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.