The American Resort Development Association (ARDA) and the Resort Owner’s Coalition (ARDA-ROC) have been made aware of fraudulent activity by a group of individuals using the names “Robert Alexander” and “Janet Finklestein” to defraud timeshare owners through improper representation of ARDA staff and Fidelity National Timeshare, a member of ARDA.
“Robert Alexander” and “Janet Finklestein” are in NO WAY affiliated with Fidelity National Timeshare, ARDA or ARDA-ROC.
Several timeshare owners have been contacted by a man using the name Robert Alexander and the email address “[email protected]” claiming to have an interested buyer for the victim’s timeshare interest.
Janet Finklestein claims to be a sales representative for ARDA, attempting to get owners to pay an upfront fee, requesting money to be wired into an account in order to complete the transaction, which she calls a “luxury tax”. Finklestein has been reported to be using the email address “[email protected]”.
ARDA and ARDA-ROC DO NOT perform any resale services. ARDA and ARDA-ROC DO NOT contact owners unless first requested by the owner to do so.
Fidelity National Timeshare is aware of the situation. This type of “offer” is not a legitimate business practice of Fidelity National Timeshare. If you are currently working with a representative of Fidelity National Timeshare and if there is a genuine offer on your timeshare, you – as the seller – will never be asked to send money in advance.
Proceed with Caution
ARDA and ARDA-ROC caution all timeshare owners to be wary of such solicitations. If you receive any such contact, ARDA urges you to reach out to our ARDA-ROC Consumer Service Team at [email protected].
If you feel that you have been a part of a scam, contact your local authorities to file a report, reach out to the state attorney general, and file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. ARDA encourages owners to thoroughly research any company before doing business with them or paying any upfront fees. For more information about timeshare ownership and tips to ensure a safe buying or selling experience, visit ARDA-ROC’s Timeshare Resale Resource Center.