People who read this blog on a regular basis are fully aware that we like to bring to our readers attention different ways that less than reputable people may try to scam them. The latest form I have heard about involves scammers using the names of legitimate companies in the timeshare industry to make people think they are associated with that company. The two company names that I recently read about being used were RCI and Westgate, both of which are well known through out the timeshare community. RCI (Resorts Condominiums International) is a timeshare exchange company connecting owners with each other in order to use timeshares around the world. Westgate is known for having hundreds of resorts across the United States, with millions of owners who have purchased timeshares with this company. With these companies being so popular it is no surprise that some people have been scammed when receiving calls from someone claiming to be affiliated or using these company names. In this post we will discuss some of the tactics used by these companies claiming affiliation with RCI and Westgate and what owners should do if contacted by these companies.

The first company I read about used the name “RCI Management”, in the incident I read about they called a timeshare owner asking if they would like to rent or sell their timeshare and demanding around $1,000 up front to advertise the unit for the owner. If you hear from this company either by email or phone it is a good idea to cease all communications as soon as possible. We have discussed companies that call owners in the past like this, however most of them come up with a new company name, this company is using the name of another reputable company RCI to gain owners’ trust. If you do receive contact from this company it is a good idea to at least forward the information they have given you to management at RCI, it is highly likely they are not to happy about this company using their good name to lure unsuspecting people to giving them money and may already by building a legal case against them. The second incident I read about was involving a company named “Westgate Sales Group Inc.”; once again this company is in no way affiliated with Westgate Resorts. This company works a little different instead of preying on the timeshare owner they actually seek out individuals interested in renting a timeshare. When searching for a timeshare it is popular for renters to post timeshare want ads on a number of different sites, this company is contacting these renters stating that they have found an owner with the exact week they are requesting and to send funds to get the ball rolling on the rental. Once the funds have been sent the agency claims the owner is going to have to back out, most likely a ploy to buy time, and this transaction will be canceled but might be able to find another unit for the renter. Upon learning this most people will request to receive their money back, however they are unable to get even a call back or return email from this company. If you are contacting by this company, once again it would be beneficial to cease from any communication with this company and maybe even forward the correspondence directly to Westgate. If you would like to read more about these companies please visit the Timeshare Users Group message boards.

In this day and time it is very difficult for a company to build a good reputation, it is a shame that scammers such as those go around and potentially ruin the reputation of these companies in an effort to make a quick buck. We would encourage anyone who has heard from either of these companies to share your experience or if you have received contact from any other companies using false names please share the names they are using. After all the stories that are shared may help someone else from being scammed in the future.

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