Call from "VRBO"?

[byeloe]

I received a call caller ID said VRBO. They wanted to know if I would like to rent out my Interval Weeks that are expiring. They said I had an accommodation certificate expiring in Sept(which is true).
I am pretty sure it's a scam. I know that renting certificates is not allowed. He didn't ask for any money upfront.

Does anyone know how this scam works?

 

[DeniseM]

It's a scam, and it's not VRBO - they are going to charge you some kind of an upfront fee to list your exchanges with them.

If there was a number on your caller ID, you might want to do a google search for it, and possible report the info to VRBO.

 

[byeloe]

i figured. but he didn't ask for $$. Just said to set the price, then they would send a check, once rented.

maybe they will ask for fees to be sent back from the check proceeds

 

[DeniseM]

They wait until they have you completely hooked - and then ask for the money. There won't be any check, becaue they have no intentions of renting anything.

 

[RX8]

@byeloe This is also a common tactic of the advertising/listing companies, which I would guess is exactly who called you. They lie with their spoofed number and lie when they talk to you on the phone, either with the false statement about your supposed expiring weeks or that they have corporate clients ready to rent your timeshare, or both. These companies are fly-by-night scammers who create a website that was only designed to make people think that the hundreds or thousands of dollars they charge is going to help them rent or sell their timeshare. In reality, the purpose of that website is simply to keep them out of jail because they will argue, successfully, that are offering a service for their huge upfront fee with their listing website. This website is hard to find on the internet, hard to navigate and provides only generic information on the resorts and absolutely no detail on what weeks are actually available. That is just the way they like it because they don’t want potential renters inquiring about weeks that they would have to forward to their listing customer because it takes away from their continuous cold calling asking for upfront fees. This business model is essentially a license to steal.

 

[montygz]

Scammer: You're in luck! We have secured a renter for your week at the price of $1,000,000,000!

Please send us our processing fee of $1,000 and we'll transfer you the money right away!

You: Just take it out of my rental income

Scammer: That's not possible, and please hurry because your renter may be left on the curb if we don't get the processing fee and you could be sued for millions!

And the scams roll on......