The Better Business Bureau in Cleveland is getting complaints about timeshare resells scams.
Companies claiming they can resell people’s timeshare for a lot of money in a short amount of time are often scammers.
“Don’t be fooled by fancy websites that appear to make the business seem legit, with lots of satisfied customers,” said Sue McConnell, President and CEO of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) serving Greater Cleveland.
Right now, the BBB is investigating complaints made against Prime Alliance Holdings.
They said they found testimonials displayed on the website use pictures that they just copied and pasted from other websites.
Other companies under investigation include Amadeus Vacations and Columbus International Escrow.
People have lost thousands in these scams
If you own a timeshare, BBB offers these tips:
- Don’t be tempted by businesses who solicit you and claim they already have a buyer or can sell your timeshare for a large amount of money in a small amount of time.
- Do not be pressured to sign a contract before you have reviewed it carefully and have taken time to research the business.
- Check bbb.org for grade ratings, customer complaints, and customer reviews on the reseller and any affiliated businesses involved in the sale.
- Google the name of the business as well as all email addresses and phone numbers used to see if others have filed negative reviews.
- Do not pay substantial advance fees. If you are required to pay any fees, be certain the contract explains the company’s refund policy.
- Ohio requires timeshare resellers to be licensed with the Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Real Estate, regardless of where your timeshare is located. Go to /www.com.ohio.gov/real/ and use the “Lookup a License” tool.
If you have fell for this scam or want to report another scam, you can contact the scam squad at 216-443-7035.