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Protect Yourself Against Fraud



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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 incidents.

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 association fees, or contract cancellations.
2. Offers to rent your timeshare exchange benefits.
3. Offers to buy or sell your timeshare.
4. Paid ownership transfers.

Click on the images and watch the video below to learn how you can protect your timeshare exchange benefits and get more information about the common scam tactics.

Protect Yourself: How to Recognize and Avoid Timeshare Fraud [ENG CC] from Hilton Grand Vacations on Vimeo.

Educational Tools & Resources

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

• Sample of fraudulent communication.
• Example 1
• Example 2
• “Are You Being Targeted by Fraudulent Timeshare Exit Companies?” – This article identifies how to protect yourself from the trap of timeshare exit scams.
• American Resort Development Association — The website provides helpful information for timeshare Owners, including the latest news and scam alerts in the resale market.
• Better Business Bureau study — The study provides insights into third-party exit companies based on complaints and documents from more than 400 consumers who believed they were victimized by exit companies in the Springfield, Illinois area.
• 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, www.timesharecompensation.co.uk, sellmytimeshare.tv/Monster Rewards SL, EZE Group and Luxury Linx.
• VacationTimes.org — This page contains a scrolling feed to the latest industry news and timeshare fraud alerts.
• 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 complaintwith 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. 
   • Canada: You can report the incident to the and 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. If you received a suspicious solicitation and are unsure whether it’s part of a fraudulent timeshare tactic, contact a Club Counselor at my.hgv.com/contact-theclub.

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.

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