Timeshare Scammers Deceive Owners by Using RedWeek Brand

SEATTLE – February 5, 2013 – Leading timeshare marketplace RedWeek.com has been alerted to timeshare scammers capitalizing on their strong brand reputation. The company started receiving complaints this month from timeshare owners who were swindled out of thousands of dollars by scammers operating under the RedWeek name.

Presenting themselves as sales representatives of RedWeek, the scammers are cold calling owners telling them they have a buyer for their timeshare. The scammers then ask owners to send money, claiming it's needed for some aspect of the sale (closing costs, legal fees, foreign taxes, transfer fees). Needless to say, there is no buyer and the representatives are not from RedWeek.

The scam itself is nothing new, but it's the first time the thieves have impersonated RedWeek, going so far as to encourage potential victims to visit the actual site and read reviews of the service in order to assuage any fears. Unfortunately, those fears are justified since RedWeek has no connection with these groups.

"We're very concerned about this - not only are timeshare owners being stolen from, but the scammers are doing it in our name, undermining the goodwill we've built up over the past decade," said RedWeek President Maurice Aubrey. "We're doing everything we can to help these owners recoup their losses and are passing all the information we have to law enforcement." RedWeek is a by-owner timeshare marketplace that does not cold call, and will never ask for a large up-front payment. Users of the site are encouraged to use a reputable, independent resale escrow service to hold any funds to ensure a safe transaction.

If you believe you've been contacted by these scammers, please e-mail RedWeek directly.

About RedWeek.com

RedWeek® is a registered trademark of RedWeek, Inc. RedWeek.com is a member-supported marketplace for timeshare rentals and resales, and also provides a full-service timeshare resale offering. You can find reviews, ratings, prices, availability, full-service exchange, and complete resort descriptions for all timeshare resorts to make vacation selection easier. Boasting an A+ Better Business Bureau rating, RedWeek has more than 1.5 million registered users and includes 5,000 timeshare resorts worldwide.