Rental Scam Warnings - do NOT send money to brand new registered users via zelle or any other non refundable platform etc

[xzhan02]

Paumavista, do the owners who don't take credit card accept check only, or they can do PayPal, just not the cc option? Thanks.

I definitely get a good vibe with the current owner I'm dealing with. Talks like a timesharer! The other guy, not so much. I went back to check, and indeed he joined TUG recently!

I got curious about TUG and June 2005 too. There must be some kind of website conversion then, as I found old emails from 2004 referencing TUG and trade power testing excel sheet. Fun but not so good old days!

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

I'm in the process of renting Hawaii for Christmas. It's a lot of money. One week I booked using RedWeek's verified and protected, paid by credit card (with 6% fee), so I felt good about it. The 2nd week I had an offer from a TUG MarketPlace ad, but he eventually said WKORV 2br could be split into two 1 br units, obviously a lie. I am dealing with another owner on Redweek, who has intimate knowledge of a resort and I have had very good and honest (I think) interaction. After seeing the reservation in their name, shall I pay via check or PayPal? Would the PayPal credit card option (with a fee) be safer? Alternatively, would it be worthwhile to ask owner to enroll in RedWeek's online payment, so I could pay with credit card (for a service fee)?

Pay by check and send it via the US Postal Service. Why? You have the name and address of where exactly you are sending your money.

Additionally, should you be "ripped off" then you can get the US Postal Inspection Service involved. It is considered MAIL FRAUD. Mail Fraud is considered a serious Federal Crime when using the USPS. Remember, you can NOT use Mail Fraud charges if using Fed Ex or UPS. It has to be mailed via USPS to a recipient with an address in any of the 50 States.

A lot of folks won't use the mail because they are in such a hurry either to make the payment or someone needs receive the payment yesterday. It's troublesome if someone renting will ONLY accept an electronic payment. Remember, you usually have no idea with whom you are dealing with when making electronic payments, and it's possible your electronic payments may be going to someone in Nigeria (and you can be 100% assured someone in Nigeria doesn't own a timeshare in the USA).



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[T_R_Oglodyte]

got curious about TUG and June 2005 too. There must be some kind of website conversion then,

Yes - new BBS software was installed at that time that required everyone to reregister. The archives include some threads from the old software, but many older ones have been lost entirely. Some of those old posts might still reside on the Wayback machine, if one wanted to spend time tracking them down.

 

[xzhan02]

T_R_Oglodyte, Thanks. Mystery solved!

 

[boraxo]

PayPal is horrible I would never use them for anything unless absolutely necessary for a merchant (ie my photographer) and certainly not for large amounts. Check are not great - we had a scammer wash the ink off the check and fill in his own amount and a different name. The bank refunded us immediate but not always a happy ending. Credit cards are best. The reason Airbnb is successful is that the rating system helps to weed out scammers. Not sure if TUG or redweek offers a similar validation system but that is the way to go.

 

[TUGBrian]

We do a lot of rentals.....I have 3 scheduled in the next few months.....only 1 of the 3 weeks were able to take a credit card. I think / I hope that you get a good vibe from sellers (and renters) and there is always just a level of trust. Most people are honest and good.....I have rented a number of times here on TUG....we "talk"....email back/forth. I always feel like I'm taking a leap of faith......

IF "joined" TUG dates are accurate......
xzhan02 & DeniseM & jules54 & Awaywego........June 2005 must have been a busy month on TUG!
Actually 2005 was pretty active......exyeh & DavidnRobin..........

2005 is when we migrated from an older version of the forums to a new software and everyone had to re-register.

since then all upgrades and migrations have been able to keep everyones registration the same...thus why the eldest of the eld all have 2005 as registration dates!

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

thus why the eldest of the eld all have 2005 as registration dates

Yes - I joined in September of 1999. And I see names of a lot of people here who were active before I joined.

 

[DeniseM]

Paumavista, do the owners who don't take credit card accept check only, or they can do PayPal, just not the cc option? Thanks.

A timeshare owner does not need any special authorization for the renter to pay with a credit card on PayPal. They they may tell you that you cannot pay with a credit card, because they don't want to incurr the 3% fee. The renter may want to offer to add 3% to their payment, so they can pay with a credit card.

I would not send a check - that gives you almost no protection, and trying to file mail fraud charges against someone would be an ordeal.

 

[DeniseM]

Pay by check and send it via the US Postal Service. Why? You have the name and address of where exactly you are sending your money.

Additionally, should you be "ripped off" then you can get the US Postal Inspection Service involved. It is considered MAIL FRAUD. Mail Fraud is considered a serious Federal Crime when using the USPS. Remember, you can NOT use Mail Fraud charges if using Fed Ex or UPS. It has to be mailed via USPS to a recipient with an address in any of the 50 States.

Curious - how many times have you personally charged someone with mail fraud, and won, as described in your post?

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

Curious - how many times have you personally charged someone with mail fraud, and won, as described in your post?

No me personally, but I know someone who purchased something out of State by mail and seller did not send item. She called the Postal Service about it and they contacted the Inspection Service.

Inspection Service read them the riot act and told them to perform or refund immediately, and she received her money back.

Google "USPS Mail Fraud" to read the statue.


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[pauljeffrey10]

Many Legit owners are not going to enroll in Redweek's rental services, and pay their fees - they control the money until after the rental, and that is a no-go in my book. Paying with a credit card on PayPal is one of the more secure methods, because if you get scammed, you can dispute the credit card payment. You don't have to get PayPal's approval, either.

Read This:

How to Verify if a Timeshare Rental is Legitimate

A checklist and advice on how to verify a Timeshare rental is legitimate and avoid scams

tug2.net

I have rented my units via Redweek.com many times and have never been disappointed. The rentals are verified, all transactions are safe. The Redweek fees are so minimal compared to the value of the rental. Well worth every penny.

 

[DeniseM]

I'm glad your friend had a good experience, but it sounds like it was a tangible item and not a timeshare rental - which by the very name "timeshare" causes many to be suspicious. And it doesn't sound like they were dealing with a scam organization, which might not even be in the US. With scam rentals, you don't have to worry about real timeshare owners. The majority of intentional scammers don't even own a timeshare and they make a living renting fake reservations. I will take my chances with a credit card.

 

[Normita]

It seems that all the posts are from the point of view that the renter may be scammed by the (supposed) timeshare owner. What about the other way around? Has any of you ever had a renter's cheque bounce and it's too late to get your points, reservation fees or whatever back? Or when you have accepted a small deposit, ordered the guest confirmation and the rest of the payment doesn't come? With Wyndham you have up to 15 days ahead to get your points back but you still lose the guest confirmation or fee, but with many of the other companies, at less than 60 days ahead, your points/options become restricted and much harder to use or they are lost. What protection can you suggest for the owner?
Last minute rentals are also a problem: there is no time for cheques to arrive or for references either way. I direct renters to my website and they usually realize that I am not running off with their money, but what about the renters? I suppose the solution is not to do last minute rentals?

 

[gatlinburgcabin]

It seems that all the posts are from the point of view that the renter may be scammed by the (supposed) timeshare owner. What about the other way around? Has any of you ever had a renter's cheque bounce and it's too late to get your points, reservation fees or whatever back? Or when you have accepted a small deposit, ordered the guest confirmation and the rest of the payment doesn't come? With Wyndham you have up to 15 days ahead to get your points back but you still lose the guest confirmation or fee, but with many of the other companies, at less than 60 days ahead, your points/options become restricted and much harder to use or they are lost. What protection can you suggest for the owner?
Last minute rentals are also a problem: there is no time for cheques to arrive or for references either way. I direct renters to my website and they usually realize that I am not running off with their money, but what about the renters? I suppose the solution is not to do last minute rentals?

I think the OP was about using PayPal, not last minute rentals? Obviously any transaction online has risk to buyer and seller. I have rented many times last minutes here on TUG, as well as renting my own week I couldn't use. I love this forum, because I feel like people familiar with timeshares are easier to work with. I maybe do have a false sense of security on who is selling the week, I appreciate this post to keep me on my toes.

My point is IF you use PayPal, do not use the payment via your bank account. On the occasion I have had trouble with a purchase, THEY ALWAYS SIDED WITH THE SELLER. I had to go to my credit card company to which they sided with me. Just as background, twice the item never arrived or arrived so late from China, couldn't use. PayPal drug their feet for 3 months, HAD to go to cc company.

 

[DavidnRobin]

Dave - That may be, but Redweek gives refunds without even notifying the owner, regardless of the rental terms between the owner and renter, and I'm not OK with that. YMMV

Interesting - what are the details on what happened? My transactions have been seamless (so far). Seems to me that ads with these services rent more often (by their metric of course)
Happy 4th - Go Giants!


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[DeniseM]

It was a huge deal on TUG: https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/redweek-holding-all-payments-regardless.302908/

 

[DavidnRobin]

It was a huge deal on TUG: https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/redweek-holding-all-payments-regardless.302908/

Thanks - I missed this.
TBH, I dropped off TUG for a while because of (unscientific) opinions regarding Covid that TUG was allowing. As a Scientist (in the field) - it was just too much rampant BS by some posters (still going on I suspect) - glad it was moved to a single thread to spew their misinformation. Now, I just stay out of it.
Can’t reason with unreasonable people.


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[DeniseM]

YES: It's so much better keeping all the problem children in in-school suspension! (It was my idea, too!)

 

[dioxide45]

A lot of people don't think of this, but Square is another option that owners can use to take payments.

 

[TUGBrian]

using a USPS postal money order used to be a solid way to have the backing of the US post office if you were defrauded etc at least in tracking down who signed for the money order and who cashed it and where etc etc. I am not sure if you are still granted those same benefits today however, or even if they still offer such an item?

 

[AwayWeGo]

We recently got some USPS money orders for paying tax debts (not ours) out of state. (Helping sick friend who since passed away. R.I.P.)

USPS money orders were cheaper than cashier checks or bank money orders, also cheaper than supermarket or convenience store money orders.

Got cash at the bank, then used the cash to get money orders at the Post Office.

Quick & easy.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[Marathoner]

I tell my relatives (they do not own any timeshares) to book only "Verified & Protected" on Redweek so that they don't get into a fraud situation when they go on a vacation in a timeshare week. I don't want to feel guilty for having introduced them to Redweek if they ever deal with a fraudster.

That said, as a timeshare owner, I don't rent out my weeks using "Verified & Protected" on Redweek for similar reasons as others here. It does mean that I won't be renting out my weeks to people like my relatives who need reassurance but there are plenty of other renters who appreciate the price savings.

One person asked my for my LinkedIn profile so that he can connect with me on LinkedIn before he sent me money for the rental. I thought that was effective because LinkedIn usage is quite widespread in the corporate world and he could then see my current place of employment and work history as I could for his work details after we connected in LinkedIn. Knowing someone's real name and workplace on LinkedIn is a high predictor of reliability, in my view.

 

[Coach Boon]

I will chime in with my experience with PayPal (haven't ever used Venmo or Zelle). It is tough to win a case with PayPal. I've had 2 times over the past 5 years of buying something from a vendor and both times they disputed my account and won. I am very hesitant to use them anymore. NOT REALLY ANY GOOD OPTIONS. By the way, my credit card has ALWAYS stood by me. Interested to hear other comments, especially if they pertain to timeshare payments as stated above?

I'm not a fan of Paypal either as I too have had a few minor issues. I still use them on occasion for small transactions. You do have to be careful as scammers will use Paypal to obtain goods and not pay you. I had an interested car buyer and he wanted to use Paypal as the method saying it was secure and common blah blah blah. Paypal doesn't guarantee car payments either but the scammer tried nonetheless.

 

[xzhan02]

Thank you all. I decided to use PayPal credit card option, after obtaining his reservation confirmation from the resort. The owner charges additional 3%, which is fair (I get part of it back with cc points). The owner really knows the in and out of the resorts he owns and rents many weeks on Redweek. He provides pros and cons of the resorts, tips on touring etc and will be on the island in another resort he owns at the same time. I really don't have any doubt about him.

As a previous poster mentioned, I wish Redweek could provide reviews or ratings on renters and owners. Of course, this might not work for the owners who only occasionally rent their unused weeks.