Alpha World Travel & Packages LLC

[coloradok]

Has anyone heard or had experience with Alpha World Travel & Packages? They are located in Georgia and contacted me about selling my timeshare in Cabo, Mexico. Is it a scam or legit?

 

[DeniseM]

It is 99% likely to be a scam, because most timeshares have no resale value. They are going to try to trick you into paying some type of bogus fees (which they won't reveal upfront) and then steal the fees.

 

[theo]

It is 99% likely to be a scam, because most timeshares have no resale value. They are going to try to trick you into paying some type of bogus fees (which they won't reveal upfront) and then steal the fees.

Let's "up" that probability just a bit to 99.999%.

 

[RX8]

Let's "up" that probability just a bit to 99.999%.

I'll take it to 100%.

After research, this is what I found:

• Alpha World Travel & Packaging LLC is an active entity in Georgia. It was formed February 2011, was dissolved in 2016 and reinstated in February 2017. I suspect that the scammer found this entity on-line and fraudulently paid a nominal fee to the state of Georgia to hijack and reinstate the LLC all in an effort to make them appear legit to victims.
• The website was created January 2017.
• They opened a BBB file in March 2017. They provided "proof" that they have been a legit LLC since 2011. As a result, they have a BBB rating of A+ primarily because of the length in business. Again, this is done to make themselves appear legit. Note, someone on to them posted a review on the BBB calling them out.
• Their address in Atlanta has virtual offices although I suspect they don't even have that. Their "local" phone is an Atlanta prefix but is actually a VoIP internet number - they could be calling from anywhere in the world from that number.
• Their website touts all these great things they provide - cruises, travel, packages, but you can't do anything with the website - it is pictures and words that seem to really make no sense. Maybe the words don't make much sense because I googled a number of sentences from their website and found other companies using the exact words in some cases, as if they just went out and copied a bunch of things from other websites.
• The most compelling evidence that they fraudulently reinstated someone else's LLC is that the signatures don't match. See below - the top one is from the reinstated document and the bottom one is from another active LLC I found that belongs to what I believe is the real Walid S. Chami.

This all seemed familiar to me. I searched TUG and found some research I did way back in 2014 on another scammer and it is essentially the same scenario - even down to the state of Georgia (maybe scammers know that Georgia doesn't vet these things too well). Here is the link:

http://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?...-1st-professional-realty.207054/#post-1594476

 

[Talent312]

That should answer your question, but lemme emphasize:
No legitimate agency cold-calls TS owners about selling their TS. It doesn't happen.
But now that this scammer has your #, you may expect to get more bogus come-ons.

 

[coloradok]

Thank you to everyone for the quick responses! Unfortunately, I did fall for the first request of money - money needed to pay for a Mexican Public Notary to be the go behind between me and "their buyer." I even had a real estate attorney in my city look over the contract! Apparently, he liked taking my money without doing any real work, too! Does anyone know of any recourse I might take at this point? Thanks again - ColoradoK

 

[theo]

Thank you to everyone for the quick responses! Unfortunately, I did fall for the first request of money - money needed to pay for a Mexican Public Notary to be the go behind between me and "their buyer." I even had a real estate attorney in my city look over the contract! Apparently, he liked taking my money without doing any real work, too! Does anyone know of any recourse I might take at this point? Thanks again - ColoradoK

Not sure that I can fault the attorney who reviewed your "contract" without seeing the content of said contract. It might be very well written but nonetheless simply never honored; can't really blame a third party reviewer for that. Unfortunately, there is no buyer, nor was there ever any potential buyer --- and they never intended to look for one (let alone find one) for you.

Sadly, you've been "had". I wish you had inquired here before ponying up money which you will surely never see again. I hope it was just a small amount.

 

[coloradok]

Yes, I wish I had know about TUG prior to this point! I learned of TUG from an article on timeshare scams in the June/July issue of the AARP magazine. Alas, my loss wasn't large, but handing anything over to a scammer is disheartening when you thought you had been careful. Has anyone ever gotten anywhere by taking your case to a state attorney general?? ColoradoK

 

[DeniseM]

The chances are very likely that the entity that ripped you off, and your money, are out of the country, where the US has no jurisdiction. However, you lose nothing by reporting it to your Attorney General.

 

[docktoar]

TO: DeKalb District Attorney’s Office

556 N McDonough Street

Suite 700

Decatur, GA 30030



Dear Madam District Attorney

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is xxxxxxxxxxxxx and I am a resident of xxxxxxxxx

My reason for writing this letter to you is to possibly implore your office’s assistance in what I believe is a Ponzi scheme initiated by a said business in your area. The company’s name is Alpha World Travel & Packages, 1050 Crown Pointe Pkwy Suite 500, Atlanta, GA 30338, 404-492-8649


On or about xxxx xx I received a phone call from an individual identifying himself as a Mr. Steve Taylor, representing the above company. Mr. Taylor asked me if I would be interested in renting out x of my weeks from my Time Share in xxxxxxx. I told him I would have to get an OK from my wife and he said that would be fine and that he would email me documents to get the process started. My wife and I were in agreement. Prior to forwarding any documents I wanted to look at their website to see if they were legitimate. Having checked the website I contacted Mr. Taylor and informed him that I would be interested in proceeding with the endeavor.


At that time Mr. Taylor informed me that I would have to wire 5 weeks of maintenance fees ($xxxxx) which would be reimbursed in the final closing. He told me that they were getting $2500.00 per week which would net me $12,500.00 plus a refund of the above mentioned maintenance fees. He informed me that after the funds were received, closing would take place on or about July 7-10.


It was after this first wire transfer that I started receiving addendums to the original contract for more wire transfers as IO was told these were how the Mexican government worked. In return I would be receiving $37,605.00 in return (this includes the wire transfers?).


I thought this was all legitimate and thus followed instructions. The odd thing is that the person I spoke with initially Steve Taylor became invisible until I sent them a message that I was contacting the DeKalb County District Attorney, IRS, United States Secret Service the FBI as well s retaining a lawyer.. Only then did he respond telling me that they had 60 days from the initial contract (xxxx) only to tell me that that would make things messy.


In closing, I would appreciate if you could at least review this package and maybe afford me some assistance in this matter since they have caused me to pretty much deplete my savings account. Thank you.


Respectfully

 

[docktoar]

Total Purchase/Sale Proceeds to be paid to Seller at closing: $ 16,400.00 USD
5% Commission Deducted from Proceeds: (-) $ 820.00USD
Five current maintenance fees prepaid by Seller to be reimbursed by Buyer at closing: $ 3,655.00 USD
$65 USD Bank Fee Allowance to send above funds to be reimbursed by Buyer at closing: $ 260.00 USD
16% Mexican IVA Tax prepaid by Seller to be reimbursed by Buyer at closing: $ 2,624.00 USD
3% Registry of Foreign Investment prepaid by Seller to be reimbursed by Buyer at closing : $ 492.00 USD
Fideicomiso: $ 5,891.00USD
Liberación De Fondos (Release of Funds): $ 4,675.00USD
27% Registro de Inversión Extranjera: $ 4,428.00USD
Cuota Moratoria: $ 5,328.00USD
Total Net Proceeds Payable to Seller at Closing: $ 42,933.00 USD