The timeshare industry is unfortunately one that for decades has been infiltrated with timeshare selling scams by dishonest, unethical and unscrupulous fraudsters who have used deceitful and unlawful methods to trick unsuspecting buyers into parting with their hard earned money.
There are various ways, methods, tactics and types of scams that are used to trick people into signing contracts which are not fair or are not what was agreed, but that can be almost impossible to get out of.
What Is The Double Dip Scam?
A relatively new ‘con’ or way that people are being targeted which is becoming more prominent is known as the ‘double dip scam’.
These particularly brutal and immoral double dip timeshare scams target those that are already trapped in a timeshare contract, often tied in with exorbitant annual fees even if they no longer use the property.
How Does The Scam Work?
With a double dip scam, timeshare owners are contacted by phone, email or post by an individual or a ‘company’ that usually claims to be able to do one of the following things;
- Get them out of their contract
- Sell their timeshare for which they usually allege to have a buyer ready for
- Recover the money they have lost
- Have acquired their details from liquidators and have money to release to them
- Can win them compensation
All of these things of course will be done for paying their standard ‘legal / paperwork / administration fees’ which can be hundreds or even thousands of pounds. Unfortunately, some timeshare owners are so desperate that they pay it, thinking that it will be worth it for what they gain in return.
How Can You Protect Yourself?
One of the reasons why this is becoming more commonplace is because the number of successful, legitimate cases where judgements have gone in favour of the claimants. Of course the firms, lawyers and solicitors which aid these timeshare victims are genuine and the hope that these cases give makes people more willing to believe those that try to deceive them.
Here are some tips to help you identify these double dip scammers;
Cold calling or unsolicited contact.
They might claim to be from a bank or reputable law firm but if you are being contacted then the chances are it is a scam. Do not speak to them, do not offer up any information at all and hang up the phone.
Do not believe everything you see, hear or read.
A professional looking website, business name, logo and even address are remarkably easy to create, and people are often easily fooled by a legitimate sounding company name and website which these fraudsters count on. Do not be easily pulled in and be sure to do your homework which includes checking that they are who they say they are.
Be suspicious of everyone.
A tactic commonly used by these scammers is to adopt a sympathetic approach where they say they understand your situation, how distraught you must be and how many ‘clients’ they have helped before. These are master manipulators, and they will use every tactic they can to take your money so don’t be easily fooled.
Watch out for guaranteed wins.
Those promising success, guaranteeing a win or offering assurances that it is risk free are ones to be wary of. Genuine solicitors in this field know how complicated timeshare law can be and will always be sure to manage your expectations and the possible outcomes transparently.
Timeshare Claims Advice
At Sarah Waddington Solicitors we understand how apprehensive clients can be about reaching out and seeking advice regarding their timeshare contract.
Our experienced specialists work with clients, providing honest, transparent and professional advice on their timeshare agreement, helping to ascertain if there are legal grounds for a case. This can be carried out during a completely free, no obligation consultation that takes around 30 minutes to complete over the phone.
If you have any questions or would like to book a consultation, then please do not hesitate to get in touch and one of our friendly advisors will be happy to help.