PEEBLESSHIRE residents are being warned about a time-share scam operating within the area.
In recent weeks, Peebles Solicitors Blackwood and Smith have been swamped by clients seeking advice after they received documents from bogus Spanish legal firms.
The letters claim that the company will be able to recover funds the individual has lost in previous timeshare frauds.
They claim that the party responsible for defrauding the client in the past has been taken through the Spanish court system or has died, and that they are now taking the work over.
Blackwood and Smith urge people that the firms are bogus and the paperwork is not legitimate, but is designed to continue the fraud by requesting payment supposedly to cover translation services and court fees.
In the most recent cases, the clients have been asked to sign Powers of Attorney. They are provided with two copies of the Attorney, one in English and one in Spanish, and are asked to sign in the presence of a solicitor and have the documentation apostilled before being returned.
Blackwood and Smith urge anyone who has experienced this or has received suspicious documents to contact the police immediately.
A spokesperson advised: “Mindtimeshare is a Spanish Registered Association representing the interests of European timeshare owners that have been victims of a timeshare fraud. A simple search on this website should provide details and warnings about the companies involved.
For more information regarding this article or assistance in any other timeshare related issues please contact the TCA on 01908 881058 or email: info@TimeshareConsumerAssociation.org.uk