you see, and with this mask firmly in place seeks to fool consumers. This not only makes it easier to trick timeshare members, but damages the reputation of legitimate companies, and even allows scammers a greater likelihood of getting away with it! In fact, they have been known to do their research on a target company so well that they can take on the name of a person who actually works there and create a dummy website for their purposes. Scams in Mexico and around the world are becoming evermore sophisticated.
How do these timeshare resale scams in Mexico work?
At the moment the most common Mexican timeshare scam is the resale scam which involves the scammer contacting timeshare owners with a proposition. They state that they have a buyer who’s interested in purchasing the timeshare at a great (often too great) price. They say that they just need to complete a few checks, title searches, surveys and the like, before they can put you in touch with the buyer (who happens to be in a real rush). So all you have to do is fill out forms and wire some money over to a foreign bank account (or, if the scam is in Mexico it will generally be a Mexican one).
Once they have your money one of two things will happen; either you will never hear from them again or they will get in touch and say that there has been an issue, an anomaly, and that they require more money to sort it out. This can happen a few times, and very often people feel they are “too far in” to back out after a certain point; the end result is usually a lot of debt and stress.
Don’t be fooled by the name
Though the brains behind the scams in Mexico are smarter than they used to be, they’re still not perfect; you can spot warning signs in many cases and when you do you should listen to your gut. They may operate under a legitimate name, but consider their actions before you trust them fully!
Language
Do they use professional language in their written communications and business proposals/meetings? Are the contracts presented to you well written, and is the grammar/spelling of the standard you would expect in a legal document? Be especially vigilant of the language in contracts and websites.
Wiring money and payments
If they ask you to pay a fee in advance or wire them money be very, very wary. Scams in Mexico often function around wire transfers.
Too good to be true
If the figure on offer seems too good to be true it very often will be; check to see what your timeshare is valued at and ask yourself if what’s being offered makes sense.
Do you feel manipulated?
Scammers will use every trick in the book to get you on the hook; be wary of anyone who becomes aggressive, passive-aggressive, who pressures you, or tries to make you feel guilty; these are real warning signs that they’re trying to manipulate you.
What’s your gut feeling?
There’s something to be said for intuition; when something feels wrong trust your gut and get out of dodge.
Once you know the warning signs of timeshare resale scams in Mexico you can start making sure that you’re safe from them! Remember this doesn’t just happen in Mexico!
Related article: The Scoop – Villa Group Timeshare Scams
