Fraud Warning

[bumbershoot]

Having seen a few spammy emails in my time, and since we receive zillions of spammy phone calls on our cells...I would bet quite a lot of money that they call and/or email anyone whose name/number/email they get.

The ones who do NOT own a timeshare just delete it and go on with their lives.

Those who DO own the timeshare worry.


It's like what my MIL is going through right now with a sneaky company. By the way, if anyone out there speaks fluent Korean, please contact me so you can explain it to my MIL 'cuz she's NOT getting it in English or DH's 3rd grade level Korean.... Anyway, there's this company, and when I look them up online, they call EVERYONE whose info they get, telling them that they have this really old bill in collections. When you press, you find out they are supposedly talking about old Verizon bills. (had to change the end of that sentence)

Some, who might have owed Verizon in the past, pay. Some know the statute of limitations and balk. Some know they have NEVER owned Verizon anything, and just say NO.

And others, like my MIL, who had a sneaky sneaky husband and after his death she found out all sorts of things she didn't fully know...just don't know if anyone has ever had a Verizon account, and she's just about to pay this company even though she knows that SHE never had an account.


Spammy companies spam everyone. Just not everyone reacts to it; just the ones who happen to "fit" what they are spamming, or who are like my MIL and just aren't sure and can't really understand the explanation.

 

[js]

With the right database, you could match OC deed records with names, addresses and telephone numbers in seconds. It's really no challenge at all. You'd have to throw out all of the "Smiths" and "Joneses", but you'd still get thousands of unique matches just by throwing DVC deeds up against a national address database.

Other timeshare sellers do the exact same thing. Many members have reported getting solicitations or telephone calls from other Timeshares or even these "sell your timeshare" companies after buying DVC. We started getting things from Marriott ourselves.

huh. Funny you should mention this.
Not including my DVC, I own two other timeshares..One in Orlando and one in Hilton Head. I have honestly haven't received a call in years from "sell your timeshare" companies. We closed on our DVC purchase a few weeks ago and within a week or so, received two calls from companies asking if we wanted to rent/sell our timeshare. I told my husband that DVC must have sold our contact information OR as I am reading this back to myself, maybe it was the DVC Store....hmmm.....We didn't finance so it wasn't the bank/lender.

 

[tjkraz]

I told my husband that DVC must have sold our contact information OR as I am reading this back to myself, maybe it was the DVC Store....hmmm.....We didn't finance so it wasn't the bank/lender.

Granted I'm just giving DVC the benefit of the doubt but I can't see them selling member information to another entity. They have little to gain (a few pennies per name?) and a lot to lose (disclosing customer contact info) in doing so. Disney always plays its cards very close to the vest when it come to revealing any demographic info or statistics regarding its customers, so I can't see them selling that info just to make a couple of dollars.

Assuming you bought at one of the WDW-based resorts, go to the Orange County Registrar website. Type in your own name as the Grantee and you'll see a PDF of the deed right on-line. In fact, some of the Warranty Deeds that I have reviewed on-line for resale purchases actually include the buyer's full mailing address. That makes it even easier to track down a phone number.

Direct purchases are filed with a Grantor of "Disney Vacation Development." Do an open search under that name and you'll get hundreds of hits in a single month. DVD's paperwork does not have a mailing address for the buyer but it's still easy track down that info. Link the buyer name to a decent US name/address database and you'll get thousands of matches.

In my prior reply I pointed out that you may have to toss results from common names, but even that isn't necessarily true. The info posted on-line lists the first name, middle initial and last name of all deeded owners. So even with names like Smith and Jones, when you're matching on first, middle and last for both a husband and wife, the results would have a pretty high confidence level.

Oh, and there are similar websites for Orange County, CA (Grand Californian) as well as the respective counties where the Vero and HHI resorts are located.

 

[Jason@dvcstore]

huh. Funny you should mention this.
Not including my DVC, I own two other timeshares..One in Orlando and one in Hilton Head. I have honestly haven't received a call in years from "sell your timeshare" companies. We closed on our DVC purchase a few weeks ago and within a week or so, received two calls from companies asking if we wanted to rent/sell our timeshare. I told my husband that DVC must have sold our contact information OR as I am reading this back to myself, maybe it was the DVC Store....hmmm.....We didn't finance so it wasn't the bank/lender.

The Timeshare Store, Inc.® aka "The DVC Store" doesn't sell your contact information to anyone. We never have and never will. I don't know how those companies get that information assuming DVC is not selling your information either.

Jason

 

[crisi]

The Timeshare Store, Inc.® aka "The DVC Store" doesn't sell your contact information to anyone. We never have and never will. I don't know how those companies get that information assuming DVC is not selling your information either.

Jason

Its public information - it in the county records.

 

[disneynutz]

I'm not suggesting that anyone sold our information, but if our information was compromised, I would expect Disney to inform it's DVC Members.

That is why I contacted them, to find out if there is a issue with our records.

Bill

 

[Jason@dvcstore]

Its public information - it in the county records.

I understand that, however, I don't think someone could figure out my phone number from doing a search for me after seeing the deed on the county records. When I purchased my DVC via resale I only received the letters in the mail from Stroman realty. I never did get phone calls.

Jason

 

[Chuck S]

I understand that, however, I don't think someone could figure out my phone number from doing a search for me after seeing the deed on the county records. When I purchased my DVC via resale I only received the letters in the mail from Stroman realty. I never did get phone calls.

Jason

It would be pretty easy if you have an uncommon name and are listed (or have ever been listed) in a phone book.

Remember that when you buy a contract, even in person, it has to be notorized. Part of that notarization tells what form of ID is used for the notary...for instance "A Texas Driver's License" That tells someone my name, and that I reside in Texas. The rest is pretty easy.

 

[mel&me]

I would never give info out anyhow, but it's still go know.
Thanks for the heads up. backyardponder

 

[js]

I understand that, however, I don't think someone could figure out my phone number from doing a search for me after seeing the deed on the county records. When I purchased my DVC via resale I only received the letters in the mail from Stroman realty. I never did get phone calls.

Jason

Thank you Jason. I guess it is/was public records. I got two calls in the same week, no new calls, maybe it was a coincidence but really haven't received any calls until my purchase of DVC last month.
We do have an unlisted telephone number

 

[Jason@dvcstore]

It would be pretty easy if you have an uncommon name and are listed (or have ever been listed) in a phone book.

Remember that when you buy a contract, even in person, it has to be notorized. Part of that notarization tells what form of ID is used for the notary...for instance "A Texas Driver's License" That tells someone my name, and that I reside in Texas. The rest is pretty easy.

I think I must be hard to find as never get phone calls from telemarketers or companies trying to list my timeshare. Be advised that when you buy a resale from The Timeshare Store, Inc.® none of your documents have to be notarized. The only documents that need to be notarized are the documents from the seller.

I guess I should be happy the phone calls are not coming my way.

Jason

 

[shonnons]

There are companies out there who collect information and sale list. If you know where and how to look for this data on people it is easy to put a list together. I have seen these list for when leases are up, when someone is moving, and when permits pulled just to name a few. They can have very detailed information about people or companies. My guess is that a list for people who have timeshares would be in large demand and they probably sales this list to a lot of different companies who target people who own timeshare, vacation frequently and have enough disposable income to own a DVC contract. I would not be surprised if they know how much you make, how many kids you have, how long you have lived at your address, if you own or rent. They will sale this info to anyone.

 

[Coach81]

Thanks for heads up.

 

[js]

Do you know I got another call tonight.
My ds was on the phone and the call waiting beeped.
He handed me the phone (he's 11) and I looked and it was from Resort Sales MI (maybe the MI is longer but that is all that showed on my phone).
The area code is 417.
That makes three calls since we closed middle of last month
Anyway, thanks to the OP for posting the information. I greatly appreciate it.

 

[jekjones1558]

We got a call tonight from Coastal Enterprise (name on caller ID). I asked how they got our phone number and they didn't really answer the question. We have a common name (Jones), so it would be tough to do a match from the Orange County records. I surely would be curious to know how our phone number was obtained.