BBB warns against timeshare exit business scams

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) -The Better Business Bureau offers a new warning against timeshare exit programs.

The BBB said there have been hundreds of complaints against time share exit companies in 46 states and most of them are coming out of Springfield, Missouri.

“I feel taken advantage of and it makes me feel dumb to fall for it," said Pamela Pobst.

Pobst and her husband bought a timeshare in Branson nearly 15-years ago.

“We have enjoyed it and we’ve gone to some really nice places so I can’t complain really about the timeshare company,” said Pobst.

Pobst said now that she and her husband are getting older, the property they have doesn’t work for them.

“Our timeshare area is in a basement area, so we have to go down steps to get to it. I have had a knee replacement and arthritis so it’s hard for me to make all those steps,” said Pobst.

So, when they got a postcard from all seasons brokerage saying they could help them get out of their timeshare they wanted to know more.

“They charged us $4,999 to begin and then said there would be a four to $700 fee for paperwork.”

Pobst and her husband thought it sounded great.

That’s until the company turned their stuff over to another exit company who then passed it to a law firm who passed it to another law firm.

“Unfortunately, what we are seeing are the same people that used to work in the timeshare industry are now opening these timeshare exit companies and charging quite a bit of money and a lot of times not doing anything,” said Whitney Quick with the BBB.

If you own a timeshare and want to get out, Quick recommended not going through a third party and going straight to the original timeshare company.

“I want these exit programs to get what’s coming for them. They shouldn’t be scamming people like this. If they aren’t going to do what they say they can do and if they are reparable businesses then they should give our money back,” said Pobst.

Pobst said she did get $1,700 back from the second exit company that handled their claim.

But they still own that timeshare, which costs them $750 a year.

The BBB released a study in 2018 advising people not to get involved in timeshares in the first place.

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