# Scam Call claiming to be from TUG



## TUGBrian (Oct 21, 2014)

We are receiving reports of an individual making calls to owners and claiming they represent TUG...right before the pitch for the typical upfront fee scam (we have a buyer/renter for you).

just a friendly reminder that TUG will never...EVER contact you out of the blue via phone about your timeshare.

phone number for the call was 661-748-0240

google search for the number comes up as a generic skype number used in many scams.


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## DeniseM (Oct 21, 2014)

Should this be a universal sticky for awhile?


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## TUGBrian (Oct 21, 2014)

have to see how more reports come in. right now its just 3 today.


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## Sandy VDH (Oct 21, 2014)

I also got one from Hilton/Westgate.  Like Hilton would ever market something with Westgate together.


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## DeniseM (Oct 21, 2014)

Are they calling phone numbers from the Marketplace?


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## TUGBrian (Oct 21, 2014)

didnt get an answer on that...the two emails this morning merely said that they got a call from someone claiming to work for TUG...in regards to selling their timeshare.


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## lucillefaust (Oct 22, 2014)

Heard about people claiming to be from TUG from friends, too. Didn't think they were legit, though. Obviously a ploy to get people's info and money.


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## lucillefaust (Oct 22, 2014)

I Googled the phone number and https://www.callercenter.com/661-748-0240.html came up along with several complaints associating it to phone scam. Some of the posts revealed that the caller didn't speak good English.


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## talien (Oct 22, 2014)

Got a call last night from a lawyer who claims to be from TUGS and that he had a buyer for my timeshare.  Talked to him today (Dick Walters) and he said he had a buyer and that everything had to be done today.  He wanted me to pay the stamp tax on line, and then said I could send it to a para legal.  When I told him I did not have the money and could not try to get it until tomorrow, he said he would call back and never has.  He has called me from (661) 748-0204 and gave me his personal cell (305)600-2874.  Some of the info he provided about my timeshare for sell was incorrect and that started the red flags and have not found anything out about this guy.


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## Rent_Share (Oct 22, 2014)

Do you have it listed somewhere with your number posted ?

Where ?

 No offense, but TUG is a very small subset of the time share ownership community, using variations of the property name or RCI are common scams, but one could safely assume that less than 1in 10timeshare owners have heard of TUG


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## Kauai Kid (Oct 22, 2014)

I keep getting calls from some jerk saying he is from microsoft and they have identified a serious problem with my computer.  

Of course he sounds like he is speaking English as his third language.


Sterling


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## TUGBrian (Oct 22, 2014)

talien said:


> Got a call last night from a lawyer who claims to be from TUGS and that he had a buyer for my timeshare.  Talked to him today (Dick Walters) and he said he had a buyer and that everything had to be done today.  He wanted me to pay the stamp tax on line, and then said I could send it to a para legal.  When I told him I did not have the money and could not try to get it until tomorrow, he said he would call back and never has.  He has called me from (661) 748-0204 and gave me his personal cell (305)600-2874.  Some of the info he provided about my timeshare for sell was incorrect and that started the red flags and have not found anything out about this guy.



yes, the lawyer line was the same as the email reports we got of this earlier this week.


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## Rent_Share (Oct 22, 2014)

Is he working Tug Ads with the Tug Reference  ?  Other Ads ?, Random Cold Calls


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## TUGBrian (Oct 22, 2014)

id gander that the individual is working off a list of timeshare owners...and just using the TUG moniker during the "pitch" to add legitimacy to the scam.

the way the marketplace is setup now, I dont really see him going through each ad and contacting folks (besides, many ads dont even include phone numbers).

and if he were, I think we would have gotten alot more complaints/emails about it if he were merely going one by one in the marketplace.


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## TUGBrian (Oct 23, 2014)

got a few more reports of this today...will definitely put it in the newsletter.


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## Sandy (Oct 23, 2014)

Kauai Kid said:


> I keep getting calls from some jerk saying he is from microsoft and they have identified a serious problem with my computer.
> 
> Of course he sounds like he is speaking English as his third language.
> 
> ...



I get these calls every few weeks. What a crock.  I guess they get some folks to give them the info they want. Now I just say, "I don't have a computer." or "i don't have Microsoft" and that ends things. 

How alarming because there is probably enough who jump at the bait (I am not sure what they are selling but I think they want your personal info) and then get scammed in the long run.


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## carianne65@gmail.com (Oct 23, 2014)

*Dick (Richard Walters)*

I got the same phone call this morning..from generic skype number. 661-748-0240.   Sounds like he is calling from a call center..claimed that he was calling from the orlando Convention center at a time share resell convention.  Claimed he was from an "arm" of Tug2 that makes money financing timeshares.  He had mine sold because a closing fell through He wanted me to pay my luxury tax to the state of Florida.  $411.12  At that point my phone died.  

He told me his bar number was 22108 at the Florida bar


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## simpsontruckdriver (Oct 23, 2014)

Seeing as I live in the Orlando area, I can say FOR A FACT that there is NO timeshare resale convention this week, although this weekend is the Fall Home Show (home renovations). Plus, there is no "Florida Luxury Tax" that I know of.

TS


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## Beaglemom3 (Oct 23, 2014)

http://www.floridabar.org/names.nsf/mesearchdk320


Florida Bar's "Find a Lawyer" site.




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## Rent_Share (Oct 23, 2014)

Perhaps the Real Dick Waters will show up ?


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## blakebr (Oct 23, 2014)

carianne65@gmail.com said:


> He told me his bar number was 22108 at the Florida bar



I would think that is his bar tab not a bar number.  They are slick.


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## TUGBrian (Oct 23, 2014)

id wager the chances hes actually a lawyer are between slim and none.


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## auriasis (Oct 24, 2014)

*Received call from same # / 3 times!*

We received a call from this same number.  It took us 20 minutes into the call to discover it was a scam.   The guy claimed to be attorney Dick Walters and gave us his bar number.   Because he was calling from a skype number the call kept breaking up - it's a poor quality line to call on.   It was his third call before he mentioned that we would have to pay the document transfer tax of $2600+ to the title company of his choice.  We asked for his address to come see him in person and he gave us a bogus address in Cutler near Miami.  We called the real Dick Walters in Coral Gables and let him know someone was using his name, but who knows, he could be in on it.  Dick never called us back.


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## Rent_Share (Oct 24, 2014)

Rent_Share said:


> Perhaps the Real Dick Waters will show up ?



I directed him to this thread from the Bar email, but it returned undeliverable,  the Bar number and name agree, so who ever is impersonating did his homework


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## Beaglemom3 (Oct 24, 2014)

auriasis said:


> We received a call from this same number.  It took us 20 minutes into the call to discover it was a scam.   The guy claimed to be attorney Dick Walters and gave us his bar number.   Because he was calling from a skype number the call kept breaking up - it's a poor quality line to call on.   It was his third call before he mentioned that we would have to pay the document transfer tax of $2600+ to the title company of his choice.  We asked for his address to come see him in person and he gave us a bogus address in Cutler near Miami.  We called the real Dick Walters in Coral Gables and let him know someone was using his name, but who knows, he could be in on it.  Dick never called us back.



Gentle advice:  Be careful what you put out in print. You may want to reconsider until all facts are known. You may even want to edit your post. Your call.



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## mbeach89 (Oct 24, 2014)

Kauai Kid said:


> I keep getting calls from some jerk saying he is from microsoft and they have identified a serious problem with my computer.
> 
> Of course he sounds like he is speaking English as his third language.
> 
> ...



**Yep, received the same call !  He wanted me to log on to my computer and give him access.....I don't freakin' think so!


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## Beaglemom3 (Oct 24, 2014)

Kauai Kid said:


> I keep getting calls from some jerk saying he is from microsoft and they have identified a serious problem with my computer.
> 
> Of course he sounds like he is speaking English as his third language.
> 
> ...





mbeach89 said:


> **Yep, received the same call !  He wanted me to log on to my computer and give him access.....I don't freakin' think so!




There's a thread on this guy  that you've both posted on here:  http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=217738&highlight=dial+prayer


Easily confused with this guy, but different M.O. aka a scam artist by another name.



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## talien (Oct 30, 2014)

*Lawyer scam update*

The alleged lawyer called me again on 10-27 and again wanted to close on the sell of my time share from the same skype number that keeps breaking up. When questioned about the upfront fees and that TUGS does not have a lawyer branch he became defensive and claimed he did not say that.  He gave me his bar number and said he would never risk his licence.  Once again he wanted money upfront and when told he had to wait, he was willing to.  This morning I look up the bar number and called the real Mr. Richard (Dick) Waters, (called back from a ny number that is managed by OMNIPOINT COMMUNICATIONS, INC.. and when asked, he claimed he also practiced law in NY.) and he informed me that he knows that someone is impersonating him and that it has been reported and the authorities are looking for the con artist.   On that note.......TUGS members 1.....con artist 0.


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## TUGBrian (Nov 12, 2014)

new scammer claiming to represent TUG....asking for folks to send him money



> Adams Acosta and his phone number was 239-257-4960.



*NO ONE FROM TUG WILL EVER CONTACT YOU TO SOLICIT ANYTHING FROM YOU...PERIOD!*


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## tmcrent (Nov 12, 2014)

*Scam Call*

I received a call this morning from a person who said he was from TUG and he had a renter for the add which I have listed on TUG.  The listing is for Wyndham Ocean Walk in Daytona Beach, FL.  I was informed that I would need to send a money gram for the taxes and once I sent the money gram to call with the confirmation order number and then the rental paperwork and check for my rental would be sent to me. 

The representatives phone number was 239-257-4960, they also called me using 941-613-9057.

They called me back tonight and when I asked the person what company they were with they advised TUG.  After asking for him to give me his supervisors name so that I could call the TUG office to verify he transferred me to another person.  I was then told they were with Premium Resorts and they represent TUG and a number of other sites.

I declined the offer, I was not comfortable with the information I was receiving.


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## TUGBrian (Nov 12, 2014)

as you should be, they are flat out lying scamming scumbags.

I am thankful both those numbers are in florida, they should get a fun surprise soon =)


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## pedro47 (Nov 12, 2014)

Thanks Brain give them       .


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## Rent_Share (Nov 12, 2014)

Hopefully they aren't cloned caller ID's


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## TUGBrian (Nov 12, 2014)

sadly both were magic jack numbers that have disabled incoming calls.

next time one of you gets called by these jackwagons...ask for a callback number =)


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## AnnaS (Nov 13, 2014)

Thank you for the warning!!!


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