Florida is know for having a high rate of retirees, and because of their age and often thick bank accounts, these senior citizens are becoming the target of unfair credit practices in the state. And it’s regarding one of the things they hold dearly – their vacation time.
The elderly are becoming victims to Vacation Time Share scams.
There are two main schemes that people use to lure victims. The first scheme uses a telemarketer who represents a false company. The telemarketer then calls the victim and explains that they have found a buyer for the customer’s property. In actuality, no buyer has been found. The scammers then use this entry way to gather more information about the victims account and how to access their finances.
The second scam targets customers under a fund that was supposedly set up by the Attorney General which is hypothetically being used to reimburse victims of the first time share fraud. In actuality, the telemarketer is really a previous time share resale marketing employee looking to prey upon the victims’ finances.
Florida isn’t the only state where Time Share Fraud is an issue. But the Florida Attorney General has connected with multiple business groups and individuals to enforce legislation to counteract the deceptive methods that some of these companies pursue.
In Boca Raton, the Center for Legal Justice, LLC, a consumer advocacy group and a private lawyer referral service, has begun referring affected citizens to consumer protection lawyers that specialize in helping citizens affected by unfair lending practices and Time Share Fraud.
The Center for Legal Justice has been working diligently to help affected senior citizens acquire their funds. Victims have seen incorrect balances, as well as extra charges on monthly statements. “This is one reason why it is so important to watch your credit card statements, you could be getting charged for vacations you’ve never took and activities you’ve never enjoyed,” said a representative at Credit-Land.com.
The federal response to helping the elderly isn’t as fast as it should be. Many are fed up at the snail pace that the relief effort has taken. A spokesperson for The Center for Legal Justice who has been advocating for the elderly victims affected by this terrible situation found other organizations that are willing to help the cause. So far the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Federal Depository Insurance Corporation and Office of Thrift Supervision have been made aware.
The Center for Legal Justice in coordination with the Delta Law Firm have figured out that by using the part of the contract called “Your Rights if You Are Dissatisfied with Your Credit Card Purchases,” to obtain an over $300,000 in credit for the elderly.