Timeshare Scam Advice, Help and FAQ
If you have any involvement with the timeshare world—whether as an owner, renter, salesperson, or someone considering a purchase—you will likely encounter a scam at some point. These schemes are designed to separate owners from their hard-earned money by exploiting confusion, urgency, and misinformation.
This page brings together TUG’s free, owner-written advice and trusted resources to help you identify common timeshare scams, avoid costly mistakes, and understand your options if you’ve already been contacted—or worse, scammed.
If you have any connection to the timeshare world—whether you’re an owner, renter, salesperson, or simply considering a purchase—it’s only a matter of time before you encounter a scam. These schemes are designed to exploit confusion, urgency, and misinformation in order to separate owners from their hard-earned money.
This page brings together TUG’s free, owner-written advice and trusted resources to help you identify common timeshare scams, avoid costly mistakes, and understand what steps you can take if you’ve already been contacted—or worse, scammed.
TUG has published several highly trusted articles to help owners recognize common scams and evaluate whether a company or individual contacting you is legitimate. These resources are based on real-world experiences from thousands of timeshare owners.
First published more than a decade ago and continually updated, this article explains the most common scam tactics and how they’ve evolved over time to keep fooling unsuspecting owners.
One of the most frequently asked questions on TUG. This guide shows you how to quickly evaluate whether a company contacting you is credible—or a red flag.
Timeshare rental scams do happen. This article walks you through practical steps to verify a rental and protect yourself before sending any money.
If you’ve already been targeted—or even scammed—you’re not alone. These schemes are designed to be convincing, and many smart, careful owners have been caught off guard. The good news is that you may still have options to push back and, in some cases, recover your money.
Start by reviewing the resources above so you can recognize the warning signs going forward. Then, if you’ve already paid a scammer, take action as soon as possible. The steps you take next can make a difference.
This guide outlines practical steps to take after a scam, including how to request refunds, document what happened, and report the activity to appropriate consumer protection agencies.
Ha! You would not believe how creative some of these individuals can be. We regularly see shills from these companies show up on the TUG forums, posting glowing “success stories” meant to legitimize obvious scams.
This behavior isn’t limited to TUG—you’ll find it all over the internet. These scams work precisely because the pitch sounds convincing, polished, and completely legitimate.
Want to know how to spot them? This article explains how to identify timeshare shills before they cost you money:
Great question! If you’ve read the articles above, you should now have no trouble identifying the most common timeshare scams still circulating in the industry today.
The next step is knowing how to safely rent or sell your timeshare yourself—without paying upfront fees or falling into a scam.
Start here:
One important reality check: Most timeshares go unsold—not because owners are doing something wrong, but because many people are unfamiliar with the real timeshare resale market. Unfortunately, that knowledge gap makes owners an easy target for scammers.
We strongly recommend reading this article for a clear, no-nonsense look at resale pricing and expectations:
Cold, Hard Facts About Selling Your Timeshare
As mentioned earlier, if you have any connection to the timeshare industry, you will encounter a scam at some point—if you haven’t already.
These scams are everywhere for one simple reason:
They work.
Every day, hundreds of owners fall for schemes that seem obvious in hindsight, but become far more convincing when presented directly, with urgency, pressure, and polished sales tactics.
Our hope is that the information in these articles helps timeshare owners recognize the warning signs early and avoid becoming the next victim.
Have questions or want a second opinion before making a decision?
You’re always welcome to visit our
Timeshare Owners Community Forums
.
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