The Commercial Affairs Department investigated a company which offered to help members of a specific timeshare scheme terminate or recover monies from their timeshare memberships. Between 2012 and 2013, 20 persons had paid a total of S$200,000 to the company to engage its services.
Three men, aged between 34 and 57, who were found to be associated with the company will be charged in court on 7 December 2018 for cheating and abetment to cheat, by making various false representations to timeshare scheme members, such as:
- Purporting that the company had successfully helped other timeshare members terminate their memberships and/or recover monies; or
- Purporting that the company was appointed by the timeshare membership’s developer to terminate or buy back the memberships.
If found guilty of the cheating related offences, one will be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years, and may also be liable to a fine.
The Police would like to advise members of the public to be vigilant when receiving unsolicited calls from companies or persons purporting to help them recover monies from their timeshare memberships. Members of the public should adopt the following precautions:
- Be wary when a stranger calls you regarding your timeshare membership;
- Refrain from providing any personal information, including information on your timeshare membership to the caller;
- Conduct background checks on the company before engaging its services;
- Check with your timeshare developer if the caller was authorised by the timeshare developer to deal with your timeshare membership;
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
07 December 2018 @ 10:00 AM