Despagar wants to buy [TS in Mexico]

The "Mexican" version of Expedia has contacted me to purchase my timeshare and has assured me they aren't asking for $$ and will pay closing costs. Their intent is to upgrade and use it on their site as an rental. They said I could even use my own closing/escrow company. Anyone have a clue if this is a scam?

Almost certainly...

They will tell you that there are no upfront fees, but after they have you good and hooked, one or more (completely bogus) fees will pop up.

The may call it Mexican taxes, real estate fees, transfer fees, title search, title fees, escrow fees, blah, blah, blah.

They may even show you some documents that they have created to "prove" that these fees are legitimate and really do have to be paid.

They will assure you that all you have to do is pay the fees, to get your big fat check.

They will tell you that the fees are going to be sent to a reputable escrow company, but when the time comes, they will have you send them to an account outside the US, where you will have no recourse - not to an escrow company.

Once they have your $$$ - you will never hear from them again.

They may have assured you that they aren't asking for any money but at some points they are going to ask for a tax or a transfer fee that only the current owner is allowed to pay although they will assure you that you will be reimbursed.


Did they contact you out of the blue or were they contracting you in regards to a current ad you have placed? Do you own a rtu and if so how many years do you have left? How much did they offer and how does this compare to how much you originally paid? You may own at a very nice resort. Some Mexican resorts have $0 resale value while others have some resale value even after factoring in the transfer fees that many Mexican resorts have (which by the way the resort doesn't care who pays it, just that it gets paid in order to transfer). Do you own in the highest season (mid January-mid March and/or weeks 51 or 52)? Do you own a 1 br unit or larger where the MF's are significantly less than what it would take to rent the same unit for the same time period easily? Do you have an ocean front or ocean view? If so you may own something with value. It is still unlikely that it is worth more than the low thousands. If they are offering $10-20,000 or even more, why when there are dozens listed on redweek for under $5000?

Despegar

Thanks for the insight. They contacted me...I'm not sure what rtu is. We have a 99 year ownership, although I can't seem to find that in writing! We own a floating week, it's a 1 bedroom studio apartment, and usually use it in Feb. I told them I won't give them any money at all...so we'll see what happens. I was worried there was some way they could stop payment on the money after they got ownership....but if that can't happen, I'll string them along and see what happens. Thanks!

RTU is Right To Use, a typical type of ownership in Mexico, consistent with the 99 years you indicate.

Please do keep updating this message thread, I'd say 99.99% sure they will want you to pay a fee or tax at some point.


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You will be giving scammers access to quite a bit of your personal information. I wouldn't want to give that out when there is zero chance you will receive the promised compensation.

I told them I wanted to use my own closing/escrow company. Wouldn't my information only be with them? I will be sure they don't get it....thanks for bringing it to my attention!

Jeckybo said:

I told them I wanted to use my own closing/escrow company. Wouldn't my information only be with them? I will be sure they don't get it....thanks for bringing it to my attention!

Click to expand...

They are the scammers.

If I pick a closing company independent of the people buying my time share they can still scam me through that company??
I have a feeling they are going to need the "Mexican" fees and taxes.....I think that will be where the scam comes into play.

Jeckybo said:

If I pick a closing company independent of the people buying my time share they can still scam me through that company??
I have a feeling they are going to need the "Mexican" fees and taxes.....I think that will be where the scam comes into play.

Click to expand...

That's exactly how the scam works. As was mentioned in post #2, the scammers will get you all excited over the huge payday and get you thinking "Great! Great! What do I have to do to make this happen? You name it, I'll do it. I'm not letting anything stand in the way of this awesome deal, not even a simple Mexican Transfer Tax."

Next thing you know, you're wiring money to a total stranger in a foreign country.

They aren't going to let you chose your own closing/escrow companies. They may have implied it or said it when you spoke to them but when it comes down to it and you insist, they will stop responding to you. I also don't think they are the rental site. They are just using the name to make themselves seem legitimate.

I don't believe Legal transfers (LT) does Mexican transfers but I think JRA services does.

I agree....when it comes down to it, they will stop calling when I won't use their company. Until then I'll let them play me.....that will keep them from bothering someone else!

Since there is no deed or title to be worried about, the transfer of RTU is strictly within Pueblo Bonito. Pay them some bucks, they transfer RTU to someone else.

Jim

Jeckybo - It is not in your best interest to continue to communicate with the scammers.

Now that you have been identified as "easy mark" your info will be circulated to other scammers, which will result in many more scam phone calls.

The best thing to do would be to end communication immediately.

Jeckybo said:

If I pick a closing company independent of the people buying my time share they can still scam me through that company??
I have a feeling they are going to need the "Mexican" fees and taxes.....I think that will be where the scam comes into play.

Click to expand...

Mexican RTU contract transfers (and transfer fees, if applicable) are generally handled entirely "in house" by the resort itself. Since (with a few exceptions) there is no actual ownership and no deed to prepare and / or record, there is little or no need or use for a "closing company". Escrow of funds is another matter. Of course, "escrow" is not really legitimate "escrow" at all unless handled by a known, trusted and independent third party entity. As noted already by others, you ultimately will not be afforded any option to select or utilize any such known, trusted, independent entity of your own identification, since that would impede and preclude a successful scam.

Academic and irrelevant points anyhow, since this is just another scam, plain and simple. If "fees" were mentioned to you upfront, you would never take the bait --- and these parasites need and want to first tempt you and lure you toward a mythical big payday. Only once you take the bait and show some genuine "interest" will a last minute requirement for you to pay a "taco tax" or "title fee" (or some other such fabricated nonsense) suddenly be revealed and required. The parasites will then take that money and promptly disappear, their mission fully accomplished at that point--- and you will still have your RTU contract and its' associated annual fee obligations.

Sound good? No, I didn't think so. Don't waste your time with (or reveal any additional personal information to) these hungry, thieving parasites.

Thanks for all the advice and help. I have a feeling this is the end of the journey for this scam!

Jeckybo said:

Thanks for all the advice and help. I have a feeling this is the end of the journey for this scam!

Click to expand...

The end for you, anyhow --- and congratulations! However, it's ultimately a numbers game for any and all such scammers. They somehow acquire a list of potential "marks" (probably from an "inside" contact / source at the resort in Mexico) and they will just keep on making similar cold calls to others to solicit (ahem) "business".
The odds are that someone will get dollar signs in their eyes, hoping for a big big payout, take the bait and willingly "pay to play". I'm glad that it won't be you.

I finally found a contact email for Despagar and they are trying to get this scammed stopped, but he said their software was hard to track. As many times as I told the "Jesse Lopez" character who was calling me I knew he was scamming me, he was cool, calm, and pleasant, and had an answer for everything. Thanks for all the help and advice!