A travel company based in Jasper engaged in illegal deceptive practices, including identity theft and fraudulent timeshare transactions, Attorney General Todd Rokita has alleged in a lawsuit.
GoGo Travel Consulting LLC falsely represented itself by using the identity of an Indiana-licensed real estate broker without his knowledge or consent, the lawsuit alleges, as part of a scheme to hoodwink consumers into believing they were engaging with a legitimate travel consulting service attempting to broker timeshare rental or purchase agreements.
“As we work to protect Hoosiers, we will continue holding accountable those who engage in these kinds of illegal shakedowns,” Attorney General Rokita said. “We encourage anyone who believes they have been a victim of timeshare fraud to contact our office immediately.”
Older adults are particularly vulnerable to timeshare scams, which often involve high-pressure sales tactics that include bogus claims of having ready buyers for timeshare properties. Victims are typically asked to pay upfront fees for supposed taxes or closing costs, only to find that the promised transactions never occur.
Attorney General Rokita filed the lawsuit through his Homeowner Protection Unit (HPU), which is part of the office’s Consumer Protection Division.
HPU’s investigation revealed that the phone number utilized by GoGo Travel, which was spoofed to appear as a number originating from southern Indiana, was ultimately linked to two Mexican nationals living in Puerto Vallarta who are alleged to be conspirators in the fraudulent scheme.
In conjunction with this legal action, the Attorney General’s office is raising awareness about the broader issue of timeshare fraud, which is often linked to organized crime. According to a joint notice by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), timeshare fraud schemes are frequently perpetrated by Mexico-based transnational criminal organizations. These organizations use the proceeds from such fraud to fund other criminal activities, including drug trafficking and human trafficking.
Hoosiers are encouraged to contact the Office of the Attorney General about any suspected scams or scam attempts. Consumers may file a complaint by visiting indianaconsumer.com or calling 1-800-382-5516.
SOURCE: Indiana Attorney General
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