Video Transcript

A few years ago, I was contacted by a broker offering to show me how to profit from my timeshare in Mexico, and it seemed like a great deal. The broker asked for money to cover expenses like taxes. All the legal documents they emailed me seemed legitimate, but something didn't feel right when the broker kept demanding more upfront money.

Eventually, I realized I had been scammed, stopped sending money, and thought that was the end.

But I was wrong.

A year later, I received a call from someone who offered to help recover my stolen money in the U.S. and Mexico, but again asked for upfront money to represent me and to cover taxes. I immediately realized this was a fraud and refused his offer, but the scammer got more aggressive and accused me of money laundering to try
and intimidate me to send more money. That's when I contacted the FBI.

If someone asks you for upfront money related to your timeshare, even if they claim to be a broker, lawyer or government representative, consider it a red flag. Especially if you already lost money in a timeshare scam.  If it seems too good to be true, it usually is.

If you think you've been victimized like I was, take back some of your power by reporting your complaint to the FBI online at ic3.gov. Include information like bank transfer instructions and any contact details and avoid further contact with the scammers. They can be very persistent. So consider changing your phone numbers and email addresses so they can't reach you. You are not alone. Don't let embarrassment stop you from reporting your fraud to the FBI.

The FBI agent and victim specialist I spoke with after I filed my report told me these scams are very believable. And they were right. There are resources available at the FBI to help you. I hope our story can help others avoid this scam.