Timeshare Fraud - Four Signs to Look Watch For

If you have ever gone on a vacation to Florida, Mexico or Arizona, then chances are that someone has tried to talk you into a timeshare at least once. A timeshare is a vacation property that you purchase rights to use at different times of the year. Essentially you are a co-owner, with a number of other co-owners. Each of you will reserve your timeshare property at certain times of the year and be able to enjoy your vacation home every time that you go. A great and very basic way to get more vacation for less money, timeshares can be an awesome way to guarantee a lifetime of vacation memories.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of timeshare frauds popping up lately. With all the same suave swagger of the real timeshare companies, these con artists will try to lure you into signing up for 30 years of recurring payments on absolutely nothing! You will fork over your hard earned money and still not be able to go on vacation, while they collect the money and never need to give you anything. Definitely not what most people on holiday are looking for!

Recognizing a timeshare presentation as a fraud can be harder than you may think. The first clues often happen before you even get to your destination. Websites that offer you a rebate on your trip, but then require you to give out personal information such as your credit card number are just pre-qualifying you as a viable target. Once they have this information, they will inform you that you need to attend a presentation in order to get the rebate or other reward that you had been promised. Other fraudsters will instead meet you at the airport or on the street during your stay. They may ask you if it is your first time in that place, whether you are married and what your annual income is. A little forward for casual conversation, what they are doing is sizing you up.

Another sure sign that you are being targeted by a fraudulent timeshare scheme is if they tell you that the offer is only good today and if they start using high pressure and intimidation tactics to get you to sign. A real timeshare that is on the up and up does not need to use that kind of pressure to entice you to sign up. If you go to a presentation and are given the hard sell like this, beware! Do not sign up for anything until you get home, and have had the chance to look things over in more detail.