Dues settlement phone call -- Scam?

[heathrow42]

I got a strange call today. They said they were calling on behalf of Disney about a settlement that would result in me getting a credit on my DVC dues. That there was some covid era related lawsuit around restrictions on using points. She also said part of the settlement was that we wouldn't have to pay dues in years we didn't use our points. I thought it was weird they were calling to tell me, since usually things like that come by letter. I was pretty sure I would have seen or heard about that big of a change to dues paying. Then she asked to confirm my address in a town we haven't lived in almost 10 years. I was like Disney definitely has our most current address (I get physical dues statements at our current address) and she said she was just going by the file she was given. Then she said she was asking because our guide was going to be in town and she wanted to schedule us to sign the paperwork. At that point it was all sketchy enough for me to be like eh, you can text me whatever you want, but I'm not comfortable talking about this with someone that called me, and I'll call Disney to confirm. My BS detector is pretty good - but she was pretty convincing and I just wasn't at all sure. I just can't imagine that Disney would spend time and money having a company call thousands of people about a settlement (vs letter or email) and send guides around the country to get paperwork signed, rather than have people print and notarize and mail it back. The "you won't have to pay dues in years you don't use your points" made no sense either.

I googled a bit and didn't see anything like a settlement about dues. I called Disney and they didn't have any idea. Anyone heard of anything similar? Anyone confirm if it was a scam or what they were actually trying to get?

 

[CarolynFH]

I have no direct knowledge of this but believe it’s definitely a scam. Too many red flags - a cold call, wrong information about your address, wanting information to schedule a meeting on short notice, etc. DVC not knowing anything about it is the final confirmation that it’s a scam.

Besides, if something like that were really happening, there would be a nice long thread about it here on DISboards!

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

That’s a common timeshare scam. Haven’t seen it specific to Disney before but it’s well known on the TUG forums with other timeshares. It wasn’t Disney and if you had followed it down the rabbit hole you would have ended up signing up for some sort of BS legal service where you paid ever escalating upfront fees chasing a mythical payout.

These outfits get your contact info from deeds. The address they had for you was probably the address you had when you originally bought DVC.

 

[Simba's Mom]

These outfits get your contact info from deeds. The address they had for you was probably the address you had when you originally bought DVC.

Yeah, we got this once several years ago. Since we own at more than one resort, I asked them which resort they were referring to, since they said that it applied to just our resort. Unfortunately for them, they chose the resort we'd sold 21 years ago!

 

[drusba]

The caller made it sound like you were a person entitled to some payment resulting from a settlement of a class action case. But even if it were a class action, you would not have received such a phone call. Persons that can be part of a class, but are not the actual litigants, receive official communications about the case via postcard or letter not via phone. Thus, it definitely appears to be a scam call.

 

[Brian Noble]

The basic rule is: If anyone cold-calls you about your timeshare, it is a scam.

 

[heathrow42]

The basic rule is: If anyone cold-calls you about your timeshare, it is a scam.

I've gotten calls about "we can get you out of your timeshare" "do you want to sell it" "do you want to trade into other programs" etc and I know those are all scams. It was the "you are part of a settlement class in a lawsuit" that really threw me. I couldn't figure out how that could be a scam.

 

[Brian Noble]

I suspect that, eventually, there's a fee you'll have to pay to "join the class" or help support the suit but of course you're going to get MUCH MORE back.

 

[AstroBlasters]

I got a strange call today. They said they were calling on behalf of Disney about a settlement that would result in me getting a credit on my DVC dues. That there was some covid era related lawsuit around restrictions on using points. She also said part of the settlement was that we wouldn't have to pay dues in years we didn't use our points. I thought it was weird they were calling to tell me, since usually things like that come by letter. I was pretty sure I would have seen or heard about that big of a change to dues paying. Then she asked to confirm my address in a town we haven't lived in almost 10 years. I was like Disney definitely has our most current address (I get physical dues statements at our current address) and she said she was just going by the file she was given. Then she said she was asking because our guide was going to be in town and she wanted to schedule us to sign the paperwork. At that point it was all sketchy enough for me to be like eh, you can text me whatever you want, but I'm not comfortable talking about this with someone that called me, and I'll call Disney to confirm. My BS detector is pretty good - but she was pretty convincing and I just wasn't at all sure. I just can't imagine that Disney would spend time and money having a company call thousands of people about a settlement (vs letter or email) and send guides around the country to get paperwork signed, rather than have people print and notarize and mail it back. The "you won't have to pay dues in years you don't use your points" made no sense either.

I googled a bit and didn't see anything like a settlement about dues. I called Disney and they didn't have any idea. Anyone heard of anything similar? Anyone confirm if it was a scam or what they were actually trying to get?

I’d report the phone number to the FBI.

 

[Fangorn]

My wife works for the largest legal services firm in the country. Specifically in the class action administration unit. Part of her job is dealing with scam actors and reporting then to the court. @drusba is correct. Class members are never notified about anything via phone call (unless the class member has initiated a inquiry and the administrator needs to follow up on it). It is always a mailing of some sort. Also, there is never a "fee" of any kind to file a claim in a legit class action case. There are lots of folks/organizations out there that try to scam you by claiming they can expedite the payment or get more $ for you (they can't), if you will only sign up to have them file for you and agree to give them 30% of the settlement.

Steve

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

I couldn't figure out how that could be a scam.

They eventually ask you for upfront fees. Usually along the lines of a fake retainer where they’re going to represent you to get you your chunk of the “settlement.”

 

[muppets3d]

Everyone should block unknown callers on their phone, and block ads on their browsers. That would end 90% of scams dead in their tracks.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

The basic rule is: If anyone cold-calls you about your timeshare, it is a scam.

I would expand that to: If anyone cold-calls you about anything it is a scam.

 

[muppets3d]

I would expand that to: If anyone cold-calls you about anything it is a scam.

yep, block unknown callers on your phone, and block ads in your browser. that will stop 90%+ of scams dead in their tracks.

 

[heathrow42]

I have kids, no way can I block unknown callers. Schools, camps counselors, extracurriculars, doctors!

 

[muppets3d]

I have kids, no way can I block unknown callers. Schools, camps counselors, extracurriculars, doctors!

Then use common sense when you pick up unknown callers.

 

[Brian Noble]

I'm active in the addiction recovery community, and my phone number is publicly available for anyone in those circles to call me for support. I have no idea who might have my number, when they might need to use it, or what number they might be calling from. So, if I am in a place where I can take a call, I answer pretty much anything that comes across my phone that isn't directly labeled as spam.

It turns out that robocalls usually have a noticeable delay of what feels like a few seconds between me picking up and saying "hello" and the call being connected to someone in the boiler room. That's enough time to hang up. If for some reason they connect me to a person quickly, it takes only one quick "Who's this?" for me to easily determine whether this is someone in need.

The thing that makes this work: I do not feel bad, at all, about hanging up in someone's face. I don't explain it, I don't say sorry no, I just. hang. up.

 

[Girlstar30]

I like to mess with them and act like im engaging in the scam. Ie fake social security calls I will act like im falling for it and worried and doing everything they say. Then at the end I lecture them on morality and karma. I know I have too much times on my hands

 

[kilik64]

Semi topic related, there is a streamer named KitBoga that just messes with scammers, he's basically a voice actor and does different voices and acts like hes different people, the videos are pretty hilarious.

 

[Girlstar30]

Semi topic related, there is a streamer named KitBoga that just messes with scammers, he's basically a voice actor and does different voices and acts like hes different people, the videos are pretty hilarious.

The Iast one called me a b*tch and hung up. I took him on a rollercoaster ride for 25 mins acting like I was going to the bank and giving him thousands of dollars