interesting/upsetting phone message

[disney queen]

i am not real sure if this is the correct board; please move if needed. when i checked my messages friday, there was one from a timeshare broker letting me know that there are 2 possible buyers for my DVC. only problem--they are not for sale. the upsetting part is this person asked for my husband, who is deceased, and me BY name. i googled the phone number and it is for universal timesharesa. i do not know how they got my name and number. i called DVC administration, but they were already closed for the weekend. these properties have been in my name only for 3 years. any thoughts???

 

[ajasmom]

Although I am not sure how they got your information. You should know that all real estate transactions are public Information. Anyone can access county records and get copies of deeds. Unfortunately this can lead to many solicitations for timeshare sales.

 

[Sandisw]

We have gotten calls asking if we want to sell. We tell them no and to take us off their list. They always start with we have someone interested but my DH just tells them I am obsessed with my DVC and would never part with it!!!!

 

[dvcterry]

I was receiving calls similar to yours on a weekly basis from a company which claimed it had buyers as well. We are not interested in selling our timeshares, but nonetheless the calls became persistent and they were requesting money so we filed a complaint with the state. http://www.myfloridalegal.com/tshares.nsf/pages/Law

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I got my first call like that in less than 2 months after purchasing DVC. I figured I'd like to actually use the timeshare before I sold it!

OP - as was mentioned the info is public and anyone can pull the information and begin calling or even sell the contact information they've gathered to others.

 

[disney queen]

thanks, y'all!

 

[DisneyFansInLINY]

My cousin once received a letter from a real estate agent who claimed that she could sell her house in Florida that was in foreclosure! My cousin's name is listed on the deed of my grandfather's house. My parents are also on that deed. Only my cousin received this notice but it freaked all of us out because the house had no mortgage and the taxes were current. So after doing some research, it turned out to be a scam from a real estate agent trying to get her to sell the house to them for very low. I have no idea how these people are able to get all of this information but somehow they do.

All I can say to you is that there are scam artists everywhere and somehow they are able to get your information. The thing is to confront them asap.

 

[drusba]

It is easy to get your identity as a DVC owner -- it is on the deed that is a public record with the local recorder that anyone can look up. And from idientity it is then easy to find a phone number. in fact, the indication is that the public records is where they got your identity since they had your husband's name and they are probably trailing old records (you can find old deeds and new ones in the public records) and have not updated their own searches in a while. These are an annoyance and best to just hang up and make a complaint if it continues.

 

[disneynutz]

Have you filed the required form so that Disney doesn't share your info? It came in the mailing with your dues bill.

Bill

 

[paults]

if it keeps happening just tell them that you want $175 a point and buyer pays closing and all M fees and that you require it paid in full within 1 week after it passes ROFR. bet they won't call again and if they do just tell them the price went up another $20 a pts.

 

[starry_solo]

I get letters all the time and I don't even OWN a timeshare (DVC or elsewhere). I did, however, used to work for a timeshare property management company. LOL

 

[JimMIA]

There are a lot of scam artists out there who will offer to sell your timeshare. They will claim all sorts of things, but the bottom line is they will ask you to pay a fee up-front.

Advanced fees are illegal in Florida, and any realtor who asks for a fee up-front to list your property is scamming you. If you check them through the State of Florida, I'd bet they are not even real estate brokers at all -- just thieves.

 

[Dean]

if it keeps happening just tell them that you want $175 a point and buyer pays closing and all M fees and that you require it paid in full within 1 week after it passes ROFR. bet they won't call again and if they do just tell them the price went up another $20 a pts.

They'll say OK to any price. All you have to do is send them from $399-599 so they can process the deal. After that you won't hear from them again unless it's a different company offering to get your money back for a fee. It's a known scam.

 

[jimim]

It's funny this thread came up here. Our transfer went through today supposedly and I came home today and had a call on my house phone to sell my timeshare. thought it was interesting.

jim

 

[disneynutz]

It's funny this thread came up here. Our transfer went through today supposedly and I came home today and had a call on my house phone to sell my timeshare. thought it was interesting.

jim

Is it possible that the Broker or closing agent is selling your info?

Bill

 

[ELMC]

Is it possible that the Broker or closing agent is selling your info?

Bill

Anything is possible. A few years back I was receiving three calls a week from people wanting to sell my timeshare for me. When I asked where they got my info they told me they got it from Marriott (I own MVC). I spoke with Marriott and they were furious, insisting that they don't sell customer's information and that the people making the calls comb the state websites that record all timeshare ownerships/transactions. I'm inclined to believe Marriott over some potential scammer. Still...it's a big pain, so I'm sorry for anyone who has to go through it.

 

[jimim]

Is it possible that the Broker or closing agent is selling your info?

Bill

I don't know. I don't really care either. Our house phone is there for our security system in the house only. We don't even use it or give the number out really. I just thought it was weird that today the transfer is complete and I get my first call. I would think they got my info from Disney? I can see Disney giving that stuff out before the broker. OR the closing agent, maybe.

 

[JMW123]

The quickest way to get off those lists is to be more annoying than the person calling you.

I always open with "What are you wearing?" 90% of calls get dropped there.

If they answer you, then continue to ask questions like you are a 3 year old.

If they say jeans, then ask them what brand? what color? cowboy fit or bell-bottom? Are they approved for your workplace attire? Don't you miss the old days when everyone wore suits to work? Do you have a suit at home? What brand is the suit? what color? 2 Button or three button?

Just keep going and they will actually hang up on you rather that you hanging up on them.

This seems to get me off the list every time, except that one time that this one sales rep answered all my questions for about 20 minutes, finally I gave her a congratulations for passing my test and now she is my long distance phone provider.

 

[Ericandjenng]

The quickest way to get off those lists is to be more annoying than the person calling you.

I always open with "What are you wearing?" 90% of calls get dropped there.

If they answer you, then continue to ask questions like you are a 3 year old.

If they say jeans, then ask them what brand? what color? cowboy fit or bell-bottom? Are they approved for your workplace attire? Don't you miss the old days when everyone wore suits to work? Do you have a suit at home? What brand is the suit? what color? 2 Button or three button?

Just keep going and they will actually hang up on you rather that you hanging up on them.

This seems to get me off the list every time, except that one time that this one sales rep answered all my questions for about 20 minutes, finally I gave her a congratulations for passing my test and now she is my long distance phone provider.

 

[jimim]

The quickest way to get off those lists is to be more annoying than the person calling you.

I always open with "What are you wearing?" 90% of calls get dropped there.

If they answer you, then continue to ask questions like you are a 3 year old.

If they say jeans, then ask them what brand? what color? cowboy fit or bell-bottom? Are they approved for your workplace attire? Don't you miss the old days when everyone wore suits to work? Do you have a suit at home? What brand is the suit? what color? 2 Button or three button?

Just keep going and they will actually hang up on you rather that you hanging up on them.

This seems to get me off the list every time, except that one time that this one sales rep answered all my questions for about 20 minutes, finally I gave her a congratulations for passing my test and now she is my long distance phone provider.

for years I used to use these 2 lines:

winter: ya (he or she) is out cutting the grass.
summer: ya (he or she) is out shoveling the roof. got a ton of snow yesterday.

if that didn't get them i would also use the whole. . . "he just said he was going out for milk, but it's been days now and he didn't come back yet". . .