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How to Deal with Timeshare Scam Companies

We all know how timeshare scam companies in Singapore work. Last October, local blogger gecko wrote about his encounter with one such timeshare company, grand seasons international (GSI). His post was quickly highlighted in tomorrow.sg (a highly popular local metablog) to warn people about this scam.

Seven months later, tomorrow.sg has been slapped with a legal letter, supposedly for defaming GSI.

Note that tomorrow.sg does not publish its own original blog content; it aggregates interesting posts (with a local focus) from various blogs. Still, the law firm chose to take legal action against tomorrow.sg instead of the original blogger.

I am not sure how the editors intend to deal with this matter. They are currently seeking legal advice and support from people who have dealt with GSI before. I certainly hope that they would not bow down to pressure or be bullied into taking down the post, because that is exactly what GSI is seeking. Scam companies do not deserve to win.

A quick google search for “grand seasons international” (with quotes) would reveal the said tomorrow.sg post in the first result, and “Grand Seasons International — Timeshare Victims Support Group” in the second. That speaks volumes about GSI already.

james seng, a tomorrow.sg editor, says it best:

“We are also mindful that threats of legal action should never be used to quash legitimate and valid criticism on the internet.”

Indeed. Blogs have become a popular medium for people to gather the most honest reviews and opinions. People trust a blog review more than, say, a paid review article in a magazine. But imagine being threatened with legal action for every negative remark made of a company, however accurate it is. No blogger would dare to speak ill of anyone ever again. Instead, they would be waxing lyrical about every other company and product. Would people still look to blogs as a reliable source of information?

Be sure to read the full legal letter here and leave your thoughts on how the editors should deal with this matter. Personally I am very curious as to how it will unfold. I have always wondered what I might do should bee cheng hiang decide to take legal action against me for my call for boycott.

Now, for something more lighthearted… How should we deal with these timeshare scammers in the first place? Well, I stumbled upon jayson’s blog a few days ago. Yet another of these timeshare scam companies, global trend this time, called him up to offer him a “free gift”. He immediately knew that it was a scam and with some quick thinking, pulled a fast one on the company.

Lucky for us Jayson has recorded all his hilarious phone conversations with the scammer — a totally clueless but very persistent one! Listen to how Jayson (he uses the name “victor” in the recordings) brag about his “big and long shaguar” (jaguar!) that has to occupy at least “1.5 to 2 parking lots”. Hahahahaha! He claims himself to be the CIO of a huge multinational company and how he enjoys “pajamas Fridays”. Hahahahaha!

Guys, you must, must, must listen to the conversations in this order! Trust me, they are bloody funny!

May 25, 2007 – 11:43am

May 25, 2007 – 6:17pm

May 28, 2007 – 2:23pm

Thanks, Jayson, for the laughs! Do drop by his blog to listen to all his conversations with the scammer and leave your creative suggestions!

Tags: Funny

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About the Editor

Veron Ang is the Founder and Chief Editor of Sparklette, a Singapore restaurants guide, lifestyle and travel blog. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in computer science from the National University of Singapore and runs a web design firm at Sparklette Studio. To get in touch, head on over to the contact page or follow @Sparklette and @VeronSG on Twitter.

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Responses Leave a comment

Kevin
26 comments

Fierce! It’s like giving the scammer a taste of his own medicine. You’ve been punked!
Reply
Posted May 31, 2007 at 2:04 am
Veron
3438 comments

What makes it sweeter is that the scammer still has NO idea. I wonder what Jayson would pull this time.
Reply
Posted May 31, 2007 at 2:18 am
Jayson
44 comments

hey Veron!
nice cosy blog you have here!
thanks for featuring my post here. I feel very honoured.
Well, let’s see if Jack calls me on Pajamas day this Friday.
Cheers~
Reply
Posted May 31, 2007 at 2:21 pm
pkchukiss
82 comments

It is really a common practice for companies engaging in illegal activities to conduct legal intimidation to discredit exposers of their low-life activities. These companies hope that the whistle-blower is intimidated enough by a legal letter to succumb to their bullying tactics.
There should be a law against frivolous law suits.
Reply
Posted May 31, 2007 at 8:41 pm
Jacelyn
29 comments

Well, the contents of the letter look pretty stupid. Disclose the name of GECKO? Have they ran out of ideas to track down the person? It’s always the cowards who have to resort to such tricks.
But anyway, the conversations are really hilarious! Haha..
Reply
Posted June 1, 2007 at 1:32 am
Xanthe
28 comments

A friend who have worked for a timeshare company as a scammer/telephone marketer once told me that while she knows it’s a timeshare co. because of the type of questions she need to ask and the must-find-out question is “Do you have credit card?” She have absolutely no idea who she’s calling on behalf for. The company was secretive and her pay was given through an agent company. She get her commission based on the attendance of the people she called.
Besides timeshare co, there’s an MLM company http://www.swisscash.net. I’ve heard of many scams regarding that company and it’s pretty “popular” or notorious perhaps, a friend of mine have got into some kind of trouble with that. Wonder if there’s more information you can share with me?
Reply
Posted June 1, 2007 at 12:25 pm
Anthony
1 comment

Pkchukiss,
There -is- a law against frivolous lawsuits. In order to enforce it however, you have to….you guessed it…pay a lawyer and ask them to sue the bugger.
Yes, I know it’s not fair.
Reply
Posted June 14, 2007 at 9:20 am
Swisscash Investor
1 comment

Recently there is this Hight Yield Investment Program (HYIP) called SwissCash SIP25 that guarantee 25% interest per month forever. My friend invested in it and I’m very worried for him. I told him I don’t think this investment scheme is real, simply because it’s too good to be true. Since he is my friend I decided to go something to help him. I created this blog called http://swisscash-investment-review.blogspot.com solely for the purpose of gathering evidence to show that SwissCash is a scam. I managed to gather a lot of solid evidence from credible sources such as Today online newspaper, governments, embassy, banks, etc. Unfortunately, after my friend read the blog I created for him, he still don’t believe that the SwissCash SIP25 is a scam. I personally think SwissCash is a scam and you can see this site http://swisscash-investment-review.blogspot.com for strong evidence.
Reply
Posted July 1, 2007 at 3:09 pm
TimeshareRevealed.com
1 comment

Jayson is smarter than me! I actually bought my timeshare from Point To Point Destinations in Vancouver, BC. I regret it ever since.
Please, people, check the facts first! Use your head, not what I used! And trust noone until you check the facts!
NEVER sign anything on the day and at the place when and where the presentation took place. Come home and THINK about it!
I described my experience here:
http://www.TimeshareRevealed.com
Reply
Posted July 11, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Nearly victimized
1 comment

Those people who are greedy or ignorant enough (no offence intended, if you feel so, I apologise) to believe that they can get a free gift only need to remember this. If the company promise you that the presentation is one hour but do not end there and give you the gift when you did not bite the bait,how can you trust them with the service they promise after you have paid to become a member or shareholder or whatever they call it.
Also, never buy anything on the spot. If the company do not give you time to consider, just walk away. You will never be wrong.
However, if you have been sweet talked into buying anything, you can change your mind within the next few days (check with a lawyer or people who knows about law) although the process requires some hassle.
Reply
Posted January 11, 2012 at 9:13 am