VACATION TIMESHARE INDUSTRY
In order to avoid falling victim to fraud when conducting business in the vacation timeshare industry, the Attorney General’s Office offers the following tips to Missouri consumers:
Be skeptical of discounts. Discounts offered on travel clubs often sound too good to be true. Websites such as Travelocity and Orbitz can be used to cross-check discounts.
Be cautious of information presented in sales presentations. Often times, what is told in a presentation can be different than what is actually in the contract.
Remember that timeshares are not “financial investments” – they are vacation investments. The resale market for timeshares is typically a week, and there are usually more sellers than interested buyers. Consumers are sometimes led to believe that they will make a profit on the resale, which is often not the case.
Don’t rush to sign the contract. Look the contract over several times and read it thoroughly – especially the fine print. Always know what you are signing.
Research the company. The Attorney General’s Office and the Better Business Bureau can tell consumers if they have received complaints about the company and how those complaints were resolved.