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Scammers cold-call timeshare owners claiming to have buyers willing to pay premium prices, then demand upfront fees for taxes, escrow, or cross-border charges before the sale can close. If victims stop paying, scammers return weeks later posing as lawyers or government officials offering to recover lost money—for yet another fee.
Annual Losses
$50M+ (FBI IC3/US Treasury joint alert, 2024 data)
Avg Loss / Victim
$2,000 to $20,000+ per victim
Primary Vector
Unsolicited phone calls, emails targeting timeshare owners
Peak Season
Year-round, with primary targeting of retirees
This scam preys on timeshare owners' desire to get out of their ownership contracts by targeting them with false offers of sale. Scammers use publicly available property records to identify timeshare owners, then cold-call them with an unsolicited offer from a supposed 'buyer' willing to pay a premium price for their timeshare week or points. The scammer creates false urgency by claiming the buyer is ready to close immediately. However, before the sale can be completed, the victim is told there are various upfront fees required: 'transfer taxes,' 'cross-border escrow fees' (if the timeshare is in Mexico or another country), 'legal processing fees,' or 'government release permits.' These fees are presented as standard requirements and are demanded by wire transfer or cryptocurrency. After the victim pays the first fee, another fee suddenly appears—each time claiming it's the final payment needed to release the funds. Once victims stop paying or realize they've been scammed, many are vulnerable to a recovery scam variant: weeks or months later, a new scammer posing as a lawyer, government agent, or recovery specialist calls offering to help the victim recover their lost money—for another upfront fee.
Hover or tap the highlighted text to see why each element is a red flag.
Dear Timeshare Owner, I am a broker with Global Real Estate PartnersRed flag: Scammers use official-sounding company names that may not actually exist or are difficult to verify. We have a corporate client who wants to buy your timeshare week for a very high price. To release your funds, you just need to wire a tax fee to the Mexican border authorityRed flag: No such government entity exists. This is a fake governmental entity name designed to create false legitimacy..
The sale is complete, but the government put a holdRed flag: Legitimate transactions close with all fees deducted from the sale price; sellers never pay additional fees after closing on the wire transfer. You must send $2,000 for a release permit today or you lose the saleRed flag: High-pressure time sensitivity is a classic scam tactic to prevent the victim from thinking critically or asking questions.
Unsolicited contact claiming to have a buyer ready for your timeshare
If you didn't list your timeshare for sale, unsolicited buyer offers are almost always scams. Real brokers work with sellers who contact them.
Upfront fees by wire transfer before any sale closes
In legitimate real estate transactions, taxes and fees are deducted from the final sale proceeds. Sellers never wire money out of pocket before or after closing.
High-pressure 'buyer will walk away' or deadline tactics
Real buyers and legitimate brokers allow time for due diligence. Artificial urgency prevents victims from verifying the legitimacy of the offer.
Company or broker you cannot verify with state real estate commission
Legitimate real estate brokers are licensed and registered with state authorities. Verify licensing before dealing with any broker.
Multiple fees appearing after each payment, with claims 'this is the last one'
This escalating fee pattern is a hallmark of advance fee scams. Each payment is meant to be the last, but a new fee always appears.
In real timeshare transactions, all fees and taxes are deducted from the sale price at closing—the seller never pays money out of pocket before or after a sale completes. Legitimate brokers are licensed professionals registered with state real estate commissions and can be independently verified. Real timeshare exit services are transparent about their fees upfront and operate on contingency or fixed fee structures—not on escalating wire transfers. If you receive unsolicited contact about selling your timeshare, verify the broker's license directly with your state's real estate licensing board.
Timeshare owners are desperate to exit their contracts and public property records make them easy to identify and contact. Scammers know that owners are often willing to pay money to escape timeshare obligations, making them vulnerable to advance fee pitches.
A recovery scam is when a different scammer contacts previous victims (often by purchasing stolen victim lists) claiming to be a lawyer or recovery specialist who can 'get their money back' from the original scam—for another upfront fee. Victims who have already lost money are psychologically vulnerable to this secondary scam.
Timeshare ownership is recorded in public property records, often searchable online. Scammers use these public records to build lists of potential victims. Legitimate brokers work with sellers who actively contact them—not the other way around.
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