Beware the 'Financial Hardship Trick'

Beware the ‘Financial Hardship Trick’

Timeshares know that once you buy into their vacation scheme, you’re easy pickings for an ‘upsell’. And the best way to accomplish an upsell is to simply wait a few months before calling the customer with a very intriguing offer (It’s all done quickly over the phone with no need for an in-person presentation, which makes it sound even more legit).

They will tell you that one of their customers is experiencing a financial hardship, and they’re taking back the timeshare today.  And guess what?  You (lucky you!) can have it right now at the “hardship” price before the timeshare salespeople get their hands on it for one of their in-person presentations!

This technique accomplishes two objectives: it generates easy revenue for the timeshare company AND they plant a seed in your head that timeshares can be given back.

However, what the timeshare company is not telling you is that this timeshare is no different than any other. And, in the unlikely event that it actually is a “take back”, chances are high that it was reluctantly taken back after a year-long fight with a cancellation firm like Resolution. Either way, it’s worthless and they know it.

-Stephen Lasser