The warning of swindling in timeshare resale is still acute.

As soon as 2004 we had already published a resale warning about fraud companies with pretended interest of buying your weeks.
After many years this notice is still relevant, even more relevant then before.

We received some inquiries from timeshare holders who have got resale offers from companies. This inquiries occur mostly frequently, several enquiries for 1 to 2 days from the same company, then silence for a few weeks and then starts a new enquiry wave from a (new) company who leads to several inquiries for us.

The offers of companies should be always compared with the typical tricks listed below.

Here are some typical tricks of deceitful companies:

• the company is mostly located in a foreign country, often in Spain, e.g. on Gran Canary, with a different legal system.
• the enquiries come often per phone. on phone you are set under pressure.
• the companies send often example contracts per e-mail or fax.
• some contracts in German language include text portions in Spain with respectively difficult to understand content.
• the offered resale prices in the past where utopian high, often even above the wholesale price of Anfi del Mar, whereas today the prices are more realistic.
• the swindler try to establish a trustful relationship and to mime the best friend who means good for you.
• possible notary documents of the notary to whom you should transfer money deposits could be faked.
• deposit, security deposit or cost for anything is due before you sign of the contract.after payment of this cost additional fees are due which you are obliged also to pay for.

A complete listing of all this deceitful companies is not possible because permanent new companies with new names come into existence to try one's luck.

Our tip: Never pay deposit or fee before the purchase deal! Use a notary of YOUR trust! Check critical enquiries always for the here mentioned points!

The resale private-to-private is one of the most secure proceedings for a good resale of your Anfi weeks.

Michael Reuhl, May 28, 2008

You want to resale your timeshare usage rights?

Surly you got recently with a steady regularity phone calls from companies which offer extremely high prices for your Anfi weeks. Last time me was offered 27.000 EUR for one Anfi week which is available from Anfi Sales for Anfi members about 10.000 EUR cheaper. When I asked the friendly lady why she offers me so much more for a week as Anfi does the conservation was soon ended. Who sells our addresses to those people?

Years before timeshare holders where asked for security and listing fees for the the resale proceeding. If in the past possibly 250 EUR was demanded nowadays they take what they can.

Timeshare holders are attracted with faked purchase contracts. First he pays a security fee well above 1.000 EUR on a so-called notary bank account. Then the so-called attorney or notary informs him that the contract cannot be certified because no entry would be in the land register. The so-called notary offers this service and requests a further payment of about 1.500 EUR.

Now the bank shows up to make the payment. But that is not possible because the timeshare holder allegedly would have not paid the land acquisition fee. A further payment of about 1.800 EUR to circumvent this is not seldom..

If you have summed up the above listed cost: We have end up with 4.300 EUR.

The so cheated timeshare holder pays in sum more as the value of his timeshare usage right !

Or have you already been invited to Spain for a 1 week stay? It sounds all realistic: The notary purchase contract will be settled locally. Forget it! After the arrival the so-called "custom service person" informs you by phone for the time being that the buyer would unfortunately not be ready to make the deal. (Do we not also know "custom service persons" who promise the heaven on earth?). But that would not make a difference because an alternative would be available.

According to the experience of customer protection agencies, well above the half of timesharing resellers will be taken in by this trick and pay for the return of a cash-back certificate (money return guarantee). Often they pay once more the amount they have paid originally for the timeshare usage right in a so-called bank fond. Numerous fraud variants exist and sometimes weekly new companies come into existence.

The "Schutzvereinigung für Time-Sharing- und Ferienwohnrechts-Inhaber in Europa e.V." has in the meantime a list of more than 130 companies, among them companies you are informed to take highest caution.

As a conclusion it can be stated that there is no such a thing as a good functioning commercial resale market. Besides few Anfi weeks in the past there are near to zero weeks traded from other resorts. Due to the current bad economic situation also this market is broken down. The promised prices by phone cannot be real!

Serious companies work mostly as agent and mediate between both parties (seller and buyer) for a success provision and a fair registration fee. You will not be forced to give up your property rights or usage rights.

The Anfi Member Club Deutschland e.V.supports this web site as a club independent, serious, and word-wide private-to-private (non-commercial) market for rent out, rent, purchase, resale, and exchange of timeshare usage rights. In this market agreements and contracts are done strictly directly between both parties.

The purchase prices are low for the moment but may rise as soon as Anfi has sold most of the weeks. Up to that moment a resale should be thought over thoroughly and alternatives should be considered till the market has recovered.

To get your right for rent or purchase you must observe some rules.

In case you have questions do not hesitate to reach us by mail. We will help you.

Reinhard Reuhl, Chairmen of Anfi Member Club Deutschland e.V.