[ 2023 ] Beware of Potential Scam Class Action Lawsuit Targeting Timeshare Owners

[LisaBeth123]

Hi, Everyone,
I'm new to this forum. I'm not sure if this is the proper channel, but I wanted to post something as soon as possible in the event that it could prevent someone from getting scammed. I have a friend and a family member who were both taken in by scams and lost large sums of money, so perhaps I'm overly cautious, but I understand how it can happen.

I normally block unknown callers but recently removed the block because there were some calls that needed to get through from medical care providers.

Yesterday I received a call from a well-spoken man from a local number, telling me that he represented a law firm that was filing a class action lawsuit on behalf of Marriott Timeshare Owners. He wanted to inform me of 2 meetings this weekend in nearby cities. He said he was collecting information for the lawsuit and wanted to know if I'd ever experienced trouble with bookings or had any other complaints to report. Somehow it sounded fishy. I hedged and asked him if he was an attorney, what his name was, and what the name of the law firm was. He said he worked for a company representing the law firm. He gave his first name, Aviel, and the company TRADE COUNCIL ASSOCIATES. I did an internet search on the company and suspect that it's a scam. I asked him where the meetings were, and he told me he couldn't give that information over the phone, and that he needed my email address. I refused and hung up. If this is indeed a fraud as I suspect, I imagine that it would be something like, they ask you for a sizeable retainer upfront and tell you that you stand to collect some wild sum. You have to send them the money before the deadline or you will lose out. And the victim gets convinced to send them the funds. Or some scam along these lines.

I don't know if this is true, because I didn't let it go any further.

Has anyone else been contacted by this company?

 

[VacationForever]

BS. Just another scammer.

 

[Passepartout]

No one will EVER cold call you to give you money. It's a scam!

 

[TUGBrian]

100% a scam...

goal would either be to collect your personal information to sell to other scammers, or trick you into sending money.

 

[dioxide45]

I am sure these scammers use some rotating list of company names. So what was Trade Council Associates for you, is something else to another person they call.

 

[LannyPC]

If this is indeed a fraud as I suspect, I imagine that it would be something like, they ask you for a sizeable retainer upfront and tell you that you stand to collect some wild sum. You have to send them the money before the deadline or you will lose out. And the victim gets convinced to send them the funds. Or some scam along these lines.

Yep, that sounds about right.

 

[Sandi Bo]

Sounds like one of the old once cycling back around.

Thanks for posting @LisaBeth123

The good news is it looks like it helped you find TUG. Welcome to TUG!

 

[dougp26364]

At this point in my life, anyone that mentions timeshare and the caller ID is unknown, I just hang up and block the number. Any legitimate company won’t spoof a number and will list the companies name.

I answer unknown caller I’d calls for two reasons. Some businesses, like hospitals, don’t list their caller ID under the premise it would freak out the recipient (makes it difficult to get a hold of family members in an emergency as most won’t answer an unknown caller) and, I want to see if it’s a scammer who needs to be added to my call blocking app (7 million numbers and counting).

 

[winterski]

The paid government employees responsible for catching scammers, fraudsters, and that ilk get paid regardless of whether they do anything at all. A lot of tires spinning but not much headway. Lots of registries, records, data collection but where is the action? Ongoing scams like Lloydshare Ltd Inc continue with seeming impunity, ongoing scams bringing in millions of $. Fraud is everywhere now.

 

[RX8]

This is a roving timeshare exit company who lie on the phone trying to get attendees. There is no class action lawsuit, they just want to get timeshare owners all upset over these perceived slights by the big bad timeshare companies. Once at the presentation, they will lie and use high pressure in order to extract many thousands of dollars from the timeshare owner.

These roving exit companies are just a new version of the old roving gypsy roofers.

Here is a thread on a similar scammer company called PCE (Property Council Education). There is a possible link of PCE to TCA

Phone Call from “PCE” [MERGED]

Has anyone received a phone call from a group called PCE(Property Council Education)? They were looking for unhappy Marriott Owners. It sounds like a class action lawsuit, but now I wonder if it is one of those timeshare exit scams.

tugbbs.com

 

[emeryjre]

The paid government employees responsible for catching scammers, fraudsters, and that ilk get paid regardless of whether they do anything at all. A lot of tires spinning but not much headway. Lots of registries, records, data collection but where is the action? Ongoing scams like Lloydshare Ltd Inc continue with seeming impunity, ongoing scams bringing in millions of $. Fraud is everywhere now.

The scammers know how to use the legal system.
There are protections in our legal system for people being charged
Scammers use these protections to increase the time it takes to get a case closed
Ultimately it is up to the individual to protect themselves
Seniors are being increasingly targeted for all types of scams
Buyer beware is my mantra
If it sounds to good to be true, it most likely is not true

 

[winterski]

Ongoing scams are not being shut down. Fraudsters are making fortunes and more victims are going to be scammed. It is getting worse and the governing bodies are not doing what the tax payers pay them to do. Who is going after that delinquency?

 

[TUGBrian]

likely nooone unless enough victims report it!

 

[winterski]

In addition, scammers probably get great tax breaks, unlike the scammed. A big party for the ARDA crowd. The ARDA plaque is enough to stop me from sitting in someone's office.

 

[winterski]

Hi, Everyone,
I'm new to this forum. I'm not sure if this is the proper channel, but I wanted to post something as soon as possible in the event that it could prevent someone from getting scammed. I have a friend and a family member who were both taken in by scams and lost large sums of money, so perhaps I'm overly cautious, but I understand how it can happen.

I normally block unknown callers but recently removed the block because there were some calls that needed to get through from medical care providers.

Yesterday I received a call from a well-spoken man from a local number, telling me that he represented a law firm that was filing a class action lawsuit on behalf of Marriott Timeshare Owners. He wanted to inform me of 2 meetings this weekend in nearby cities. He said he was collecting information for the lawsuit and wanted to know if I'd ever experienced trouble with bookings or had any other complaints to report. Somehow it sounded fishy. I hedged and asked him if he was an attorney, what his name was, and what the name of the law firm was. He said he worked for a company representing the law firm. He gave his first name, Aviel, and the company TRADE COUNCIL ASSOCIATES. I did an internet search on the company and suspect that it's a scam. I asked him where the meetings were, and he told me he couldn't give that information over the phone, and that he needed my email address. I refused and hung up. If this is indeed a fraud as I suspect, I imagine that it would be something like, they ask you for a sizeable retainer upfront and tell you that you stand to collect some wild sum. You have to send them the money before the deadline or you will lose out. And the victim gets convinced to send them the funds. Or some scam along these lines.

I don't know if this is true, because I didn't let it go any further.

Has anyone else been contacted by this company?

I remember 2023. Quite the year.

 

[winterski]

The scammers know how to use the legal system.
There are protections in our legal system for people being charged
Scammers use these protections to increase the time it takes to get a case closed
Ultimately it is up to the individual to protect themselves
Seniors are being increasingly targeted for all types of scams
Buyer beware is my mantra
If it sounds to good to be true, it most likely is not true

Its at the point now where I don't feel comfortable in the company of strangers because they could be the scammers....bar, restaurants. They are probably the loudest voices, having achieved success so easily.