Timeshare scam victims hit again

VICTIMS who lost money to timeshare scams are being targeted a second time by crooks offering help with compensation claims. Fraudsters pretending to be from reputable authorities are cold-calling and writing to people who lost money in dodgy timeshares, saying they are owed a payout. The con artists say victims are due compensation but, to process the payouts, they must pay up to £9,000 in ‘legal expenses’. Crime-monitoring body Action Fraud says 1,155 people aged 50 to 81 have been tricked by the refund scammers between January and July this year —losses over the period totalled nearly £8 million.

Pauline Smith, director of Action Fraud, says: ‘Fraudsters are luring people in with attractive offers of compensation, only to stop all contact once the victim has paid an advance fee.’

Mark Tanzer, of the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), says: ‘We would advise people to be extremely wary of any company cold-calling you to talk about your timeshare and asking for payment.’