Timeshare scammers target Lake Stevens woman
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LAKE STEVENS, Wash. -- A Lake Stevens woman says she was scammed out of nearly $5,000 by people claiming they could sell her timeshare in Mexico, and now she's warning others to be on high alert.
Billie Kester bought a timeshare nearly 12 years ago at the Fiesta Americana Vacation Club in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
"It was just something we had and could do things and go places," she said.
But Kester's husband died recently, so she doesn't travel as much as she used to. When her phone rang about a potential buyer for the timeshare, it piqued her interest.
"So I went with them and it sounded all legitimate and everything was on the up-and-up," she said. "They did an appraisal on it and they came with a better appraisal."
The company, claiming to be based in California, put Kester in touch with a title company.
"The guy I was talking to seemed very sincere. He used to live up here so he said and worked at Boeing," she said.
The told her she needed to wire $5,000 for closing costs and a Mexican tax on properties. In the end, Kester was supposed to get more than $19,000, but she says she never saw a penny.
"Financially, they've really done me bad. $5,000 is a lot of money right now, and I was hoping to have more coming back from the sale of this," Kester said.
Fraud investigators say Kester's case is a classic example of a timeshare resell scam. Just last summer, the Federal Trade Commission and Florida's Attorney General sued a business for cold calling a timeshare owner with promises to rent or sell the property. Like Kester, the timeshare owner in Florida was never paid.
Authorities say there are two big red flags that timeshare owners should watch out for: unsolicited phone calls and requests to wire money. The scammers also tend to use the names of legitimate companies to make themselves look legitimate.
"Shame on them for doing this to people who can't afford it," Kester said. "Anybody, even if they can afford it, it's a horrible thing they're so greedy."
The Washington Attorney General's Office says timeshare scamming is an ongoing problem here and in several other states.
Billie Kester bought a timeshare nearly 12 years ago at the Fiesta Americana Vacation Club in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
"It was just something we had and could do things and go places," she said.
But Kester's husband died recently, so she doesn't travel as much as she used to. When her phone rang about a potential buyer for the timeshare, it piqued her interest.
"So I went with them and it sounded all legitimate and everything was on the up-and-up," she said. "They did an appraisal on it and they came with a better appraisal."
The company, claiming to be based in California, put Kester in touch with a title company.
"The guy I was talking to seemed very sincere. He used to live up here so he said and worked at Boeing," she said.
The told her she needed to wire $5,000 for closing costs and a Mexican tax on properties. In the end, Kester was supposed to get more than $19,000, but she says she never saw a penny.
"Financially, they've really done me bad. $5,000 is a lot of money right now, and I was hoping to have more coming back from the sale of this," Kester said.
Fraud investigators say Kester's case is a classic example of a timeshare resell scam. Just last summer, the Federal Trade Commission and Florida's Attorney General sued a business for cold calling a timeshare owner with promises to rent or sell the property. Like Kester, the timeshare owner in Florida was never paid.
Authorities say there are two big red flags that timeshare owners should watch out for: unsolicited phone calls and requests to wire money. The scammers also tend to use the names of legitimate companies to make themselves look legitimate.
"Shame on them for doing this to people who can't afford it," Kester said. "Anybody, even if they can afford it, it's a horrible thing they're so greedy."
The Washington Attorney General's Office says timeshare scamming is an ongoing problem here and in several other states.
Here is an idea... I call you, and offer a suggestion to helpo someone that needs help in more ways than one.  Writing a check payable to "Christians Against Social Handicaps" is the goal. By writing a check, you get something in exchange in return.
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If you want your award delivered to you within4-6 weeks, write a check for $9.95, if you want it delvered within 2 or 3 weeks, write a check for $19.95, You can receive it overnight, by sending a check for $29.95. All taxes are included as well as tax documentation for the IRS.
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For EVEN faster delivery, simply write C.A.S.H. in the section "marked payable to". Send all mail to "Christians Against Social Handicaps", mail to PO BOX 3909, Everett WA 98206. Donations can be made by calling 900-SPA-NKME, mention "Sister Mariane" and you will get a bonus reward. The nuns answering the phones work for the St Francis Church of the Lost and Found.
Guess what? The Attorney General's Office couldn't give a hoot about scammers - There's a company in Gig Harbor, WA, that "processes" magazine and book orders, and THEY are the one's who alter the original orders, and the Attorney General's Office will not investigate them. Customer's throughout the USA are scammed by little to large amounts of money by this company!
Unless you are the one who approaches a company to do something like this it's never a good idea. Check out the people you do business with and make sure they are legitimate especially if there are large amounts of money involved. There are so many ways people can protect themselves and yet they keep getting stung by these scams.
Gold rule: Never pay an upfront fee to sell your timeshare. I feel kind of sorry about her but i at least hope that other people learn from her mistake. Here you can find some tips to avoid being scammed:
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http://www.timesharescam.com/blog/105-timeshare-resale-scam-companies/
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it's every cutomer's right to be educated
You should never be expected to send money, in order to get more back later.
never pay money up front for anything and never pay up until the job is completed.
live by this philosophy and you will never be scammed.
The last paragraph says it all. Could and should be prevented.
It's brave of this lady to come forward with her story. She is definately going to be ridiculed because she fell for this, but she still wanted other people to know so they wouldn't be scammed too.
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To the commentors talking about how she could've prevented a crime: it sounds a lot like the arguement "If she didn't dress sexy, she wouldn't be raped." No one deserves to be the target of a crime.
If someone is buying something from you, you shouldn't have to send them money. And what Mhungry said is true. But not everyone is good at business. There should be a basic course in street smarts taught in high school.Â
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It's important not to blame the victim even if they make what seems to be a boneheaded mistake. The scammers are the ones to scorn here.Â
1) Timeshare *rolls eyes*
2) Accepting a cold call.
3) Wiring money to someone else first
4) Not using an escrow service of your choosing
= fail.
I'm sorry, but it's difficult for me to feel any pity for someone who doesn't even follow the basics when it comes to this stuff.
 @mhungry Let's see what you're like when you are her age, just lost your spouse and need money. she was scammed, duped and swindled out of her money. Plain and simple. Not everyone is as smart as you. Have some compassion.
DF...unfortunately most women allow the "man" of the house to run all things financial and business. Then when they die, they do stupid things such as this. It is not about being SMART...it is about empowering oneself and learning common sense. I have little compassion for any woman who does not educate herself on the little things.