It has been brought to our attention that DURING December 2011 the following companies have been cold calling timeshare owners.
You can report any company that cold calls you about your timeshare ownership by contacting the TATOC consumer helpline on 0845 230 2430 or by email at info@timeshareassociation.org
You can read more about these types of calls below.
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Abbey Services |
Mccullagh And Brown Solicitors
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Below is a list of companies who have undertaken cold calling to timeshare owners THROUGHOUT 2010 and 2011:
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Typical Scams:
One of the current scams that TATOC has received a significant number of complaints about is the resale scam. Timeshare owners are being targeted by fraudsters who are offering to sell their weeks for them.
The victims are being asked to pay upfront fees for any number of reasons and then hear nothing more from the scammers - no sales, no refunds. Others are duped into parting with upfront cash - often hundreds or even thousands of pounds - only to find that the supposed buyer has dropped out of the deal. They are then lured to a foreign country to meet a "corporate buyer" who is interested in buying their week. However, when the owners arrive at their destination they usually find that the corporate buyer is really a sales person who subjects them to a hard-sell presentation for a bogus Holiday Pack. TATOC strongly recommends that consumers only deal with resale companies who are affiliated to TATOC and/or are members of the Resort Development Organisation (RDO).
How to stay safe
TATOC recommends that consumers are extremely cautious of resale companies that:
Make an unsolicited contact i.e. a cold call
Request any form of upfront payment. Common reasons for an upfront fee are: deposits, administration fees, bonds of trust, surety against withdrawal, insurance cover, validity survey, land registry tax, certificate charge and VAT
Assure you your payment would be fully protected under laws governing the use of Credit Cards.
Ask for your credit card, debit card or bank details but assure you they will not take any payment.
Suggest they can obtain an unexpected or unrealistic high price.
Say they have a buyer waiting to buy your particular timeshare product.
Ask you to send them your Ownership Certificate.
Apply undue pressure for a decision within a short time period.
These people have unlimited imaginations when it comes to stealing your money so don't trust them - no matter how convincing and reassuring they may seem.
This list will be updated on a monthly basis.
For more information contact: info@timeshareassociation.org
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