Is Full Service Timeshare a SCAM…..?
I received a call from them 3 weeks ago , saying they had a buyer for my timeshare , if i was looking to sell. As we have never used the timeshare in Westgate towers since we purchased it , I thought why not..Then came the scam they wanted 50 from me to cover the title search and all the rest of the paperwork . I eventually agreed , and paid the money through mastercard, they were supposed to send me some paperwork for my final signature , but of course it never arrived , they will not answer my e-mails or return any phone calls . I checked my mastercard statement and it is debited 50 to FULL SERVICE TIMESHARE . So I advise anyone that is contacted by them …not to get involved as it is clearly a scam.
There are many timeshare resales companies using similar tactics to attract timeshare owners who are looking to get out.
Full Service Timeshare has an ‘F’ rating with the Better Business Bureau. You should decide if it is a scam.
Work with Mastercard to get your money back.
You were foolish. Every bit of research tells you Never Give money upfront. Go online to the Better Business Bureau of Florida. They will take your complaint and advise you if there is a ongoing law suit and what your options are.
Ask yourself why THEY would need to do a title search on the property when you only own a fraction of the property?!? It IS normal for a seller to pay closing cost, but this would have all been taking out of the funds at the time of closing, not prior.
The company can say they DID have a buyer for your unit, but they decided not to buy it . . . they can also claim they did the title search. Unless you have something to prove differently . . . yes, it was a scam, but one that you fell for.
This scam is becoming quite common again.. It’s unfortunate that so many sharks are out there to prey upon others.. This exact scam was just featured here:
http://etimesharenews.blogspot.com/2010/…
I’d recommend that you also contact the attorney general office in the state where you live, where the timeshare is located, and where the scam artists list their business address.. This won’t provide any immediate satisfaction, but could help shut them down eventually.
The other advice here is spot on! Never pay any type of upfront fee to sell a timeshare.. Legitimate brokers only earn a commission at closing, and all funds for the closing will come out of a verifiable escrow account. For a seller, this means that they deduct any closing costs from your proceeds.
To sell a timeshare, try to work only with a respected brokerage familiar with your resort. In Florida, the Progressive Real Estate Agency is a good choice.. They’ll at least give you an honest evaluation of what you can truly expect with your ownership on the resale market.
http://www.progressiveresales.com/timeshare_resales_019.htm
Finally, if you find that the market doesn’t allow you to sell, you simply want to focus on trying to learn the best way to use your ownership. There are a number of free social network sites where timeshare owners share information and strategies. TimeshareForums.com is my favorite of these.
Just take your time and be very cautious! I’m very sorry for your situation.. Try to push your credit card company to dispute the charge as quickly as possible. There is often a time limit for when a dispute can be filed- so do so immediately..
Good luck in the future! And if anyone else asks for any type of upfront fee- JUST HANG UP!