Timeshare scams in Mexico

Salesman said they would “sell” the timeshare we already had so that we could purchase his timeshare and gave us a very good price

Laid-back timeshare salesman got someone on the phone who offered us a very good price for the timeshare that we already owned so that we could buy his newer type timeshare. (When signing the contract we noticed several hundred dollar charges that were never mentioned.) We were told the sales agent would contact us about the sale.

About 10 days later we got a call from Kentucky telling us that they were the agents to sell the old timeshare. After about a weeks worth of harassing phone calls because we were not acting fast enough, we finally signed a contract that was sent by email that we had to fax back. The next step was to send approximately $7,000 to an escrow fund that would be returned when the sale was completed.

The final straw was when we received a request from them to pay the Mexican taxes on the sale of the timeshare.This was another $10,000. This is when we stopped answering phone calls. We get at least 5 calls per day from different phones in Kentucky. Now they have said because we signed a contract we have to pay $5,000 to get out of the contract. (We feel that the new timeshare company gave these people our information although they said that we should not have paid anything upfront. However, I can see that we would be asked to pay these same type of fees after the fact if we had sold through them. Supposedly the money comes through Peru.It occurs to me now that although there is a physical resort that we will be able to visit that there is some money laundering scheme going on to say nothing of the money that has been stolen by the Kentucky scammers.

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Bait and switch and professional methods they led me down the garden path

I received a phone call from SUN BEACH INTERNATIONAL posted as TRAVEL PAYMENT BENITO JUAREZ on my credit card statement and filed a fraud dispute with American Express. I was under the influence of a new drug and I was extremely happy even elated that day I received the call. My mental capacity was diminished and I agreed to $2,680 CDN for 10 nights in an all inclusive 5 star resort and a Crystal or Disney Cruise, I even paid more to upgrade to a Balcony suite. Well when the information finally came hours after I agreed to authorize my credit card and after I sent them my DL with a photo of me I started to realize the scam was not the great deal I’ve heard of people getting just for agreeing to go to a timeshare presentation.

I filed a dispute with American Express explaining about the bait and switch and professional methods they led me down the garden path and even described my diminshed mental capacity. I was outright DENIED. I submitted everything the Mexican timeshare company had sent me as well as the information I am providing here and American Express said, too bad you authorized the transaction.

I am under extreme stress considering these people have my legal name, my identification, my home address, my credit card number, my birthday all the private information they need to steal my identity.

I went crazy and filed a report with the RCMP Anti Fraud Agency, Profeco the Mexican Consumer Service Agency, I had to put fraud alerts with both credit bureaus, I cancelled my American Express card and ordered a new one and still Amex doesn’t care. American Express denied the 3 disputes I placed with them stating that I authorized the payment and TRAVEL PAYMENT BENITO JUAREZ is a merchant of theirs so they will protect the merchant over the client.

So I felt resigned to go ahead and complete the transaction and submitted my request to book a resort and go the timeshare presentation in Mexico. The problem is that the timeshare company sent me an email stating :

Dear Laura,
Thank you for your reservation request.
It has come to my attention that you had a dispute with the bank with regard to your package.
If you wish to continue with your reservation please send us a copy of the notification from your bank that states your request was denied and you were not refunded the money you requested.
Once we receive a copy of this we shall be happy to recommence processing your reservation request.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Best Regards,
Carol Powers
Reservation Specialist
Toll Free Phone and Fax Number 1-800-958-3864
sunbeachinternational.com
Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday 11:00 A.M until 9:00 P.M (CST)

I am not sending them more confidential information. Wouldn’t the credit card company tell them that they had denied the dispute if they knew that a dispute had already happened? Also, they want another $100 USD to book the resort and as far as I can see they have already lied to me once about the cruiselines so how can I keep trusting them and sending them more confidential information and more money? I am feeling so defeated. I can’t believe that AMERICAN EXPRESS is working with Scam Artists and refuses to protect their clients from these scams.

#[email protected] #TRAVELSCAM #SUNBEACHINTERNATIONAL #AMERICAN EXPRESS #AMEX

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