Scams come in all shapes and forms, and when traveling to an unfamiliar location there is always a higher chance that you’ll encounter someone looking to take advantage of you. In many popular tourist spots, including Malaysia, scammers are actively looking for their next victims.
If you vacation often, there’s a good chance you’ve been approached by someone on the street offering you an extravagant gift, such as a RM500 cash voucher, in exchange for attending a one- or two-hour timeshare presentation. It’s easy to think these offers are too good to be true, but are they really scams? Let’s find out.
Before we get started, it’d probably be best if you knew what a timeshare actually was. A timeshare is essentially one or two weeks of vacation time at a resort.
It can be a good option for those who often vacation with family because most timeshare accommodations come equipped with multiple bedrooms and a kitchen. Timeshares also allow you to stay at more luxurious resorts for a cheaper price over time.
So, are timeshares a scam? Short answer: no. But there’s a reason why you’re being offered such an extravagant gift to attend a short presentation.
After doing some more research I learned that up to 50% of the price you pay for a timeshare at a resort goes towards covering the cost of those extravagant gifts! That’s a lot of money considering a timeshare can cost thousands or more.
Enter BuyaTimeshare.com
During my research into timeshares I discovered that you can actually buy these things from existing owners looking to sell on a website called BuyaTimeshare.com. This website appears at the top of Google for several different timeshare related keyword searches, so I thought it’d be a trustworthy site to learn more. Basically, this is how the site works:
- Existing timeshare owners advertise their timeshare for sale or rent on the site.
- Potential buyers and renters make offers on those timeshares.
- Owners approve or counter those offers until an agreement is made.
- The timeshare is transferred or rented to the new owner.
Curious as to if any resale timeshares exist in Bangkok, I did a quick search and was pleasantly surprised to find six resorts.
Looks like someone is advertising their timeshare week for rent at the MTC Plus at Grand Tower Inn in Bangkok for just $450 ($64/night). Not too shabby.
Is it trustworthy?
Before submitting an offer, I wanted to take a look at the company’s history and credentials. Apparently, BuyaTimeshare.com has been around for a very long time. Since 2000 to be exact.
It has an office in Merrimack, New Hampshire and Tampa, Florida and is accredited by several different organizations. I’m not really familiar with all of the organizations they’re accredited with, but I’d be willing to bet that all of these groups vetting them have to count for something.
3rd Party Reviews
I noticed they have several positive testimonials on their homepage, but I wanted to get some 3rd party perspectives because I don’t always trust a company’s own testimonials. I came across a review by hotel-scoop.com and a different review by Funnewjersey.com and read nothing but good things. It seems like, for the most part, people are happy with their services.
Summary
I can safely conclude that BuyaTimeshare.com site is not a scam. They’ve been doing business for a while and seem to be well respected in the industry. Additionally, I gave their customer service department a call to get some more information and found they were professional and happy to help. Give them a try the next time you’re looking to buy, sell or rent a timeshare.
