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When it comes to scams, companies established in countries with fewer government regulations and more corruption are more likely to commit fraud and being able to get away with it.
But know the details of why it is easier to scam vacationers in Mexico out of their money than in the US.
Timeshares in Mexico have a bad reputation for scamming innocent vacationers into purchasing a fraudulent timeshare contract.
In this article, we discover why more timeshare scams happen in Mexico and the Caribbean than in the US or Canada and what timeshare victims can do to resolve their timeshare problem.
Timeshare Scams in Mexico 1
Mexico is still considered a Third World country, and they rely heavily on tourism and timeshare sales for the health of their economy.
With their beautiful beaches and lush surroundings, it should be easy to sell timeshares based on the inherent qualities of the resort and the destination; however, many timeshare companies in Mexico use fraudulent sales tactics to boost their sales even more.
Their rental and resale promises seem too good to be true, and they induce clients that wouldn’t normally purchase, to take the plunge and invest thousands of dollars.
Timeshare Scams in Mexico 2
The government in Mexico has very lenient regulations for timeshare companies that do not cover the regulation of sales practices.
If a tourist falls victim to a timeshare scam in Mexico, the government agencies are not very effective in helping to resolve the problem, because the loss of the income from timeshare would result in less employment and wealth within Mexico.
Timeshare Scams in Mexico 3
The salespeople in Mexico use high-pressured sales tactics to ensure that their sales occur on a one-day-only basis so that the client does not have time to properly research the company.
They are often successful because the clients are on vacation, have let their normal guard down, and do not have time to make an informed decision.
One would think that the fraudulent sales practices would inhibit the resort’s ability to sell because it would tarnish their reputation; however, most timeshare consumers do not plan in advance to buy a timeshare.
By the time that most clients find out that they have been scammed, they are outside their 5-day cancellation period, and are not sure how to approach canceling a timeshare in a foreign country.
Timeshare Scams in Mexico 4
Most victims of timeshare scams in Mexico do not speak Spanish, so the process of canceling a timeshare in Mexico is very daunting, as they cannot communicate effectively with the resort or government agencies.
The timeshare scam companies are very aware of this fact, and often use it to their advantage to frustrate complaining clients by not offering English-speaking staff.
Many timeshare scam victims feel helpless at this point, and give up, but our staff at Mexican Timeshare Solutions can advocate for clients who cannot contact or communicate with the resort.
Timeshare Scams in Mexico 5
Another difference is that timeshares in the US and Canada are more highly regulated to abide by federal laws than timeshares in Mexico.
There are also important organizations, such as ARDA, the American Resort Development Association, that act as a marketing tool for resorts but also provide consumer protection measures by not endorsing companies that are involved in situations of fraud.
In addition, the Better Business Bureau in the US and Canada serves as an open forum for clients to rate and review the reputation of the timeshare company they plan to purchase.
The clients that buy in the US and Canada are typically citizens of those countries, and are aware of their legal rights and the correct avenues to deal with situations of fraud.
All of these factors help to limit the number of scams that occur in the US and Canada, and facilitate the cancellation process if the client has been defrauded.
Timeshare Scams in Mexico 6
Unfortunately, if US and Canadian citizens have previously owned timeshares in their own country, and have had successful experiences with those timeshares, they are more susceptible to being scammed by a timeshare company in Mexico.
As they have already purchased from a salesperson who accurately outlined their timeshare details, they place more trust in the fact that what the Mexican timeshare salespeople promise is true.
This can put them in a potentially vulnerable position if they encounter a Mexican timeshare salesperson who lies in order to increase their sales.
With any financial investment of this magnitude, whether it is in the US, Canada, or Mexico, it is important not to take the salesperson’s word at face value.
All consumers must take the time to research the timeshare company, and check with current timeshare owners to see if it is a reputable company to invest in for their vacation needs.
All one-day offers sold under high-pressure circumstances should be avoided, or rejected, as this is a prime indicator that the organization is a scam.
If you have purchased a timeshare in Mexico, and feel that you were not given what you were promised, contact us at Mexican Timeshare Solutions for help.
Our professional staff works hard on your behalf to ensure that justice is sought and obtained.
The best part is that, as the client, you do not have to deal with the frustration of being ignored by the resort, or having extremely difficult communications problems.
We handle all the details to ensure that your Mexican timeshare contract is cancelled properly so that you have no further obligations to the resort.
To receive more information about timeshare scams in Mexico and how to cancel your timeshare, send us a WhatsApp message at +52 333 239 6589, fill out our contact form, or call us at +1 714 277 3662.
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To know more about timeshare scam go to:
Companies are calling us at our home wanting to buy our timeshare. We would love to get pout from under it but how do we know it is for real and not a scam
28 years ago I bought a Timeshare at Plaza Holiday Club in Acapulco. The Certificate of Purchase of agreement No.15340 states that at the end of 28 years the full amount of $16,900 will be refunded from an insurance annuity policy. I have phoned and sent several E-mails and no reply. During the 28 years if the maintenance fee was not paid I would be threatened by collection agencies. Now the management Prisma Resort Services, in San Antonio Texas will not even answer my phone calls. Any idea what can be done to get my money as stated in the signed agreement. , ,
Que tal gracias por compartir este articulo, de lo que si estoy seguro es que nadie esta excento de no ser victima de fraude de tiempo compartido , mis papas hace unos años compraron con royal holiday , firmaron y no adquirieron lo que les habian prometido durante la presentacion de tiempo compartido que les dieron , se lo mucho que batallaron para librarse de eso .Por eso la verdad no les recomiendo involucrarse en una membresia con ningun resort.
En lo personal no se mucho sobre tiempos compartidos, por lo cual fui victima de uno de los resorts de Mexico , estas personas no se tentaron el corazon en dejarme casi en la calle, mi error fue por no leer bien el contrato y resulto ser que todo lo que me prometieron fue una farsa, nose si en mexico es donde mas ocurra esto , pero de lo que si estoy seguro es que si te dejas, estas personas terminan dejandote sin nada, tengan mucho cuidado porfavor.
I dont know how i could be so dumbass , actually i have a very big problem with a resort situated in los Cabos, those people want me to rip off all my money " my mistake was to not read correclty the contract and now i have to pay some maintenace fees that are ridicously high! i dont know what to do to cancel it.
Yo creo que en cualquier parte del mundo uno esta expuesto a este tipo de fraudes, sin embargo hay que tener mucho cuidado en lo que nos ofrecen , en mexico tuve una experiencia muy desagrdable con un resort, por suerte ya me libre de ese tiempo compartido , fue todo una locura
Timeshares are a scam. I found a local consumer protection firm to help me get out of my contract legally named Reed Hein & Associates. They are also know as the Timeshare Exit Team.
I have thought about signing up for a timeshare such as Trendwest where they have properties all over the world and I would use my points to go to a different place each year.
Now I don’t see it as a true “investment”, and I definitely will buy in the resale market but if I buy into it during my working years and pay off the $10,000 and then in my retirement years (when my income is probably lower) every vacation would be low-cost for the housing, that seems like a good financial plan to me.
I still want to talk to people who do it to see if they like it, or what companies are better than others.
My wife and I went to Puerto Vallarta Mexico last weekend for a few days and as soon as we landed and finished immigration we got to a room full of people selling timeshares. This was inside the terminal. As soon as we cleared immigration we were hoarded by a bunch of people inside the terminal asking for cabs and we said no thank you. There were a lot of people offering margaritas which we declined. Then there were a couple of people who were like we will call your car rental company and pulled us to the desk(They all had airport badges). They asked what the company are we renting the car from and I told them who I was renting from and they directed me to a guy at a counter. All this while I was thinking these are officials. So while we were waiting, they asked us where we were staying and gave us a map of the place, recommeded things that we should see, and also bought up a place very close to our hotel saying this is a place you should check out. He said this is a new place and we are doing this for advertisement so if you like the place you can recommend it to your friends. This should have raised flags for us. The guy went into details about different excursions and then asked if we were interested in a hotel tour that included a free massage+ second massage at half cost + a free excursion for two. We had to put down a holding deposit of $80 ($40 refundable when we showed up and $40 for the second massage). At that time I realized the guy will be selling us a timeshare when he gave us the receipt which stated no obligation or purchase required. They also had the general questions such as married, carrying ids, major credit cards, both employed. I had already given the guy the money and I was too tired to argue and get the money back (1 connection + 5 AM start got over me). So I was like what the hell I will just go to the timeshare thing and firmly keep saying no. We were scheduled for a tour the next morning where the guy was supposed to meet us outside our hotel. In the night about 9:30 the same guy called our hotel and asked my wife if everything was ok and how are we liking the place and stuff. That freaked her out and she said we are not going. He called us the next morning also when we were scheduled to meet him and we didnt pick up.
I know I am out the $80 but was wondering if there is any way to get back to them. I know it is a lesson learned but this is not something that someone has to go through. They wasted 1 hour of my time at the airport and called the same evening at the hotel room. I paid cash for to the guy and have a receipt. Should I just reach out to the place selling the timeshare? Any creative ideas? Icing on the cake would be they would refund my money!
Another scam I saw in Cancun, not the Gran Caribe Real resort but I did see this at the Oasis Cancun and the Grand, as well as any resort that has the word, "Palace" in it.
Couples or families with children are the target. They first question they ask you is if you are married. And, if you are on your honeymoon. Either or, they will mold their scam to you, and they are very friendly about it, they say, if you are married but not on your honeymoon, something like, "How many years you been married?! Oh it's time for another honeymoon! How about we give you some free breakfast at so and so resort as an excursion and 2 one hour massages for free and you can use the spa?" And then you will be escorted to the place where they will ask you for your credit card just to know that you are you. This isn't true! Be careful! Show them your passport instead and you will see it's not good enough of an identity for them! Imagine! This is basically timeshare!
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