Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Timeshare Fraud: Simple Steps to Avoiding it

Like any other type of investment, it is possible that your investment in a timeshare might end up being a scam or fraud. It can be mentally and financially devastating if this happens. It could take some time to recover from the backlash of timeshare fraud. If you have already been victimized by one of these notorious scams and frauds, you certainly can understand the trauma they cause for their victims. That dream vacation you might have been planning for a very long time ended up becoming a nightmare instead.

If you think you are the first person to ever be scammed in a timeshare fraud, think again. There are many more victims, maybe numbering in the hundreds, who have fallen prey to the unscrupulous actions of some companies. Timeshare properties, are, however, one of the safest ways people can go to many popular vacation destinations. How would you like to embark on a journey to some of the world's geographical wonders? What about enjoying a romantic beach resort getaway? These experiences sound exciting, but they are examples of the marketing tactics that scammers use to tempt people to think about purchasing a timeshare.

In cases of timeshare fraud, this is their first victory in setting a trap for you. However, this does not mean that every timeshare company who uses this tactic would be a scammer. The essence of that is to be precautions and not get impulsive about it in the first go. Always think and rethink before making a decision on buying a timeshare. Restrain yourselves to the maximum. One of the important criterion is selecting a right timeshare company.

As a rule of thumb, always go with large, well established timeshare companies who have been in the business for years. In this way you know their history very well and their reputation in the market. They are less likely to fraud a person than a new or a small company. This is applicable when it comes to the resale of your timeshare property.

You can sometimes avoid a timeshare fraud because the catchy marketing tactics used by the scammers often serve as a warning. Some of these companies may tell you about a gift that you have won, but the only way you can get it is by attending their free presentation. Once you fall into their trap and attend the presentation, you find out that it's just a gimmick. Then, they begin using pressure selling techniques, and they won't let you leave the presentation unless you sign a paper like those used car dealers who say "we will sell you this car at this price, but only if you buy it today".

They might tell you the property is only a five minute walk from the beach, but the reality is that it's 15 minutes away. Sometimes the property might not even be the same one they described in their presentation. They're able to take advantage of the fact that people won't go to Florida or Carolina to see the property before they purchase it. The property might not even exist at all, in some rare cases. This should teach you to read the fine print in any invitation you receive. Never give in to their pressure, and don't sign anything, either.

Consulting an attorney before you sign any contract or papers is always a much better idea. See if all the company's verbal promises are being carried out, or not. Before you buy, do some homework by finding out the going rate for timeshare properties in the location you're considering. Ask the timeshare company for the contact information of some of their previous customers, then make sure you call those people. Ask them to tell you everything you want to know about that specific timeshare company and their properties.

If you are interested in timeshare properties and want to find out more about Timeshare Fraud, you should check out We Own Timeshares. Meet and connect with timeshare owners on this Timeshare Ownership Forum social network. It is free to join and you can create your own profile in minutes. Share experiences and reviews of different timeshare locations and start asking questions in the forum to find out how others have avoided fraud with their timeshare properties. Visit today.

Timeshare Cancellation Through Donation

Donating a timeshare is a very popular plan of action for most timeshare owners. When someone is looking for a way to cancel a timeshare contract they will usually try to find a way to donate the property. They simply want to get out of paying the regular maintenance fees and random special assessment charges. So they figure that if they donate the timeshare they can free of it and not have to worry.

Most of the time owners will attempt to resell their timeshare. They will look into how they can sell a used timeshare and more often than not they realize that it is not the best way to end their timeshare ownership. They find to their surprise that reselling a timeshare can be nearly impossible. So once they have eliminated the option to sell their timeshare they look towards giving it away for free in an attempt to get rid of paying the fees.

Now when you research into donating a timeshare you will also be surprised to find out difficult that can be as well. It is just about as hard to sell a used timeshare as it is to donate it. There are a few reasons for this but the main one is simply that most of the charities that you might think to donate your timeshare to can't afford to own one. The same way you are finding the financial cost of ownership draining a charitable organization would be unable to pay the regular costs of ownership, not to mention a special assessment charge.

It would simply be a big drain on the charity to have to find a way to put a timeshare to use. Either by actually using it for their own purposes or finding a way to create a profit from renting it out or somehow selling it, the charity would have to be able to do something with it. The charity may have the resources to actually be able to rent it or sell it with some sort of financial gain, however, this situation is very unlikely.

Another big reason why it is nearly impossible to donate a timeshare is that most charities that actually will accept a timeshare donation will probably not accept yours. The few organizations that will accept a timeshare donation really only take in the very luxurious high end quality timeshare units. They are only interested in a timeshare that is probably actually worth something, a unit that they could easily rent out for a profit of some sort after paying for the cost of ownership. The average timeshare owner unfortunately does not have one of these valuable timeshares.

After exhausting the few timeshare removal options most owners become very frustrated and upset with their timeshare situation. They look for ways out, sadly many of these frustrated owners are taken advantage of by scammers who promise them that a buyer is ready and waiting for their timeshare. These owners really just need a secure way to get out of their timeshare contract and financial obligations. Thankfully there are such timeshare relief services available that will get a timeshare owner out of their contractual obligations once and for all. So if you are an owner who needs to escape your timeshare fees it is important to remember that your main focus should simply be to cancel your timeshare contracts.

Kaylene Norris is a timeshare advisor for Transfer America, a company that helps timeshare owners experience the Timeshare Freedom they need. Kaylene provides information about how to cancel a timeshare safely and securely without the hassle and worry of trying to sell. She has made it her personal mission to help timeshare owners get the information they need to make more informed decisions when it comes to buying timeshares, renting timeshares, or selling timeshares. For information about Transfer America, visit http://www.transferamerica.net.

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