Unauthorized Soliciations:

Unauthorized Solicitations and Possible Scams are now joined together to reinforce the importance of being alert. We don't want to be paranoid, but we do want to be careful.

Cold calling is fine. Sales personnel have to generate leads somehow, and sometimes, the cold call is the appropriate way to reach out.

However, there is a big difference between selling legitimate products and services and trolling for naive, unsuspecting individuals. Taking advantage of a person's naivete for the sake of bilking that person out of his or her money is unconscionable.

There is a fine line between wanting, trusting, releasing personal information on blind faith and conducting a meaningful level of due diligence. Sometimes, gut reactions are alright. But other times, it could cost you money that you will never see again.

Part of the service we provide is to offer a database of sorts. This particular page provides a listing of companies that, through their representatives have presented themselves as legitimate companies who want to buy your timeshare. Interesting stories...yes. But very dangerous. Do not fall into temptation....

Please send us your experiences and company names so we can post them here and in the Possible Scam pages.

Thank you for your participation. Without it, this would be a blank page!

2024-02-24 Do you trust someone you can't find info on? You're not alone! An article in USA Today hits home. It tells the story of a dad and husband who buys a timeshare, thinking it's perfect for family vacations. It starts great but then life changes, and the timeshare sits unused. Annual costs rise, but use drops. Sound familiar?

You can read the article in total by tapping this link: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2024/02/22/thousands-of-americans-fall-prey-to-mexican-cartel-cjng-timeshare-scam/72695295007/

Cold-call salespeople excel at selling scams. The article details a timeshare owner trying to sell. He's contacted by a caller claiming a buyer offers more than he paid. Tempted, he skips due diligence and pays into escrow, being told that all funds paid into escrow are refundable. But more requests follow, draining him until he realizes it's a scam.

He hires a lawyer, but it's too late. It's a cautionary tale of losing $1.8 million to a telemarketing scam. Aimfair Members seek our advice on deals, but red flags like young domains, fake addresses, and missing licenses scream danger. Still, they trust, lose money, and regret it.

Are timeshare owners too trusting? The article hints at a pattern. Many struggle to say no to promising faces, even if they're strangers. It's a wake-up call to learn to refuse deals that seem too good to be true.

Remember, only YOU can help stamp out scammers! Don't Send Money!



2024-02-17 Nino received an email from a person who claimed to be an attorney with ASF (Auditoria Superior de la Federation) and shared his conversations with Aimfair. Nino is very good at identifying scams.

The emailer wanted personal information. She claimed to be an official with a Mexican Federal Government agency called Auditoria Superior de la Federation that actually specializes in large scale audits. Additionally, she claimed to be an attorney, in an attempt to impress Nino with her credentials, level of authority and trust factor.

Her pitch is similar to those made by other fake Mexican government officials. She claimed Nino's name is on lists of names that have been defrauded by criminal organizations. Internal audits performed by different government agencies have generated lists of "harmed" individuals. Since the information on file is incomplete, she is contacting Nino and others on the list to allow the Mexican government to take action against these organizations. To close out the audits, she asked Nino to participate by providing more information about themselves and the timeshare interests they own. You can read the email exchange between Nino and the lawyer by tapping the following link:


Email From: investigaciones@auditoriasuperiorfederal.com
Sent: Tuesday, February 6, 2024
To: Nino
Subject: A.S.F.
 
To: Aimfair Member Nino,
 
I am the lawyer of the Superior Audit of the Federation, Ana Lucía Parra Vega, and I am trying to contact you from the international processes area of this department, to tell you that we have information on names of people who have been defrauded and in some way have been victims of criminal organizations and for which they are on the first list.
 
It is my obligation to inform you that due to the audits carried out in some internal government agencies to the cases of fraud and money laundering registered in recent years and that must be closed this year, your name is repeated on different occasions in which you are It links bank accounts that are currently closed since complaints of criminal actions and money laundering were registered.
These audits do not provide a broad understanding of who the potential victims are and where we should focus but clearly you are or were a potential victim, unfortunately in most cases these organizations are strengthened by the lack of citizen complaints. You were a potential victim of this type of fraud by having a vacation membership, which makes you vulnerable to continuing to be a victim of fraud and indirectly helping organized crime.
 
Our intention is to communicate with you and be able to collect more real information and report on your behalf and thus be able to demonstrate that in reality these cases of fraud exist and the government should not continue to ignore this whole problem where foreign citizens have been defrauded.
 
Every six months in this department, complaints from two previous years are received and we exhaustively and exhaustively investigate each and every one of the cases that we have thanks to these federal audits carried out and in relation to organized crime, it is the reason that we have in our power countless government agencies that have been used to make fictitious accusations and make the victim believe that they are actually being treated legally and effectively by these companies, until the time comes when the victims can no longer comply with the request for more and more and more money transfers and that is when they realize that they are victims and that it is simply a criminal organization specialized in money laundering, fraud, exchange of personal data in which you have been complicit and which he has contributed to promoting and maintaining is active.
 
We are closing cases and in many of them we even recover part of your loss. If you are interested in having us review your case and provide you with the best solution, do not hesitate to contact us.
 
It would be great if you could send me your phone number to corroborate my information and also to avoid making calls until we confirm that you are interested.
 
In any case, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask me and we will be happy to answer you.

Without further ado for the moment and hoping to hear from you soon, I say goodbye.
 
“Mexico is more than crimes and insecurity.”
Ana Lucía Parra Vega''




De: Nino
Enviado el: Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Para: investigaciones at auditoriasuperiorfederal.com  
Asunto: RE: A.S.F.
 
No interest.
 
You are also a fraudster and a scammer.
 
Do not contact me any more.
 
Nino


Response from ASF Lawyer:
From: investigaciones at auditoriasuperiorfederal.com 
Sent: Tuesday, February 6, 2024 4:47 PM
To: Nino
Subject: A.S.F.

What makes you think we are?
Ana Lucía Parra Vega



Nino’s Response:
From: Nino
Sent: Tuesday, February 6, 2024
To: investigaciones at auditoriasuperiorfederal.com 
Subject: RE: A.S.F.
 
I’m glad that you asked.
 
See excerpt from U.S. Government Press Release.
 
"At times, perpetrators of timeshare fraud misuse government agency names in attempts to appear legitimate. For example, perpetrators may call victims and claim to represent OFAC, demanding a payment in exchange for the release of funds that the perpetrator claims OFAC has “blocked.” On March 2, 2023, OFAC issued an alert regarding such scams, warning that individuals may falsely claim to represent OFAC in furtherance of their fraud."
 
"Treasury Takes Third Action Against CJNG Timeshare Fraud Network Centered in Puerto Vallarta | U.S. Department of the Treasury"



Response from ASF Lawyer:
From: investigaciones at auditoriasuperiorfederal.com 
Sent: Wednesday, February 7, 2024 12:00 PM
To: Nino
Subject: A.S.F.
 
Mr. Nino,
 
Very good, thank you for letting me know your answer, and the truth is that there is indeed a lot of fraud today and unfortunately you are very vulnerable to falling into this type of fraud, when I say you I am referring to people like you who have a hard time, But I introduce myself again, I am Ana Lucia Parra Vega, I work for the international processes department of the Federal Audit Offices, our job in this department is to analyze the information collected from the audits carried out on the internal departments of our own Mexican government, from the which we found anomalies in the accounts used to make payments that unfortunately link them with Criminal Organizations, by carrying out audits we are at the forefront in Money Laundering situations.
 
The reason we contacted you is because in 2017, a company called ESCAPE WITH TRAVELS called you, from which they shared a couple of emails and that is why your name is mixed up.
 
In our investigation, we have other people linked to this fictitious travel agency that is dedicated to the purchase of vacation memberships and in some way makes the client make payments before receiving any benefit, here at ASF, we have a lot of information from you, Mr. Nino, which cannot be used without your authorization, that is why we sent you a message to see if you would like to join this investigation and if you have any loss of money, try to see how the government, with the help of the Frozen accounts that have been identified as coming from criminal offenses may or may not recover your loss, but if you were not a monetary victim then this email is not for you and I apologize in advance.
 
In our records we have that your phone number is xxx-xxx-xxxx and that your membership is at Grand Luxx in Puerto Vallarta.
 
We hope that you have not suffered any embezzlement but if otherwise you want to recover any losses, please do not hesitate to contact me.
 
Thank you and have a very good day.


Nino’s response:

From: Nino
Sent: Wednesday, February 7, 2024 12:14 PM
To: investigaciones at auditoriasuperiorfederal.com 
Subject: RE: A.S.F.
 
Thank-you for your response Ana.
 
I have not suffered any losses and do not recall talking with Escape with Travels.
 
I do NOT authorize the use of any of my personal information.
 
Regards,
 
Nino


I sent an email to Auditoria Superior de la Federation for confirmation of the statements made by the attorney. The response confirmed the alleged lawyer is a scam. Here is an excerpt from the email I received from an ASF official:

"....the exercise of the powers that were conferred on this Institution, are limited to the inspection of the Federal Public Account of the previous year, in order to verify, among other elements , financial management and the performance of the executors of federal public resources...."
The alleged attorney is clearly making false and misleading statements.

Bottom line - always look at the email sender's domain. Any Mexican Federal employee will not send emails from a domain ending in .com. Scam!!!

Thank you Nino. We all appreciate you sharing your conversations with the scammer!


2024-01-20 An offer to rent multiple weeks - up to 80 guests - came in today.

It looked phishy, so I looked up the domain. Sure enough, the domain called "knirghtfrank.com" is not registered.

Here is the email:


Hello,
We, Stella and Joe, are excited about the possibility of hosting our wedding at your event venue around August or September. Anticipating a guest count of 55-80, we have a few questions for you or your event team.

Could you please inform us of any minimum spend requirements? Regarding decoration, do you provide this service or should we arrange a decorator separately? Additionally, what details would you need from us to furnish a quotation or an approximate cost?

It would be greatly appreciated if you could include a wedding brochure or wedding package in your response to assist us in planning our budget.

Best regards,

Stella and Joe
Don't be pulled in by this inquiry. The email address is stellacarllee at knirghtfrank.com.

How long ago do you think the domain knirghtfrank.com was formed? Based on Stella and Joe's email and the fact that we want to rent our weeks, we are going to drop our guard and respond.

Guess what? The domain is for sale.


knrightfrank.com domain - the same one that sent me an email - is for sale!

So, why would I consider doing anything with a group that I can't confirm is real. An email is a logical way to connect. An email sent by a domain that is for sale is a scam.

I would not, and neither should you.

Be aware that this offer will be coming to you soon.



2023-12-15 We received the following from Nino, Aimfair's #1 scam investigator. Nino has uncovered so many scams, it is amazing he and we still receive more. One would think the scammers would highlight those individuals who are onto their scheme.

Here is what Nino sent us:
Hi Bob,

Here is another new scam – City Point Realty out of Salt Lake.

They have a pretty slick website – but what gives it away is that the social media links go nowhere. They don’t have any postings on Linkedin, etc.

Talk to you soon.

Regards,

Nino

From: Nino Silvestri
Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2023 8:52 AM
To: matthew-vandal1 at citypointrealestate.net
Subject: RE: Greetings from City Point

Hi Matthew,

As discussed, I checked out City Point Realty – and didn’t take me long to see that City Point is a scam.

City Point has a negative rating on Scam Adviser, and many negative customer reviews. One review is below.

Although your website looks pretty slick – when you click on the social media links, it goes nowhere. Nice try.

Don’t contact me anymore.

Nino Silvestri

Rogers says:
August 17, 2023 at 6:19 am
I’ve been contact by City Point Real Estate based in Utah and it’s the same people mentioned above. They had my old contract information and told me they want to buy out my contract. They provided a 1 page document with the offer. I was first contacted by Joseph Colombo. After I agreed to look further into it, I was contacted by Robert Gallagher. The next day, he had the one page document with the offer. I signed the offer and the next day he told me a bank account with Banorte Bank in Mexico has created. He provided a 1 page document with my name and the funds deposited by the buyer. The next step he claims is there is a permit required to by purchased from the Mexican government to do business in Mexico. Thanks to all those above, I now know it is a complete scam. I have notified Palace Elite.

Emailer contact information:

From: matthew-vandal1 at citypointrealestate.net
Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2023 7:20 PM
To: ninosilvestri at xxxxx.com
Subject: Greetings from City Point

City Point Real Estate is a privately owned brokerage company, founded in 2015. Our vast expertise in the international real estate industry gives us a competitive advantage over the rest in this fast-paced business. We offer a personalized service, always representing the interest of our clients.

Matthew Joseph Vandal
Senior Broker
International Real Estate Broker
Phone: +1 385-475-6320
Fax: +1 385-325-0896
City Point Real Estate Property Experts
10 W. Broadway
Salt Lake City UT, 84101
Thank you Nino. Your diligence is helping all of us.

Remember - Only You can help stop scams - Don't Send Money!



2023-10-20 This morning, we received an upbeat email from one of our Aimfair friends in New York who had a fantastic time in Nuevo Nayarit this past summer with a group of 12. He joyfully exclaimed, "We had a blast!"

In his message, he included the following content:

Greetings from New York!

We're thrilled to hear that you had a fantastic summer, and we did too. In August, we took our family of twelve to Nuevo Vallarta, and we had a ball!

As you know, being unit owners, we often receive dubious offers to sell or rent our unit. The latest one is quite peculiar. A company called National Real Estate Investors in Oklahoma City has expressed interest in renting our three-bedroom Presidential Suite for a five-week period and offering a payment of $105,000.

They claim this is due to the high demand associated with the PGA golf tournament. I'm curious if you're familiar with them. They've requested that I sign a form, and they plan to send me a contract through their lawyers. However, I haven't taken any action yet. I'd greatly appreciate your thoughts on this matter.

Best Regards,
Upon investigating National Real Estate Investors, we uncovered the following:

  • The company's listed address on their website is fictitious, as the building manager at the provided address has no knowledge of the company and no record of rent payments.
  • The company's domain was registered just 122 days ago and is set to expire on June 20, 2024.
  • There is a lack of information regarding the owners of the company on their website.
  • The company's status in the Oklahoma Secretary of State database is "In existence," which is a default status indicating inactivity rather than genuine operation.
  • The offer of $105,000 for a five-week rental appears too good to be true, leaving minimal profit for the person making such a payment.
In light of these discoveries, it's crucial to exercise caution. At times, attractive websites and generous offers can be red flags. Thus far, there's a high likelihood that offers from entities boasting these characteristics are dubious.

In conclusion, despite an enticing website and generous offer, this is unquestionably a scam. Please refrain from pursuing this offer.

Remember, only YOU can help stop scams - DON'T SEND MONEY!


2023-10-16 All of us receive calls from people we don't know. Many of us don't even answer the call unless the phone number is in our contacts list. Luckily, we can also block unwanted calls too.

In addition to unsolicited calls, we also receive email solicitations too. Often times, the solicitor is introducing himself and firm as a trusted party who has a buyer or renter for out timeshare interests.

After many years of receiving emails and calls, a fellow Aimfair member just sent me a copy of an email he sent to a prospective scammer. It is an easy format to follow, and the comments our fellow Aimfair member made were courteous, respectful and to the point. It makes sense to copy and paste his email and use it as a template to flush out legitimate and illegitimate contacts. Here is the solicitor's email and our Aimfair member's response:

From: Mr cold caller
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 11:43 AM
To: aimfairmember at xxx.com
Subject: Welcome

Dear Mr. & Mrs. Aimfair Member,

Good morning! I hope this letter finds you well. My name is Mr Cold Caller, I am a licensed real estate broker based in the bustling city of New York. I recently reached out to you on behalf of my firm to discuss the exciting opportunity of reselling your fractional ownership or timeshare.

First and foremost, I want to express our gratitude for your consideration. We understand that owning a fractional ownership or timeshare can be a wonderful way to enjoy vacationing without the commitments of full-time ownership. However, we also understand that circumstances change, and you may find yourself in a position where selling your ownership has become a priority. At American Eagle Realty Services, we specialize in connecting owners like yourself with potential buyers who are eager to invest in a fractional ownership or timeshare. Our extensive network and expertise in the real estate market allow us to navigate the process smoothly and efficiently on your behalf. Our team of dedicated professionals has years of experience in the industry, and we take great pride in handling each transaction with the utmost care and attention to detail. From the moment you enlist our services, we will work tirelessly to maximize the exposure of your ownership to interested buyers and ensure you receive the best possible return on your investment.

Allow me to highlight a few key points that set us apart from other real estate brokers:
1. Expertise: Our team consists of licensed real estate professionals who possess an in-depth understanding of the fractional ownership and timeshare market. We have an extensive network of potential buyers who are actively seeking such opportunities, both locally and internationally.
2. Tailored Marketing Strategies: We understand that each property is unique, and therefore requires a tailored marketing approach. Our team will develop a comprehensive marketing plan specifically catered to your ownership, ensuring maximum exposure to the most qualified buyers.
3. Seamless Transaction Process: Selling your fractional ownership or timeshare should be a hassle-free experience. We will take care of all the necessary paperwork, negotiations, and legal aspects of the transaction, ensuring a seamless process from start to finish.
4. Confidentiality: Your privacy is of utmost importance to us. We handle all inquiries with the utmost confidentiality, protecting your personal information throughout the selling process. Should you decide to proceed with our services, please be assured that you will be in capable and trustworthy hands. We are committed to exceeding your expectations and working together to achieve a successful sale.

To get started, I would like to offer you a free appraisal of your property. This will allow us to have a clear understanding of what we are working towards and the opportunity to connect you with a potential buyer. I do work on a 6% commission at the time of closing but that will only come about if you wish to proceed with the sale. To give you an accurate & fair number we only need the following:

Proof of Ownership under your name with the unit description and contract number:
These details can be found on the contract you signed with the resort. You can white out any sensitive information or any details you don’t feel comfortable sharing. Once we receive the document we will begin to work on your appraisal and offer.

I invite you to contact me directly at xxx-xxx-3xx9 to arrange a phone call or meeting at your convenience. Our team looks forward to discussing your unique needs and answering any questions you may have. Thank you for considering Cold Caller Company Services as your partner in the resale of your fractional ownership or timeshare. We are confident that our expertise, dedication, and friendly approach will make your selling experience a positive one.

Warm regards,
Response:
Hi William,

Thank-you for your email.

I am not prepared to sign anything with you or your firm until you answer my questions as follows:

If American Realty has been in business for so long, why is your website only 41 days old? See website below. I am in the IT business – Cold Caller’s website looks very cheap and amateurish.
  • https://whois.domaintools.com/coldcaller.com
Your website has a very low trust score on scam advisor
  • https://www.scamadviser.com/check-website/coldcaller.com
Cold Caller’s company address at 1440 Broadway does not state a unit or floor number. This is typical of a scam where a notable address such as Broadway is used – but no unit number.

You offered to have a virtual/Zoom call to show me your office. My guess is that if I were to call the property manager at 1140 Broadway, they will tell me that American Realty is not a tenant. Am I correct?

Please reply via email. Do not call me as I will not answer.

I want to see your replies in writing.

At this point, I do not trust you or Cold Caller Company.

Regards,

Aimfair Member
If everyone started their relationship with an individual who cold calls about a timeshare interest, the chances are very likely victimization would decline enormously. Don't you agree?

Next time, take the time to check the age of the domain at Who is domain tools. Check the contact address of the caller's website address. Call the manager of the office or the building to confirm the company pays rent at the given address. Finally, request everything in writing by email. You could also tell the caller you will send an overnight parcel with a question or two to the address given. Chances are the parcel won't be delivered.

Thank you Nino! Let's all work to eliminate scams and loss of $$$$$ by following good practices when responding to a cold inquiry by email or telephone.


2023-08-21 Wow! We must be high on everyone’s list. We just received an important notice from Vidamembers.com.mx reminding us that we have Bonus Weeks we have not used.

Here is the notice:

Dear Vidanta Member:

Your account shows that you have 15 bonus weeks that you have not used and are about to expire, we have an excellent option, you can rent the weeks through us and get $2,400 dollars for each week, there is a $965 dollar usage fee that has to be paid in advanced for every week you decide to rent. We have large groups of people coming and we guarantee that your weeks will be rented.

If you are ready to take advantage of this offer please call us to assist you.

VIDANTA HEADQUARTERS: 1-833-VIDA-123 (1-833-8432-123) USA & CANADA TOLL FREE.

VIDANTA MEMBER SERVICES: 1-888-75-MAYAN (1-888-75-62926) USA & CANADA TOLL FREE.

- Member can only rent once per year, as many weeks as you want but only at one time.

- Rental is 100% guaranteed and is all in writing.

- Please reply to this email with your contact information and the best time to call you.

NOTE: USAGE FEE HAS TO BE PAID IN ADVANCED, WE DO NOT DEDUCT IT.

Best regards

Luis Ramirez
Member Services Manager

Here is what we found:
  • Domain Name: vidamembers.com.mx
  • Created On: 2023-08-18
  • Expiration Date: 2024-08-18
  • Last Updated On: 2023-08-18
This domain is only 3 days old. But, the notice we received has been sent by multiple domains with the Vidanta tag line in them. All fake. Tap the following link to view the 2015 offer. The article has links to other similar offers through 2019. Since then, we receive many similar offers each year. Here is the link to the 2015 offer: June 3 2015 Fake Grupo Vidanta Offer

There may be other reasons behind these groups sending similar offers from domains that look like Vidanta. They could range from both sides of the pendulum - from active scams to implicating Vidanta with scams. We don’t know.

What we do know is we do not want to send money to anyone we don’t know. That is the only way we can stamp out scams!!


2023-08-06 Yes, that’s right. An Aimfair member contacted us a few days ago asking about the “guarantees" offered by SAT and HACIENDA - two agencies of the Mexican government. Based on these guarantees, he was ready to send $65,000 US to a real estate broker in St. Louis. Luckily, he reached out to us first!

The SAT is composed of a Governing Board, which constitutes its primary decision-making body; the eleven general administrations and units which make up the bureau; and a Chief of the Tax Administration Service, who is appointed and removed by the President with the approval of the Senate. The Chief of the SAT is the primary link between the bureau and the rest of the departments and bureaus which make up the executive branch of the Mexican federal government, as well as all other government entities at the state and local levels, private and social sector actors.

According to Wikipedia, The Governing Board of the SAT is made up of the following individuals:

  • Arturo Herrera Gutiérrez as Secretary of Finance;
  • Three counsellors appointed by the former from within the finance ministry; and
  • Three independent counsellors appointed by the President, two of whom must have been nominated by the National Committee of Fiscal Officials (Reunión Nacional de Funcionarios Fiscales) in accordance with the Law of Fiscal Coordination.
  • Additionally, the general administrations which make up the SAT are as follows:
    • Customs
    • Taxpayer Services
    • Federal Tax Auditing
    • Large Taxpayers
    • Legal
    • Revenue
    • Resources and Services
    • Communication and Information Technology
    • Evaluation
    • Planning
    • Foreign Trade Auditing
These, together with the various state and local administrative units make up the main body of the Tax Administration Service (SAT).

No where in the description of responsibilities does it say SAT will guarantee payment of prepaid taxes when paid in connection with the sale of a contract of any sort.

1000 Use Scam 6922102 1080
Although the document looks very official, it is not! Do not fall for the concept that an agency of the Mexican government will guarantee the return of prepayments made by a trusting contract owner in connection with the sale of a contract.

Remember!! Only YOU can help stamp out scams - Don’t Send Money!!




2023-08-05 We received word from Nino about another attempt by a caller to gain contract and confidential information for an investigation conducted by FONATUR.

FONATUR, or the National Fund for Tourism Development (Fondo Nacional de Fomento al Turismo), is a Mexican government agency established in 1974 with the goal of promoting and developing tourism-related infrastructure and projects in Mexico. FONATUR's main objective is to strategically plan and execute initiatives that stimulate tourism, boost local economies, and create job opportunities. It often focuses on developing areas with high tourism potential, such as coastal regions and historical sites, by investing in transportation, hospitality, and recreational facilities. The agency's efforts aim to attract both domestic and international visitors, thereby contributing to Mexico's economic growth through tourism. The current project is the Mayan Train.

FONATUR does not act as a consumer protection agency. That would be PROFECO. Rather, the agency spearheads projects to increase tourism and jobs in Mexico.

Here is an exchange you need to be aware of:
From: Aimfair Member
Date: August 4, 2023 at 11:35:30 PM EDT
To: informacion at fonaturgob.mx
Subject: Re: SANTIAGO HERNANDEZ-FONATUR

Nice try once again.

When I search your phone number, this is what pops up:
time share scam under a different name and escrow account - Cabo San Lucas Forum - Tripadvisor




On Aug 4, 2023, at 2:37 PM, informacion at fonaturgob.mx wrote:

My investigation is legitimate. FONATUR has a funded program to help Canadians and US Citizens who are being targeted for timeshare fraud. There are no reports of fraud or phishing about our website, we have ZERO COMPLAINTS overall. The report you received from scam adviser is just suggesting for you to be careful with any information you share online, which should be the common practice.

Here is a positive website that list all of the fraud companies being investigated so far this year, FONATUR IS NOT LISTED, we are the ones compiling the information.

https://elcidvacationsclub.com.mx/politica-de-privacidad/321987852-2/

I will not ask you for any money or for you to provide any personal information, there are no strings attached. Please fill in the complaint form with a simple testimony of ¨I have received phone calls about a timeshare¨, and place your initials on the authorization page. This will allow me to add your information to Mexico´s national ¨DO NOT CALL¨ list. With your input, my investigation will go a long way. Can I count on your complaint form today?

Regards,

Lic. Santiago Hernandez Hernandez

Lic. Santiago Hernandez Hernandez
Informacion at fonaturgob.mx
Phone Number: 011 52 (558) 942-7660
Tecoyotitla 100, Colonia Florida, Álvaro Obregón,
Ciudad de México, CDMX, México.



From: Aimfair Member
Sent: viernes, 4 de agosto de 2023 08:55 a. m.
To: informacion at fonaturgob.mx
Subject: RE: SANTIAGO HERNANDEZ-FONATUR

I think you are a scam as well.

The scam alert below suggests that you are not legitimate.

Stop scamming people.

https://www.scamadviser.com/check-website/informacion@fonaturgob.mx



From: informacion at fonaturgob.mx
Sent: Friday, August 4, 2023 11:45 AM
To: ninosilvestri at msn.com
Subject: SANTIAGO HERNANDEZ-FONATUR

Dear Mr. Aimfair Member,
FONATUR is an, appointed by the F.G.R. to filter and conduct an investigation on all private information seized on Mexican territory. There is an open federal case for many counts of fraud, money laundering, amongst other major crimes. F.G.R has seized assets along with catalogs and data bases from "Boiler Rooms" involved in fraudulent transactions, with connection to timeshare.

Article 68 of Mexico's L.F.P.D.P.P.P. (Ley Federal de Proteccion de Datos Personales en Posesion de los Particulares), translates to Federal Law on Protection of Personal Data, which states the following: Any transfer of personal data, whether national or international, is subject to the consent of its owner.

In addition, under Article 56 of the Consumers Protection Law, your information is protected, and both of the consumers right laws have been violated. We also have an option to relinquish your rights to your vacation membership as a result of the above-mentioned Federal Laws. We will determine if the resort has any involvement, which PROFECO will sanction according to Federal Laws. Once the Foreign Vacation Investment Owner is identified as a victim, which crimes/frauds range from direct timeshare complaints, third party monetary losses, harassment via telemarketing calls, etc..., FONATUR will provide pro bono legal assistance federally funded. Legal assistance will result in restitution for lost money, damages, relinquishment of rights, other legal causes violated, harassment, and/or apprehension of suspects involved in timeshare fraud.
Once this is done, each case will be examined and evaluated on a case-by-case bases. Cases will be disbursed in order of assigned Case File I.D. number.

Attached you will find the “Authorization and Denunciation Formulary”, please forward the completed form with the required signatures by fax or email: Informacion at fonaturgob.mx
  • PLEASE RESPOND IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS INFORMATION*

Kind regards,

Lic. Santiago Hernandez Hernandez

Lic. Santiago Hernandez Hernandez
Informacion at fonaturgob.mx
Phone Number: 011 52 (558) 942-7660
Tecoyotitla 100, Colonia Florida, Álvaro Obregón,
Ciudad de México, CDMX, México.
This is an example of a caller impersonating an attorney with the intent of extracting confidential information from the person called. The objective is to gather information about your timeshare ownership so others in the scam network can call, offer options, ask for money to participate in class action suits, etc.

By the way, keep in mind the length of time a caller’s domain has been active. In this case, fonaturgob.mx was formed 125 ago! Here is information from whois.Domaintools.com on Fonaturgob.mx:

  • Whois Record: Last updated on 2023-08-08
  • Domain Name: fonaturgob.mx
  • Created On: 2023-04-05
  • Expiration Date: 2024-04-05
  • Last Updated On: 2023-05-22
  • Registrar: PDR Ltd. d/b/a PublicDomainRegistry.com
  • URL: https://publicdomainregistry.com
Thank you for sending us this information. Please be aware there is more scam activity than ever, and the scams are very convincing.

Remember, only YOU can help stamp out scams….Don’t Send Money!!!


2023-08-03 An Aimfair member posted the following on the Owners Forum:

I have two companies simultaneously purporting to make me offers on my GM Deluxxe. Looking for any prior scam history.

One is Magnificent Realty Inc, 230 West Monroe St. 8th Floor, Chicago IL 60606
The other is Prospective Realty Group LLC, 1 Glenwood Ave # 5 Raleigh, NC 27603

Anyone have any experience with either of these? Really thin info on line, so eyebrows raised…

Domain Information:


Both companies are registered with their respective State Secretaries of State, and appear to be in good standing.

I have those filings and can email it to you if it makes it easier.

What we found:

Prospective Realty Group LLC - Prorgroup.com:

Dates 229 days old
Created on 2022-12-16
Expires on 2024-12-16
Updated on 2023-07-21

Magnificent Realty - Mgnfcntrealty.com:

Dates 43 days old
Created on 2023-06-20
Expires on 2024-06-20
Updated on 2023-06-21

Neither one of these domains appears to be be more than a year old. In fact Magnificent Realty mgnfcntrealty.com is only 43 days old.

The only way you can determine legitimacy is to send each a fed ex parcel to their addresses. If fed ex can't deliver, you have a scam on your hands.

I called the building manager at 230 West Monroe St. 8th Floor, Chicago IL 60606. Magnificent Realty Inc. is not on the rent roll. The company is a sham.

The second company is not located at 1 Glenwood Ave # 5 Raleigh, NC 27603 either.

In both cases, the business names were taken over by someone other than the original owners and registrants at their respective Secretary of States.

Vidanta has advised us that both companies are scams too.

Please do not engage with them for fear of losing money.



Thank you for keeping us updated....

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