Timeshare scammers indicted in New Orleans Federal Court

A federal grand jury has indicted a number of Mexican nationals alleged to be involved in phone scam netting upwards of $10-million from victims in the U.S., Canada and South America. The alleged scammers would call people who owned timeshares and said for a payment to them, the victims could sell their timeshare.  The scammers would pocket the money then never come through on selling the unwanted vacation property. The phony business operated under the names of Planet Travel and Newport International to appear legitimate, promising to sell people’s timeshares and get them out from under the payments and fees associates with owning one. The FBI got involved in 2018 when a New Orleans couple claimed they were bilked out of a more than half-million dollars, continuing to pay fees to the group to facilitate the sale of their time share. More than 50 victims of the scam across the U.S. have been identifed, including residents in New Orleans and Plaquemines Parish. A Times-Picayune/Advocate story reports at 40 of the victims were over the age of 60. Six defendants are listed on the indictment, they are all natives of Mexican state of Queretaro or Cabo San Lucas.  All defendants are currently in federal custody. Source: TBP