How to Report a Timeshare Scam

To report a timeshare scam, file with the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and add your state attorney general and the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center if money changed hands. Reporting is free, takes a few minutes, and helps regulators build the cases that shut these operations down.

Where do you report a timeshare scam?

There is no single office that handles timeshare fraud, so file with more than one. Each agency uses reports differently, and together they cover the sales, financing, and criminal angles. If you paid money, report to all of the government channels that apply.

• Federal Trade Commission, at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. This is the FTC's main fraud-reporting portal. You can report even if you did not lose money. Your report feeds the FTC's Consumer Sentinel database, which is shared with thousands of federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. You can also call 1-877-382-4357.
• Your state attorney general. Use the consumer-protection or file-a-complaint section of your state attorney general's official website. For a purchase dispute, also consider the attorney general of the state where the resort is located, because timeshares are regulated at the state level.
• FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, at ic3.gov. Most timeshare resale and exit fraud arrives by phone, email, or online and works as an advance-fee scheme, which is exactly what the IC3 takes reports on.
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Use this when the problem involves the financial side, such as the loan used to buy the timeshare or a debt collector pursuing timeshare debt. The CFPB forwards your complaint to the company and asks for a response, usually within 15 days.
• BBB Scam Tracker, at bbb.org/scamtracker. The Better Business Bureau is a private nonprofit, not a government agency, so use it in addition to the official channels. Its tracker warns other consumers about the same operation.

What should you gather before you file?

A clear, well-documented report is more useful to investigators and faster for you to file. Before you start, pull together:

• The timeshare purchase contract, and any contract you signed with an exit or resale company.
• Proof of every payment: amounts, dates, and how you paid (card, wire, check, or gift card).
• Copies of emails, text messages, letters, and any advertisements you received.
• The names and phone numbers of the salespeople and companies involved.
• Any written or recorded promises, especially anything that contradicts the signed contract.

Then describe, briefly and in order, what happened, what you have already done to resolve it, and what outcome you are asking for.

What happens after you report?

Set realistic expectations. The FTC generally does not act on a single complaint on its own; instead it uses reports to detect patterns and build enforcement cases, and shares them with law enforcement partners. The CFPB does route your individual complaint to the company for a response. A state attorney general reviews complaints for patterns and can investigate, mediate, or sue, but does not act as your personal lawyer. Your report has the most value as part of the evidence trail that lets regulators act, the kind of action behind the a $140 million court judgment in April 2026 against a primary operator of a timeshare exit scam.

Can you get your money back?

Sometimes, but be realistic. The FTC is candid that once you send money to a scammer it is often gone, though recovery is sometimes possible and speed matters. Your best chances come from acting fast on the payment method itself:

• Credit or debit card: contact your card issuer right away and dispute the charge.
• Bank wire or money transfer: contact the wire service or your bank immediately to ask whether it can be reversed.
• Gift card: contact the company that issued the card as soon as possible.

Separately, when the FTC wins a case it tries to return money to the people harmed, and it has returned hundreds of millions of dollars to consumers in recent years. Those refunds come only after an enforcement action concludes, can take time, and are often a fraction of the loss, so reporting protects others as much as it helps you. If you were targeted while trying to exit a timeshare, our timeshare scams guide explains how the schemes work, and our guide to getting out of a timeshare covers the legitimate, low-cost ways to leave.

Sources

U.S. Federal Trade Commission, ReportFraud.ftc.gov and consumer guidance on scams and on recovering after a scam (consumer.ftc.gov), reviewed June 2026. U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, complaint process (consumerfinance.gov/complaint), 2026. FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov), 2026. Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker (bbb.org/scamtracker), 2026. FTC and State of Wisconsin v. Square One Development Group, FTC case record, 2026. Last reviewed June 18, 2026.