I have been scammed!

[silentg]

I thought this couldn’t happen to me, but unfortunately it did.
I posted a want for a two night stay at a Marriott Timeshare in Boston.
I came in contact with Bonnie Medcalf. She offered me the two nights that I wanted for $600.
She requested a cashiers check made payable to Rachel Norris and wanted it sent with tracking.
After I did as requested Bonnie Medcalf said the timeshare could not be split up and offered to have me take the whole week for more money. I declined and requested my money back. She told me the check was already cashed.
Then after several emails, and also trying to reach Rachel Norris. I have been ghosted.
I called the timeshare to see if any reservation was made in either of their names or even in my name and the rep at Marriott confirmed there was no reservation.
Feeling foolish, after all these years of dealing with buying, selling and renting, with TUG members, to get taken makes me nervous about any future deals here.
Beware of BONNIE MEDCALF and RACHEL NORRIS I wish I had asked for advice here before I did this!
Thank you for reading this!
silentg

 

[Pennytx]

Oh my
I’m so sorry
I don’t have access to Marriott but I do have some points in RCI if they would help you out
Not sure if there is anything in their system for Boston… but willing to try
If not maybe someone out there can help also

 

[silentg]

Oh my
I’m so sorry
I don’t have access to Marriott but I do have some points in RCI if they would help you out
Not sure if there is anything in their system for Boston… but willing to try
If not maybe someone out there can help also

Thank you but we have decided not to get anything associated with Marriott or timeshares. At least not for this stay.

 

[Theiggy]

Wow that stinks I’m so sorry! This was on TUG marketplace, or the last minute forum?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DeniseM]

There are several warning signs in your description:
- don't send checks
- don't make the check out to a different name
- verify the reservation BEFORE you make the final payment

 

[Sandy VDH]

I still have a to do to contact you Terry. Sorry to hear about this, that sucks.

Was this for the pre cruise stay?

 

[gln60]

There are several warning signs in your description:
- don't send checks
- don't make the check out to a different name
- verify the reservation BEFORE you make the final payment

Great advice!

 

[TUGBrian]

I hate it when someone gets ripped off on a rental.

while there is no way to prevent it 100% of the time, these suggestions weed out the vast majority of scams as so many of them include the same red flags!

How to Verify Timeshare Rentals: Spot Legitimate Deals & Avoid Scams

Get expert tips and a free checklist to verify if a timeshare rental is legitimate, avoid scams, and save money on discounted vacation deals.

tug2.net

never pay a stranger with a cashiers check
never send payment to a different name/address
always verify the reservation matches the users name/contact data!

 

[DeniseM]

Did you check with your bank to see if the check has actually cleared?

 

[b2bailey]

It's not clear to me -- did you find this listing on TUG?

 

[Dean]

Did you check with your bank to see if the check has actually cleared?

Often a dispute can be made online which would be the fastest way to stop payment.

 

[Lakeshore]

I thought this couldn’t happen to me, but unfortunately it did.
I posted a want for a two night stay at a Marriott Timeshare in Boston.
I came in contact with Bonnie Medcalf. She offered me the two nights that I wanted for $600.
She requested a cashiers check made payable to Rachel Norris and wanted it sent with tracking.
After I did as requested Bonnie Medcalf said the timeshare could not be split up and offered to have me take the whole week for more money. I declined and requested my money back. She told me the check was already cashed.
Then after several emails, and also trying to reach Rachel Norris. I have been ghosted.
I called the timeshare to see if any reservation was made in either of their names or even in my name and the rep at Marriott confirmed there was no reservation.
Feeling foolish, after all these years of dealing with buying, selling and renting, with TUG members, to get taken makes me nervous about any future deals here.
Beware of BONNIE MEDCALF and RACHEL NORRIS I wish I had asked for advice here before I did this!
Thank you for reading this!
silentg

I am so very sorry. I thank you for posting your experience so we all can be aware. I do hope you can stop payment on the check.

 

[TUGBrian]

It's not clear to me -- did you find this listing on TUG?

as i understand it, someone contacted her thru her marketplace "want to rent" listing and offered her a fradulent reservation.

 

[jabberwocky]

I am so very sorry. I thank you for posting your experience so we all can be aware. I do hope you can stop payment on the check.

I’m not sure how you would do that with a cashiers check. The funds are taken out and the bank guarantees payment upon presentation of the check.

 

[CO skier]

I’m not sure how you would do that with a cashiers check. The funds are taken out and the bank guarantees payment upon presentation of the check.

True. There is no such thing as "stop payment" on a cashier's check, which is why the scamsters require that kind of payment.

If a renter will not accept a credit card or Paypal, at a minimum, with some kind of dispute process -- see ya'!

 

[kanerf]

You should at least notify your bank that the transaction involving the cashier's check was fraudulent and have them notify the police where the bank was located that paid out the funds. Perhaps they have the perp on video cashing the check.

 

[WorldT]

I am so very sorry. I thank you for posting your experience so we all can be aware. I do hope you can stop payment on the check.

You cannot stop payment on a cashier's check. You can stop payment on PERSONAL checks.

 

[NJMOM2]

You can stop payment on PERSONAL checks IF the check has not already been cashed. I just did a stop payment on a check that got lost in the mail.

 

[silentg]

There are several warning signs in your description:
- don't send checks
- don't make the check out to a different name
- verify the reservation BEFORE you make the final payment

Hindsight is 20/20 I should have known better.

 

[silentg]

You can stop payment on PERSONAL checks IF the check has not already been cashed. I just did a stop payment on a check that got lost in the mail.

Not a personal check

 

[Fasttr]

Hindsight is 20/20 I should have known better.

At least you didn’t fall deeper into the trap and agree to give them more $$ for the full week.

 

[silentg]

as i understand it, someone contacted her thru her marketplace "want to rent" listing and offered her a fradulent reservation.

I posted a want ad... then they,Bonnie Medcalf and Rachel Norris, contacted me.

 

[silentg]

At least you didn’t fall deeper into the trap and agree to give them more $$ for the full week.

No, I figured not to send more money especially since we found no reservation was made at all.

 

[rapmarks]

I posted a want ad... then they,Bonnie Medcalf and Rachel Norris, contacted me.

I still have an envelope filled with paperwork when I got scammed.
The scammer was on a bluegreen yahoo group, responded to my request for a specific date, and had rented before. Received paperwork from Bluegreen. Apparently she was an employee who knew which owners were not using their points, she booked someone’s time, and had it put in our name, she had been doing this for some time, and somehow it was discovered a few days before check in so we were out the money and the reservation

 

[silentg]

I still have an envelope filled with paperwork when I got scammed.
The scammer was on a bluegreen yahoo group, responded to my request for a specific date, and had rented before. Received paperwork from Bluegreen. Apparently she was an employee who knew which owners were not using their points, she booked someone’s time, and had it put in our name, she had been doing this for some time, and somehow it was discovered a few days before check in so we were out the money and the reservation

That’s terrible. I’ve recieved some Advice on this matter and am looking into a resolution. Sorry it happened to you