Time-share resale companies ripping people off

RIP-OFF ALERT: Buying a time-share is bad enough of a rip-off. But imagined getting ripped off twice or three times by crooks promising to help you resell your time-share!

Florida is the epicenter of the universe when it comes to time-shares. The St. Petersburg Times reports the Sunshine State's attorney general received more than 2,700 complaints about the re-sale industry in 2009, up from nearly 1,000 a year prior. That's been a growth rate of almost triple the number of complaints year over year!

The crooks typically ask for money upfront for advertising, title searches and other administrative fees. You may even be told you'll get your money back if your time-share isn't sold in 90 days. That's a big, fat lie. You won't get anything back except a lighter wallet.

Here's the real truth. Anyone promising you more than a few pennies on the dollar of what you paid is lying. Remember, salespeople should receive commissions at the time of the sale, not a second before.