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Re: Timeshare Industry Veteran Tells All (by Don P.):

John you make some very good observations. Scammers come into the forums and act like they are going to save you and then they set the trap. They lure you to another site where they "phish " for information like your name phone number and address. Then like you stated there are misrepresentations and links. Be careful clicking onto a link . They can hack into your computer that way. Once they get enough information they can also steal your identity.

I spent over twenty five years in law enforcement and my mission now is to help prevent people from becoming crime victims . After a career of dealing with people after they have been victimized I decided to become an advocate to prevent the crime in the first place.

Scammers are very clever. They spend all their time developing ways to deceive their victims. They try to gain your confidence by posing as a concerned citizen when in fact they are setting their trap. Some basic rules to follow to avoid the scammers is:

NEVER pay anyone money that claims they can get you out of your contract.

NEVER use an attorney that you " heard about " from someone you don't know on the internet. If you feel you need an attorney use one where you live . There are plenty of competent attorneys in every community.

NEVER give your personal information to anyone you don't personally know.

NEVER go to a website that you are lured to on the internet.

NEVER click on a link especially on a site you are not familiar with.

If it sounds " too good to be true " then it is.

Follow your instincts if you feel something looks suspicious.

I have never asked anyone for personal information or money and I never will. I will continue to warn people to avoid scams. I would rather err on the side of caution and ruffle the feathers of someone who is not out to steal your money but that's better than letting the scammers have a free ride.