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The cash register rings again for a Post Card Company... (by KC):

lewism20 wrote:
How can this kind of scam be legal?

Unfortunately, this outfit and numerous others like them have been around for many years. Their practices are not actually in any way unlawful (...despicable and opportunistic, to be sure, but NOT illegal). Remember, people must first VOLUNTARILY attend the "meeting" to which they have been invited by mail. They must then VOLUNTARILY CHOOSE to pay the exorbitant fee (usually between $2.5 -- 5k) and to VOLUNTARILY CHOOSE to forfeit the timeshare, under signature, on a contract. In short, there are several, separate, VOLUNTARY CHOICES made here by the timeshare owner. There is no coercion, just "salesmanship". It's unfortunate that your father yielded to the all razzamatazz, since he apparently knew from the outset that his timeshare had some market value (... as not all timeshares do).

These outfits do not target the elderly. On the contrary, they target ANYONE AND EVERYONE who wants (...or can somehow be convinced to want, once they show up for the "meeting") desperately to get OUT of the alleged "evils, perils and pitfalls" of timeshare ownership.

These parasites are collectively known as PCC's (which stands for Post Card Company, a nickname acquired over the years by the means of their "invitation" distribution to potential "customers").

Unfortunately (...and please don't shoot the messenger here) you haven't even touched upon (and may not even be aware of) the REAL risk potentially involved here. Some PCC's (...I'm not sure about this particular one) don't even actually take deeded ownership into their own name after they collect their "fee". Instead, they merely have the "customer" sign a Power of Attorney, authorizing the PCC to TRY to sell the timeshare (...but leaving the deeded ownership in the current owners' name). If the PCC ultimately fails to sell the timeshare, take a wild guess who STILL owns that timeshare, DESPITE having already paid $3-5k to get RID of it!

You'd be well advised to ascertain whether there was an actual transfer of ownership via a new (and officially RECORDED) deed --- or if your Dad merely signed a Power of Attorney. If it was just a PoA, the situation unfortunately could actually be even much WORSE than you currently perceive it to be. In any case, however, you can certainly regard the money paid to the opportunistic PCC as being now officially GONE...