Selling a Timeshare Through Allied Investment Solutions

[2TraveltheWorld]

Does or has anyone here have any experience with a Colorado company named "Allied Investment Solutions (AIS)"? They contacted me about selling my HGVC timeshare to a Mexican(?) investor. AIS is listed as the holding company and the investor representative is "Greenwood Investment LLC", also in Colorado. Both have current registrations with the Colorado Secretary of State.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

SCAM

Run away fast.




.

 

[vacationtime1]

It's a scam.
They contacted you.
They will -- after they gain your trust -- ask you to pay them money.
Don't.

 

[DeniseM]

SCAM - You should immediately cut them off and block them on your phone and email. Any further contact will identify you as an "easy mark," and then you will get a lot more offers from scammers.

 

[RX8]

@2TraveltheWorld As others have said, 100% that this is a scam. Their website was created October 2021. They are also using the name of an existing corporation. I am am seeing something new, and something old, with this scam.

Something new - the Mexican timeshare scam, targeting owners of Mexican timeshare owners, has been around for decades. It appears that these Mexican scammers are now branching out to other timeshare owners. Below is a recent link of the similar scam targeting a Wyndham owner.

https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/h...y-their-wyndham-shares-is-this-a-scam.346819/

Something old - I have previously come across other scammers paying a nominal fee to fraudulently reinstate an existing dormant corporation. They do this because they can lean on the many years “in business” to put their victims at ease. I have no doubt that this scammer has done just that. This old corporation was reinstated June 2021 with someone filing a fraudulent document with the state of Colorado and it only cost them a $100 fee to do so. The website was created a couple months after that and the scamming followed shortly after that.

BTW, this supposed Colorado company since 2002 has a website that was registered in Mexico. Also, I found a sister scammer website/company name that shares same verbiage and the same exact address as Allied Investment Solutions. That “company” is Midwest Investment Holdings and the website is https://midwestinvestmentholdings.com/corporate.html

You might be interested to know that Midwest Investment Holdings, Inc was also dormant until 1/23/2020 when a document was filed with the state of Colorado, also costing $100, to reinstate the corporation. They used a different individual name but the exact same address as Allied Investment Solutions on the filing document. Just a week later, on 1/30/2020, the scammer website was created. This isn’t a coincidence, these two are going to be the same scammer.

 

[Passepartout]

Does or has anyone here have any experience with a Colorado company named "Allied Investment Solutions (AIS)"? They contacted me about selling my HGVC timeshare to a Mexican(?) investor. AIS is listed as the holding company and the investor representative is "Greenwood Investment LLC", also in Colorado. Both have current registrations with the Colorado Secretary of State.

NO ONE will EVER cold call you to give you money. It just won't happen. Block them.

 

[RX8]

I looked up the other company the OP mentions - Greenwood Investments, LLC. It is part of the scam of course, using the same fraudulent methods as the other two I mention above.

Greenwood Investments, LLC is a legit entity that was created in 1997. It was formally dissolved in 2007. On 1/25/22, someone paid $100 to the state of Colorado to reinstate the LLC. Not surprisingly, the scammer website was created the very next day on 1/26/22.

In summary - these scammers, likely related to the age old Mexican timeshare scam, are now targeting non-Mexican timeshare owners. The scam is going to be the same - huge cash offer and eventually a request to have money wired to Mexico. These scammers are also going a step further by fraudulently reinstating corporate entities that they find on the internet and then using that name as their own.

I added this additional post so that any internet search of Greenwood Investments, LLC, or the other two mentioned here, will pull up this thread as a warning to others thinking of sending these scammers money.

 

[2TraveltheWorld]

Thanx everyone, especially RX8.
I knew that but their method was slightly different than the other scams I'd seen. They weren't asking for money up front and claimed that transfer papers wouldn't been done until money was in our account. Couldn't figure how they were going to do that or how they were going to hook me, which is why I asked here.

Note that AIS and Greenwood kept invoking Mexico, supporting RX8's observation that it's a resurrection of the Mexican timeshare scams. Also good catch on the MIH connection. The webpages were virtually verbatim.

 

[RX8]

Thanx everyone, especially RX8.
I knew that but their method was slightly different than the other scams I'd seen. They weren't asking for money up front and claimed that transfer papers wouldn't been done until money was in our account. Couldn't figure how they were going to do that or how they were going to hook me, which is why I asked here.

Note that AIS and Greenwood kept invoking Mexico, supporting RX8's observation that it's a resurrection of the Mexican timeshare scams. Also good catch on the MIH connection. The webpages were virtually verbatim.

The scammers usually say no upfront fee at the beginning. Once they have the hook set, and the timeshare owner has mentally spent the money already, they will come back with a required payment. Probably mentioning Mexico multiple times because they love to use Mexican taxes or fees as the excuse because Americans don’t understand Mexican requirements and would think it must be legit. Also sets it up to wire the money to Mexico.

 

[LannyPC]

They weren't asking for money up front and claimed that transfer papers wouldn't been done until money was in our account.

As RX8 mentioned above, once the scammers have the owners off in La-La land mentally spending the money already, the scammers will hit the owner with "Oh, we just need you to pay..." and then mention some sort of tax or fee that sounds legitimate but is, in fact, bogus. They'll also emphasize that the Mexican Government requires that the seller pay this fee before the sale, transfer, and paperwork can be legalized and finalized and before the funds of the sale can be released to the seller.

The scammers will also put a sense of urgency pressuring the seller to move quickly by saying something like "Hurry up and pay this fee before the buyer backs out. You don't want the buyer pay someone else $35,000 for that person's timeshare instead, do you?"

 

[Funfil]

Does or has anyone here have any experience with a Colorado company named "Allied Investment Solutions (AIS)"? They contacted me about selling my HGVC timeshare to a Mexican(?) investor. AIS is listed as the holding company and the investor representative is "Greenwood Investment LLC", also in Colorado. Both have current registrations with the Colorado Secretary of State.

I too was approached by this same company. I read the information below and warnings. I waited for them to "drop the shoe" and ask for money, even though they said no money needed from me. They of course lied, they asked for 4200 dollars. I told them to jump in the lake. As always, if it's too good to be true then it is a scam! Thank you everyone for altering us to be aware...There should be more sites like this.

 

[LannyPC]

...even though they said no money needed from me. They of course lied, they asked for 4200 dollars....

Just out of curiosity, what did they tell you the $4200 was for? What kind of label did they put on it such as escrow fee, transfer tax, filing fees, etc.?

 

[mrbriggs]

We wish we would have read this a long time ago!!! My girlfriend and I got scammed by Greenwood and Allied. Dealt with a a guy name Gregory and then Barry at Greenwood and dealt with a jerk name Jayson RIley at Allied. Same as everything mentioned above. Fell for it! Got duped almost $19K! Greenwood and Allied are scam artists. Very good. This guy Gregory is a smooth talker, easy going, very personable and then you get hit by this Barry guy even smoother and then comes in this jerk Jayson Riley from Allied. Paints it all pretty in pink and manipulates everything and makes you feel like you got no choice in order to get your money for the timeshare and then give you BS for cancellation and refund which I will never get. RUN! DONT ANSWER CALLS! This is a SCAM!

 

[RX8]

@mrbriggs So sorry you were scammed. A word of warning, you might receive a call from a company or government entity claiming that they can get your money back. This is going to be the scammers trying to steal even more money from you.

Thank you for coming here to warn others. If you really want to help others also file a complaint with the BBB as they will create a profile on these scammers.

 

[TUGBrian]

please report these to Attorney Generals offices, its likely the only chance you will see any of your money again

Timeshare Scam Retaliation: Effective Options for Victims to Fight Back

Learn how to fight back against timeshare scams and reclaim your money. Explore effective strategies, free options, and expert advice to secure a refund and report the scammers!

tug2.net

 

[RX8]

I had sent an email in December to the Colorado Secretary of State office advising that the three corporations were reinstated by scammers filing fraudulent documentation. I never received any reply. I didn't expect any action based on my e-mail alone, but I certainly had hoped that they would have done an investigation. As of today, it appears that no action has been taken on all three corporations. One, Midwest Investment Holdings, is now delinquent for the required annual report. The other two are in good standing per the state of Colorado. Two of the corporations had the same address. All three changed their addresses to office complexes offering virtual offices.

Today, I resent that original e-mail to the state of Colorado.

It shouldn't be this easy for scammers to get away with what they are doing, but it is.

 

[LRTime]

Hi,

My spouse and I have also been getting calls to buy our timeshare, no upfront fees required.

The calls are from Easemytrip.com @RX8 —do you know anything about this company?

 

[Huskerpaul]

I think the standard advice here is - if someone calls you offering to buy your timeshare - it is a scam.

 

[RX8]

Hi,

My spouse and I have also been getting calls to buy our timeshare, no upfront fees required.

The calls are from Easemytrip.com @RX8 —do you know anything about this company?

Easemytrip.com is a travel booking site in India. Their website was created in 2008 so they have a big presence on the internet. Their reviews are mixed. However, they do not buy timeshares. Scammers will often use the name of an existing company in order to come across as legit.

If you received an unsolicited phone call and they advised you that they had a buyer for your timeshare willing to pay thousands of dollars, it is a scam. Scammers will tell you no upfront fees. They will then attempt to dazzle you with official looking documents and savvy dialogue. Once you are convinced they must be legit, they will ask for an upfront fee, always reimbursable with your big check. Once you pay that they ask for another fee, and then another, until you stop paying. There is no buyer, there is no settlement check. The only thing you are left with is a lesser bank account and grief.

 

[TUGBrian]

I had sent an email in December to the Colorado Secretary of State office advising that the three corporations were reinstated by scammers filing fraudulent documentation. I never received any reply. I didn't expect any action based on my e-mail alone, but I certainly had hoped that they would have done an investigation. As of today, it appears that no action has been taken on all three corporations. One, Midwest Investment Holdings, is now delinquent for the required annual report. The other two are in good standing per the state of Colorado. Two of the corporations had the same address. All three changed their addresses to office complexes offering virtual offices.

Today, I resent that original e-mail to the state of Colorado.

It shouldn't be this easy for scammers to get away with what they are doing, but it is.

in the one case I was a part of with the Florida AGs office (many..many years ago) the amount of investigation and paperwork/research required to actually file suit was mind boggling...and even that case was a relatively small operator. I believe even now those offices simply have limited resources and will apply them to whatever is making the most public "noise". with only a handful of complaints on a particular company the chances of that being assigned anything but a cursory glance...much less initiating an actual investigation are slim to none. its also very easy to see why these companies simply just close up shop and open under a new business name/state/etc to restart from scratch, after all they still have all the same contact lists/etc to continue to farm victims regardless of contact details.

This is why we have always, and will always tell folks to avoid any company that asks you to pay a large upfront fee to exit/cancel/sell/whatever your timeshare. The only person who is able to adequately protect you from the scammers in this industry, is you.

 

[RX8]

The only person who is able to adequately protect you from the scammers in this industry, is you.

Thank you for that insight, it makes sense that a complaint or two is going to be a low priority. Sadly, scammers know that they can get away with a lot for a long period time before it starts heating up. As you outlined, they just reset the clock by starting again under a new name.

These scammer sharks are getting fat from plenty of fish that are willing to swim right into their mouths. TUG isn’t going to be able to save everyone from the scammers but we can certainly try.

What you said in your post (what I have quoted above) is 100% true - timeshare owners need to look out for themselves by recognizing the red flags.

 

[LannyPC]

This is why we have always, and will always tell folks to avoid any company that asks you to pay a large upfront fee to exit/cancel/sell/whatever your timeshare. The only person who is able to adequately protect you from the scammers in this industry, is you.

Even if the company doesn't ask for an upfront fee and emphasizes that it is not asking for an upfront fee, avoid any company that tells you it can sell your timeshare for tens of thousands of dollars.

 

[TUGBrian]

eventually though, all those companies ask you to pay some sort of upfront fee, even the ones that claim "no upfront fee"! ive seen so many of them just blatantly say that, all to have some sort of pitch or trick to make the upfront fee you are paying, sound like its not being paid upfront.

flavors of "well your payments arent due for 30-60-90 days while we start the process"...still an upfront fee

and, "your money goes into an escrow account"....still an upfront fee.

basically there should be NONE of your money going out under any circumstances, unless its after said company has successfully completed the task it is "guaranteeing"

 

[mrbriggs]

We wish we would have read this a long time ago!!! My girlfriend and I got scammed by Greenwood.

 

[Funfil]

Just out of curiosity, what did they tell you the $4200 was for? What kind of label did they put on it such as escrow fee, transfer tax, filing fees, etc.?

Sorry I have been out of touch. They said to pay the Mexican government. I told them to pay it out of the proceeds.