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Any Experience with Property Locators?

pkotwas

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I have listed my timeshare with resale companies and have received a call from a company called Property Locators. The call is from las Vegas. I am told that I need to pay a title search fee as I still owe money on my timeshare. I am given the number of the title search company, who gives me the name of the person who will be doing the search, and then I call Property Locators back with that name. Property Locators then gives me the number for Western Union to wire transfer money to start the title search.

Has anyone had experience with Property Locators and can you tell me whether they are reputable?
 

yumdrey

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It sounds like scam to me.
Why do you need to do title search to sell your timeshare? Isn't it buyer's (or closing company's) work, when you have a buyer?
 

Bill4728

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Welcome to TUG


Now to the advise: NEVER WIRE MONEY!!!! The easiest way for a scammer to take your money is to wire money. You have no way to get back any money you wire!!

I have no experiance with Property Locators but you do not need a title search to sell your TS. I'd forget these guys.

The first step to sell your timeshare should be to read the TUG advice on "how to sell" LINK HERE

Hope that helps
 

pkotwas

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Thanks for the info. I also called Western Union and they told me that for any company that is registered with them for wire transfers, the company would have to give me a code city and state to use when I call Western Union for the transfer to be valid. They also stated it needs to be a fictional code city and state. Property Locators gave me Daytona Beach, FL so that answers my question. Please pass this on to any and all potential timeshare sellers.
 

somerville

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Thanks for the info. I also called Western Union and they told me that for any company that is registered with them for wire transfers, the company would have to give me a code city and state to use when I call Western Union for the transfer to be valid. They also stated it needs to be a fictional code city and state. Property Locators gave me Daytona Beach, FL so that answers my question. Please pass this on to any and all potential timeshare sellers.
Please pass this on to any and all potential timeshare sellers. Paying an upfront fee and using Western Union to transfer money usually equals scam.
 

Pch4JC

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TimeShare Property Locators

I had the very same phone call today from them. They wanted me to wire money to them for the Transfer Taxes and the Title Search. Who pays money upfront for this kind of thing? Then, when I questioned them about their company name and address (this was the second guy from the "Title Company") he went off on me about he doesn't have time for this and how everyone always thinks it's a scam. We had a very long and slightly heated conversation in which he eventually hung up the phone on me. I thought it was actually a pretty good cover story FOR A SCAM! Steer clear of this company!!

The names I got from them were Steven Cole - Las Vegas (Timeshare Proerty Locators) and Gary Bullow - Daytona Beach, FL (G.B. Enterprises Title Company). When I called "Gary's" phone (which I think is actually a cell phone 386-868-7878), I called it two different ways. When I blocked my number, no one ever answered and I got a message saying "Greg Bernstein" could not come to the phone and his message system said it was full. However, prior to that, I asked the guy his name and he spelled it for me - Gary Bullow.

The original caller from TPL was Steven Cole (702-555-5555). When I blocked my number and called him, I got the same thing - mailbox full. With both guys, when I unblocked my number they answered immediately - just seconds after the first call.

Here's the kicker. "Steve" said he has only met "Gary" one time at a business meeting 3 years ago. He said they are not friends, just business associates. He also said that "Gary" works out of Daytona Beach, FL and that he is in Las Vegas, NV. Well, Gary called me once, this evening (while I was coaching my kids' soccer team) and Steve called me about 4 or 5 times (which is strange in itself). When Steve called me the last time, I didn't answer, but he somehow forgot to disconnect his phone and he left me about a 2 minute voicemail. In that voicemail, I heard "Gary's" voice. His voice is very distinct from "Steve's". He said exactly these words, "but he kept calling you back and me, which really shocked my _ss because I never thought he would call either one of us back." He was referring to me calling him back after he went off on me for asking a few SMART questions. I can only assume he was talking to Steve. It just confirmed what I had thought the whole time. SCAM, SCAM, SCAM! They were sitting together making the calls from the same office. They mentioned the name of a case worker who would handle my file from there on out (a female who's name I have written on my desk at work and cannot remember - last name Wilson). All in all, they were pretty sophisticated so beware buyers and SELLERS.
 

TUGGRIZ

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Property Locators a SCAM according to Gold Coast Agent in Florida

Howdy all .. I also received a call from Steven Cole, and called Gary Burlow (spelled according to him) and received same into/instructions to have Western Union wire $253 search fee, plus $48.19 MASS. state tax to his "independent contractor" Keshonda Wilson of Ormond Beach, FL 32176. As deal seemed too good to be true I called my sister-in-law - a real honest REAL ESTATE BROKER (mostly retired now), who called a friend at GOLD COAST (somewhere near Boca Raton FL) who said IT'S MOST LIKELY A SCAM as it appears to be identical to one which has been around for years. NO reputable R.E. company requires such fees UP FRONT - EVER!! Needless to say I'm disappointed so if they can establish credibility I'll apologize profusely and gladly sell thru them ($$$=Yummy)!! THE GRIZ {|8<(#
 

TheTimeTraveler

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Next time they call to bother you send them a US Postal Money order for $1 via the US Mail for then notify the US Postal Inspectors. If they use the mails to conduct their illegal business & take your money then this is considered mail fraud and they can be prosecuted under Federal Laws.

Remember, you can't wire them money, rather use the US Mails and then put the wheels in motion. Don't let them talk you into using Federal Express or USPS.

It's time that these scumbags are put behind behind bars and out of business.
 
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Definitely a scam - just called me before I read all this!

OK, so "Steven Cole" (said he was a property locator for Nationwide Timeshares by Owner, his number was 702-443-2912) called me at least 4-5 times tonight, explained that he had seen a listing for my timeshare online (I've never listed it) and he had an offer of $13,500. All we had to do is call his associate "Jim Russo" at All Florida Titles and wire $199 for the title search, which would be refunded at the "closing" (yeah, right). We researched both companies, their Better Business Bureau profiles, Web sites, etc. and THOSE ACTUAL COMPANIES are probably legit. Problem is, NEITHER ONE OF THOSE GUYS WORKS THERE. They are sitting in the same room, just as the earlier poster said, working together. They offered to send the "contract" ahead of time but said they had to have the title search $$ before closing, which is not the way reputable real-estate deals work. Title companies don't collect fees before closing. These guys give you a long speech about how the money will be in escrow for you at your bank and you have to do this within 6 days, tell you you can get a refund for the $199 within a week, etc. So they are just trying to get $199 from everyone and either disappear or claim the deal fell through or the buyer couldn't get financing or whatever. We were given a different person's name to wire the money to (Nancy Savitski - "Steven's" changed his people's names, based on what you folks are experiencing). Thank goodness we outsmarted "Steven Cole" and he hung up. Be smart, folks. If it sounds too good to be true ... it is!!!!!
 
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Scam out of Ormond Florida?

This is somewhat directed to the person who posted the entitled "WONT GET FOOLED"...

You mentioned in your post that you were told at some point in the conversation with these con artists to wire the money to someone named Nancy Savitski...

It just so happens that I have a case against an individual by that name, who happens to reside in the Daytona Beach/Ormond Beach area.

To my knowledge there is only one woman by that name in that county...and there is a good chance its the same person I have my case against.

If you are agreeable to it, I would like to verify if this is the same woman. If it is, then it's likely that you can lodge a complaint against her and it can be added to the other charges she already has on her.

If one of the con artists turn out to be her boyfriend (which I highly suspect given they used the name Bulow which is a state park in Ormond, and he is a felon known for his scams) then there's a case against him as well.

If anyone else has come across her name in one of these scam calls, please feel free to email me. Anything the state attorney can add to her charges is a help to all of us, to get her off the streets.
 

Dave H

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The G.B. Enterprises Title Company is not listed on Sunbiz as an active company. Actually not listed at all. Since that is the case, they can not be a title company as being a Florida company requires you to pay the state the fee for corporations. www.sunbiz.org

Since that is the case, you all might want to also lodge a complaint with the Florida Department of Financial Services, Department of Insurance www.flofr.com

Dave
 

Parentof4

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i can help

i know that person personally he is a crack head and smart with computers i don't associate with him he is jail finally 5 counts of fraud


I had the very same phone call today from them. They wanted me to wire money to them for the Transfer Taxes and the Title Search. Who pays money upfront for this kind of thing? Then, when I questioned them about their company name and address (this was the second guy from the "Title Company") he went off on me about he doesn't have time for this and how everyone always thinks it's a scam. We had a very long and slightly heated conversation in which he eventually hung up the phone on me. I thought it was actually a pretty good cover story FOR A SCAM! Steer clear of this company!!

The names I got from them were Steven Cole - Las Vegas (Timeshare Proerty Locators) and Gary Bullow - Daytona Beach, FL (G.B. Enterprises Title Company). When I called "Gary's" phone (which I think is actually a cell phone 386-868-7878), I called it two different ways. When I blocked my number, no one ever answered and I got a message saying "Greg Bernstein" could not come to the phone and his message system said it was full. However, prior to that, I asked the guy his name and he spelled it for me - Gary Bullow.

The original caller from TPL was Steven Cole (702-555-5555). When I blocked my number and called him, I got the same thing - mailbox full. With both guys, when I unblocked my number they answered immediately - just seconds after the first call.

Here's the kicker. "Steve" said he has only met "Gary" one time at a business meeting 3 years ago. He said they are not friends, just business associates. He also said that "Gary" works out of Daytona Beach, FL and that he is in Las Vegas, NV. Well, Gary called me once, this evening (while I was coaching my kids' soccer team) and Steve called me about 4 or 5 times (which is strange in itself). When Steve called me the last time, I didn't answer, but he somehow forgot to disconnect his phone and he left me about a 2 minute voicemail. In that voicemail, I heard "Gary's" voice. His voice is very distinct from "Steve's". He said exactly these words, "but he kept calling you back and me, which really shocked my _ss because I never thought he would call either one of us back." He was referring to me calling him back after he went off on me for asking a few SMART questions. I can only assume he was talking to Steve. It just confirmed what I had thought the whole time. SCAM, SCAM, SCAM! They were sitting together making the calls from the same office. They mentioned the name of a case worker who would handle my file from there on out (a female who's name I have written on my desk at work and cannot remember - last name Wilson). All in all, they were pretty sophisticated so beware buyers and SELLERS.
 
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