More promises and dreams are being offered to unsuspected, innocent consumers throughout the UK, with the ever growing convoluted sales pitches from the fast talking, slick timeshare sales representatives.
Yet, unbeknown to the innocent clientele they are to be conned by scams and fraudulent operators. Due to genuine sellers of timeshare and not all people being sceptical the timeshare bandits can look and sound more legitimate than ever.
These days it is easy for scammers to obtain professional websites, glossy brochures, fantastic goodies and offer guarantees. Without a doubt, the representatives are suited and booted looking more than presentable, smart and fast talking with excellent persuasions skills.
It is of no importance to these con artists what the laws or regulations are, no matter how many con men/women are brought to justice, the greed of making ‘quick’ money will keep them coming, keep them obtaining money by deception with their forever promise and dishevelled dreams. There are legitimate timeshare industries which have made efforts to reserve beliefs and ethics into the timeshare industry, yet still the con men/women from the ‘good old days’ still continue to rear their ugly heads, yet again damming the name of legit timeshare resorts.
The most recent case 10 cons were convicted for endorsing in timeshare reselling crimes, totalling more than £1 Million of UK citizens’ money. Sweet Justice was brought to the ring leader, who was sentenced to more than 7 years. Not to anyone’s surprise, an appeal to the sentence as being “unjust”. The convicted, Shivjit Bagharian, of Somethwick was a known timeshare fraudster, however, he needed his sentence slashed. However, with the sentence in the hands of the court, thankfully they saw differently and recalled the ‘cynical and ruthless’ timeshare scams he and is employees had perpetrated. Therefore, the court throws out his appeal and reconfirmed the sentence.
Showing no remorse, Shivjit Singh Bagharian, 31, of St Albans Road, Smethwick, was lead to his cell. Shivjit was one of 10 criminals sentenced for his role in the £1 million timeshare scam.
The team targeted the elderly, the defenceless and the confused. To put it into simple terms they cheated people and deceived them into giving over thousands of pounds. Like most re- sellers of the timeshare industry, the £1 Million gang, concentrated on targeting pensioners, which sadly left them feeling embarrassed, hurt and violated.
Bagharian confessed to conspiracy to defraud which in turn will he will receive a lighter sentence. The confession still gave him a cell for seven years and two months. Bagharian appealed yet again only to receive “slapping” from top judges (led by the lord chief justice Lord Thomas) whom quoted “the prison term was justified”.
Undoubtedly the courts opinion was the ring leaders to be the masterminds but the courts also damned the sales representatives as well as all supporting staff for their part too. The courts are now pursuing with success the financial groups, compliance officers and the internal support staff as they too, played a key role in the scam, instigating the losses of £1 millions of pounds.
On behalf of Lord Thomas and Mr Justice Wilkie, Mr Justice Fraser, giving ruling said the gang had deliberately targeted the vulnerable victims. Cold-calling timeshare owners and offering to provide a legitimate service and of course offering fees of a reasonable standard, however, once fees where paid the fraudsters then pounced on the consumer demanding more and more.
For the unfortunates who gave into such demands, when asked why more money was required they were informed it was needed for legal fees and taxes. Using their hard, pushing, selling pressure tactics and intimidation many victims simply handed over more cash. All of the victims were elderly, and some were recently bereaved, said Mr Justice Fraser.
Sadly, the fraudsters keep coming, the scam is a worldwide epidemic and in this instance these criminals embezzled over £1 Million during 2011 and 2013. The judge overruled Bagharian’s claim that he had been too severely penalised and said “the plot was ‘cynical and ruthless”.
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