Unscrupulous third parties are increasingly trying to defraud consumers, specifically timeshare Owners. These fraudulent timeshare schemes often say they can rent, sell or advertise your timeshare exchange benefits, or may even claim you have weeks, certificates or points you have not used and they can help sell on your behalf.

The good news is these scams often follow the same patterns and use similar tactics. There are ways to protect yourself from these scams, and the first step is knowing how to identify them.

Read below for tips on how to identify fraudulent offers and common scams, educational tools and resources and how to report an incident.

Tips to Identify a Fraudulent Timeshare Scam

1. If the offer is too good to be true, it probably is.

2. Be suspicious of pre-recorded sales messages.

3. If someone is asking for upfront fees, it’s likely a scam.

4. They ask for personal information, especially information they should have on record.

Common Fraudulent Schemes

1. Elimination of fees, including homeowners associations fees, or contract cancellations.

2. Offers to rent your timeshare exchange benefits.

3. Offers to buy or sell your timeshare.

4. Paid ownership transfers.
   

Watch Now: Stay Smart, Stay Safe: Outsmarting Timeshare Scams

Educational Tools and Resources

Following is a list of educational tools and other resources for more information on the topic:

• Protect Yourself: 4 Tips to Spot Timeshare Fraud: This informative video highlights four key ways to spot timeshare scams, report suspicious activity and safeguard your private information.

• Sample of fraudulent communication.

  • Example 1

  • Example 2

• 5 Must-Know Tips to Avoid Timeshare Fraud and Protect Your Membership: Follow these five tips to avoid possible timeshare scams and protect your membership.

• How to Research and Identify Timeshare Exit Scams, According to HGV Members: Learn the best ways to detect and report timeshare exit fraud directly from Members like you.

• Kiplinger’s Report: Don’t Fall for Timeshare Exit Scams: The blog discusses a Kiplinger story on exit company scams that are targeting older timeshare Owners.

  Protect Your Vacation Ownership: Various fraudulent schemes are outlined with important information on what suspicious activity might look like, so that you can remain vigilant against fraud.

• Stay Safe From Timeshare Fraud: An informative video and other resources are shared with instructions for reporting suspicious activity to authorities.

• Protect Yourself Against Timeshare Fraud: Learn how to protect yourself from timeshare scams and spot fraudulent schemes before they happen.

• Tips to Protect Yourself From Exit Company Schemes: This article shares tips to help you fend off scammers and keep your HGV timeshare exchange benefits safe.

• A Guide to Spotting Exit Company Fraud: Common fraudulent schemes are identified in this article and it also details how scammers work.

• American Resort Development Association — The website provides helpful information for timeshare Owners, including the latest news and scam alerts in the resale market.

• Federal Trade Commission — The government agency provides articles and blogs on the topic. To access these, type “timeshare resale scams” in the search bar.

• List of Third-Party Exit Companies — Check out this page from RCI for a list of potential offenders, including: Praetorian Legal, Club Class/ ITRA/ RCI Action Group, sellmytimeshare.tv/Monster Rewards SL, EZE Group and Luxury Linx.

• VacationTimes.org — This page contains a scrolling feed featuring the latest industry news and timeshare fraud alerts.

• Federal Trade Commission | Consumer Advice - This Consumer Alert from the Federal Trade Commission details helpful information to protect yourself from timeshare resale scams.

• Timeshare Consumer Protection Center: ARDA, the trade association for the vacation ownership and timeshare industries, has launched The Timeshare Consumer Protection Center (TCPC) to help owners considering timeshare exit get accurate, helpful information free of charge.

• Protect Yourself: How to Recognize and Avoid Timeshare Fraud — This video contains information on how to identify and report timeshare fraud solicitations.

Reporting Timeshare Fraud

If you are a victim of a fraudulent timeshare scheme or have received deceitful solicitations, follow the steps below:

1. Contact the authorities:

   • United States: You can file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office in the state where you reside. Not sure how to find your AG’s office? Click here to find a location.

   • Europe: Gather as many details of the scam as possible and email them to us at LegalReport@hgv.com.

   • Canada: You can report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and the Provincial Consumer Affairs Regulator.

   • All Other Countries: You can report the incident to your regional consumer protection division.

2. Stop payment immediately: If you paid the scammer via a credit card, contact your card company and request a stop payment. Request a stop payment with your bank if you’ve paid by check.

3. Contact Us

   1. If you received a suspicious solicitation and are unsure whether it’s part of a fraudulent timeshare tactic, contact your Club and Owner Services team.

   2. If you’re a victim of a fraudulent timeshare tactic, you can contact us by completing the

      Incident Intake Questionnaire and emailing it to us at Privacy.Matters@hgvc.com.

Remember: Always be vigilant about any unsolicited offers to sell, rent or advertise your timeshare and reach out to us immediately for any questions or concerns.