[SCAM:] In need of advice [Lone Star International Sales from Dallas]

[DeniseM]

Dave - She said it was a wire transfer, but still it doesn't make any sense.

 

[DeniseM]

Usually the state seal is the notary seal. The state emblem, due to the fact that the have jurisdiction over the notarizes.

OK - but I don't think in timeshare purchases it's commonly called a "state seal."

 

[presley]

The only fees they require for me to pay are their 5% commission at this time as well as send them the original name change documents. My concern is I don’t want to send the original documents, I want to send copies. I want the originals for my files.

Did they take the 5% out of what they wired to you? Or, are they expecting you to send 5% to them?

I've always sent originals when something was notarized as copies are easily faked. If they are asking you to send original documents that they created, I'd be leery, too. This is completely, totally abnormal that they contacted you out of the blue to buy in the first place.

As you can tell by the responses here, many of us have bought and sold timeshares many times. Nobody has any positive experience with the situation you are presenting.

 

[DeniseM]

It's standard practice to send originals of the notarized documents transferring the timeshare. I just misunderstood her first post.

It appears that they want her to pay them 5% - sure sign of a scam:

The only fees they require for me to pay are their 5% commission at this time as well as send them the original name change documents.

 

[PamMo]

Maggie, I gave away our Villa Group timeshare to a Canadian Tugger, and it was a super easy process. The timeshare is a simple Right To Use membership, and the resort just needs you to sign a form (notarized) and mail it back to them. The new "owner" sent in a one page form to take over the membership with a minimal transfer fee.

You say that money was wired to you from LoneStar International. A wire transfer can be as dubious as a personal check from a stranger - and you've also handed them your bank account information. You should contact your bank and place an alert on your account, to make sure that no one but you can remove funds. Scammers are incredibly ingenious in finding ways to steal your money.

BTW, I gave away a prime UVC Gold Holiday (Weeks 51/52) membership for free. This was good for ANY week at ANY resort in the system (Villa del Arco, Flamingo, Loreto, Palmar, etc.). A robust resale market just doesn't exist for these timeshares, so someone offering you an irresistible price is highly suspicious.

 

[theo]

Lone Star International Sales; a Pop Quiz...

All else aside, the fact that the (shill?) OP reports having "received" payment four days before receiving closing papers for execution just absolutely screams of scam.
If this is not just an unconvincing shill posting (as I frankly and strongly suspect), the gullible OP will soon discover that the "wire transfer" was just a bogus confidence builder, temporarily blinding him / her before receiving the inevitable request for real, actual money. And now for our short and easy pop quiz:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question: How many legitimate closings have (actual, real) money disbursed before the transaction closing papers have even been signed?

Answer: None.
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A Bonus question, for extra credit:

Question: How many legitimate closings request or require money from the seller after closing and the disbursement of (actual, real) transaction proceeds?

Answer: None.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

P.S. I agree with the PamMo post directly above regarding OP bank account (and potential for unauthorized access thereto --- assuming that the OP is not just a shill in the first place (as I strongly suspect, personally). If the OP is legit (which I do not believe), it would be prudent for the OP to work with the bank to establish entirely new account numbers in order to close that now-opened door and lock it securely after it has been closed shut. In any case, I personally think that this is just a creative (but still utter nonsense) post by a shill OP, trying to lure and hoodwink the wrong crowd with an entertaining (but not at all credible) fairy tale.

 

[theo]

Apples and Oranges...

If it is udi you need it. I did when I sold my lake lure.

There is no UDI and no deeded ownership for Mexican timeshares, which are RTU contracts --- although that fact is completely irrelevant to notarization requirements.

Notarization is nothing more than witnessed "proof" of identity and signature before a notary public, who either knows the signatory already or requires presentation of a photo i.d. (...unfortunately including a bogus drivers license, something which is much too easily obtained and of which there are many thousands in circulation).

 

[MargaretSa]

Thank you for all of your concerns and advice, after much consideration I am going to send them the original documents. At this time what matters to me the most is that I have received my funds in full, I have withdrew my funds and place them into a secondary account so my money is secured. I am just glad that this sale is finalized and I’m no longer affiliated with villas palmar.

Again, thank you all for the assistance!

Maggie S.

 

[TUGBrian]

posters ip address in mexico....seems legit. =)

 

[Ty1on]

posters ip address in mexico....seems legit. =)

LMAO I hadn't thought of that. :hysterical:

 

[Jason245]

posters ip address in mexico....seems legit. =)

:hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical:

Were you going to do that anyway, or was my report to you what initiated?

In Any event, I suggest some warning be posted on this thread to advise people running google searches that this is in all likelyhood a FALSE report of a successfull sale via this outfit which might be used as a means to dupe potential "customers".

 

[VacationForever]

I smell a shill!

What he said.

 

[Ty1on]

What he said.

It didn't even register to me when I read that.

 

[TUGBrian]

in threads like these, you find that the discussion tends to play itself out and end up doing more harm than good for the principals mentioned!

I would hope that anyone who finds TUG would not do business with a company that contacted them out of the blue with an amazing offer to buy their timeshare for an outrageous fee....as its most certainly a scam =)

 

[presley]

Even though my search for that company name comes up as a trucking company, I think the name should be edited in a way that someone won't browse the thread and think it is real.

 

[theo]

posters ip address in mexico....

Yet claiming to be in California. I'm shocked, truly.

 

[Passepartout]

It appears that the OP proceeded with the requests (demands?) of the 'buyer' regardless of multiple calls for caution. (see post 33)

We hope it all works out for the best and that she is once and forever shed of her unwanted TS and the money stays safely in her hands.

Jim

 

[theo]

It appears that the OP proceeded with the requests (demands?) of the 'buyer' regardless of multiple calls for caution. (see post 33)

We hope it all works out for the best and that she is once and forever shed of her unwanted TS and the money stays safely in her hands.

Jim

Personally, I still think it was just a shill posting on behalf of "Lone Star International Sales" in the first place, describing fictitious events. I don't believe that we will hear from the OP again (...not under the same name, anyhow). I further suspect that the OP's last post (#33 above) was just a quick and easy (...and likely permanent) exit from the entire current discussion at hand, after having been exposed as lacking credibility.

Call me a cynic, but there were just too many large, gaping holes in the OP story line for it to possibly be even remotely credible or truthful.
TUG Brian revealing that the IP address of the (allegedly California-based) OP is actually in Mexico was just icing on the cake, IMnsHO.

 

[BillyIdle]

[MERGED] I know this is a scam, but how does it work?

So we got this offer below for our Grand Luxxe Nuevo Vallarta - Vidanta Resorts timeshare

How do they end up scamming you?

Just with getting you ID's and ownership paperwork? or does their payments get cancelled?



Here is their offer

1st Step
I will send you an offer and contact info.

2nd Step
Send proof of your ownership , along with picture ID’s of whoever is on the Contract.
3rd Step
I will send Contract Guaranteed Sales Agreement.

4th Step
Sign it, send it back, attention Agent on coversheet when you fax it back.

5th Step
I Send signed Contract of the Guaranteed Sales Agreement to purchasing client and Escrow.

6th Step
Escrow will contact you and set up a pay-out date, send you all the Preliminary Escrow Documents and explain them to you, and give you the option of how you will like to get paid off.
1. - Electronic Wire Transfer
2. - Cashier’s Check FedEx overnight delivery.

7th Step
After you are paid, you have 5 business days to pay us our commission. And we look forward on having you on our Referral Program.

8th Step
Whatever Friday the pay-out date is you receive your Money, you will also receive a FedEx envelope from Escrow it has a document you then have to Relinquish your Rights to the Property and have it “Public Notarized” relinquishing your rights, and that when are completely 100% closed with the transaction. And mail it back to Escrow along with the receipt of the 5% commission paid. We look forward in earning your Business.


Sincerely,

[contact info deleted - we don't want to advertise for scammers]

Descripción: Descripción: Descripción: FIRMA TRI COUNTY

 

[DeniseM]

6th Step
Escrow will contact you and set up a pay-out date, send you all the Preliminary Escrow Documents and explain them to you, and give you the option of how you will like to get paid off.
1. - Electronic Wire Transfer
2. - Cashier’s Check FedEx overnight delivery.

7th Step
After you are paid, you have 5 business days to pay us our commission. And we look forward on having you on our Referral Program.

Their payment is going to be bogus - but upfront, it will look Legit.

Then, when you send them the 5% commission - they steal it.

*I merged this question with another thread - they appear to be describing identical scams. The name/contact info. for the 2nd one is different, but easy to fake all that.

It would be interesting to see how they are faking the wire transfer. Maybe they just send the owner a document showing the transfer has been made, and some people don't verify it with their bank, or wait long enough before sending the 5% commission, to find out that the payment is bogus.

 

[VacationForever]

There is no real money in Step 6. Bank will cancel pending funds due to you in 14 days. On day 5, step 7, you are out of money.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

…
5th Step
I Send signed Contract of the Guaranteed Sales Agreement to purchasing client and Escrow.

6th Step
Escrow will contact you and set up a pay-out date, send you all the Preliminary Escrow Documents and explain them to you, and give you the option of how you will like to get paid off.
1. - Electronic Wire Transfer
2. - Cashier’s Check FedEx overnight delivery.

7th Step
After you are paid, you have 5 business days to pay us our commission. And we look forward on having you on our Referral Program.

8th Step
Whatever Friday the pay-out date is you receive your Money, you will also receive a FedEx envelope from Escrow it has a document you then have to Relinquish your Rights to the Property and have it “Public Notarized” relinquishing your rights, and that when are completely 100% closed with the transaction. And mail it back to Escrow along with the receipt of the 5% commission paid. We look forward in earning your Business.

If there is an escrow account there is no reason for you to send them money. The purpose of escrow is to distribute money in accordance with the sales agreement, including commisisons.

The fact that you have to cough up cash for the commission is the red flag.

Tell them that they are to receive their commission out of escrow. They should be happy to do so; they get their money sooner and they don't have to rely on you to send them the money. If that doesn't work for them, then it really isn't an escrow account.

 

[DeniseM]

Steve - She is claiming that the funds have alreasy been wired to her bank.

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[T_R_Oglodyte]

Steve - She is claiming that the funds have alreasy been wired to her bank.

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I understand that Denise. I was responding to BillyIdle's post (see the ID in the quote tag), not to the OP.

Regarding the OP, I lean towards the belief that the OP is a shill. If this truly were a legitimate transaction, the agent would be taking commission directly out of the sale proceeds, not sending the commission to the buyer and then having the buyer send the money back. Doesn't make any sense.

If the OP is legit, then perhaps there is someone somewhere on the other side of the transaction who is the victim.

 

[socalv]

You should contact the FBI. They can easily help you with this. You can submit it here: http://www.ic3.gov/


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