If a company wants a large upfront fee to get you out of your timeshare, it is almost certainly a scam.

What they say

“A caller or letter promises a guaranteed exit from your timeshare and its rising fees. To begin, you pay an upfront fee, sometimes thousands of dollars, for “legal costs,” “transfer fees,” or “escrow.” After you pay, the work stalls or never happens.”

How to tell it’s a scam

• A guaranteed exit and a large upfront fee are the signature of this scam. Legitimate help is paid from results, not collected before anything is done.
• Once you pay, owners commonly report the company goes quiet, the timeshare is never transferred, and the money is gone.
• Unsolicited offers and pressure to act before fees “go up” are designed to stop you from checking the company.

What they say

“A caller claims they have a buyer or renter lined up for your timeshare at a good price. To close the deal, you first need to pay closing costs, taxes, or a transfer fee, often wired or sent by gift card.”

How to tell it’s a scam

• The ready buyer does not exist. The story is built to justify the fee they want from you up front.
• Real timeshare resales do not require you to wire money or send gift cards to a company that called you out of the blue.
• After you pay, the buyer falls through, and you may be asked for yet another fee to “save” the sale.

What they say

“A call, text, or postcard says you won a free or deeply discounted cruise or resort stay. To claim it, you pay taxes, port fees, or a booking deposit first, and you give your card details to “reserve” the dates.”

How to tell it’s a scam

• A real prize is free to claim. Being asked to pay taxes, fees, or a deposit before you can collect is the scam.
• The “free vacation” usually comes with hidden costs, a high-pressure timeshare presentation, or simply never exists.
• A surprise win for a trip you never entered is the clearest sign it is fake.

What they say

“At a presentation or over the phone, you are pitched a travel-club or vacation membership promising deep discounts on future trips. They push you to pay a large one-time membership fee on the spot to lock in the deal.”

How to tell it’s a scam

• The promised discounts are often unavailable, restricted to blackout dates, or no better than public prices.
• High-pressure “sign today or lose it” closing is meant to stop you from reading the contract or comparing prices.
• The large upfront membership fee is the real product, and refunds are difficult or impossible to get.

What they say

“If you were already burned by a timeshare scam, a caller claims to be a lawyer, a recovery agent, or a government office that can get your money back, for a filing fee or a percentage paid up front.”

How to tell it’s a scam

• Recovery scams target people who already lost money, often using lists of prior victims. A second fee just doubles the loss.
• No legitimate agency or lawyer guarantees recovery in exchange for an upfront fee, and government offices never charge you to help.
• Being contacted out of the blue about money you lost is itself a warning sign.