Langley RCMP has become aware of another scam that has the potential to cost unsuspecting victims thousands of dollars.
A Langley resident was contacted by someone indicating they represented an American agency (out of Georgia) wanting to assist with the sale of his timeshare in Mexico.
The timeshare owner participated in a series of phone calls and emails with representatives of the agency and finally agreed to have the company sell his timeshare.
The agency contacted the victim with the good news — they had found a prospective buyer in Mexico.
He was advised that he would have to pay the resort a fee to transfer the ownership.
This fee was nearly $13,000 and he was told that all funds changing hands in the transaction would be held in trust through a third company based in Louisiana, said police. The Georgia agency would take only a five per cent finder’s fee as payment for their services.
The money was wired to a bank in Mexico.
Langley RCMP said red flags only started appearing when the agency contacted the victim recently, asking for a Mexican tax and investor fee of more than $20,000.
He contacted his bank to try to reverse the transfer of funds but was not successful, said police.
“This particular victim conducted his own research on the internet into both the agency who contacted him and the trust company that would hold the funds,” said Cpl. Holly Largy.
“The companies appeared to be legitimate, and very well may be.
“Unfortunately, it is likely the individuals our victim dealt with were not employed by that company at all, and only pretended to be.”
Langley RCMP ask that anyone else who has been approached about this timeshare scam contact police at 604-532-3200.