Timeshare sellers  beware of scams

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Updated: November 16, 2011 1:28AM

Dear Fixer: My husband and I own a timeshare property in Florida and we need to sell it.

In February, we received a call from a couple in New Jersey who said they wanted to buy the timeshare. They were using a company to handle all the paperwork.

We sent $1,997 on March 1 to cover the closing fees. They told us it would take about six to eight weeks. The company, Interval Condos Closing, said the paperwork would be sent by FedEx for us to sign and send back.

We have been calling for the last two months and have not received the paperwork nor any calls back. We do have a contact person, but his voice mail is always full. He does call back about every two weeks and says the papers should be there soon.

We are getting very frustrated. We think we have been scammed out of the $1,997. Can you help us?

Thomas and Mary Ann Hibma

Oak Forest

Dear Thomas and Mary Ann: There’s a reason this column is called The Fixer and not The Miracle Worker.

We hate to say it, but it looks like your $1,997 has disappeared. Team Fixer tried repeatedly to reach someone at this Miami-based operation, with no luck. Our phone calls and e-mails were ignored, and when we tried calling the company’s 800-number, we were directed to leave a message — in a voice mail box that was full.

We also tried reaching your supposed buyer in New Egypt, N.J. No luck there, either.

If this sale somehow manages to go through, let us know. Meanwhile, you should know that you’re not the only one who got sucked in by a timeshare sales scheme recently:

Dear Fixer: We have a timeshare in New Orleans, and we want out.

We went to a meeting at a motel in February 2010 to get rid of it and paid $3,095 to a company called Timesharescape. It’s been well over a year and they still haven’t transferred our timeshare.

They said a corporation buys the timeshares. The $3,095 was to pay for paperwork and transfer of deed.

I don’t know how to get our money back or how to get rid of the timeshare. We just can’t afford the fees anymore.

Sandra Rivard, Chicago

Dear Sandra: You told Team Fixer you were paying $500 a year in annual maintenance fees, something you thought would disappear once you signed up with Timesharescape. But when you received a notification about a past-due maintenance fee, you got suspicious.

You forwarded to us a lengthy e-mail exchange with Timesharescape dating back several months. Initially, they told you that Timesharescape was using a new company to complete the transfer and that it would be resolved in 60 to 90 days. That was in January. In March, a different rep told you things were “still moving forward.” By late April, yet another representative told you “everything is going according to plan.”

We’re just not sure whose plan. (Cue the scary music!)

We had no luck either. Our e-mails bounced back and their toll-free numbers were “temporarily disabled.” A phone number for their parent company was not in service.

Interestingly, Timesharescape’s website claims they have an “A” rating from the Better Business Bureau, when in reality, the BBB gives them an “F.” Their logo features a guy hanging from a parachute. It looks like they have bailed on you.

Happy update

Last month, we wrote about Melissa Kronenberger’s awful spring break in which her planned cruise was canceled due to a mechanical problem involving a US Airways plane. It was a long and convoluted fix involving United Airlines (on whose ticket stock the air tickets were issued) and Royal Caribbean, which had booked the flights. We helped Melissa and her cousin get refunds for themselves and their children, and last week, Melissa got some goodwill vouchers from United — $100 for each passenger. And now, we’ll consider this really fixed!

Shredding event

You can protect your identity by getting rid of old, unwanted personal and financial documents at a free shredding event on Sept. 17 in Darien. West Suburban Bank, along with volunteers from the local Better Business Bureau, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Federal Trade Commission and Illinois Attorney General’s Office, will shred up to 10 boxes of your documents from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at their Darien bank location, 8001 S. Cass Ave. They’ll also take unwanted electronics items for recycling and safe disposal.

Contributing: Mike Nolan

Getting the runaround over a consumer problem? Tell it to The Fixer at suntimes.com/fixer , where you’ll find a simple form to fill out. You’ll also find a list of consumer contacts and tips.