We were contacted by phone in late November about selling our Paradise Village timeshare. Since we were interested we proceeded. As part of the contact, we had to put up $6,500 (10% of the selling price), which was to be refunded to us. This money was wired to a Chase Manhattan in the US as an intermediary. Account is 22700013951. The receiving bank was Scotiabank Inverlat, SA, Carretera Tepic-Vallarta #1279 SUR, Bucerias, Nayarit CP. 6372, ABA: 044578227000139514, Swift: MBCOMXMM.
On 12/22, we were informed that the sale was complete (this was done by Grand Legacy Trust) but that Mexico had instituted a new tax law, requiring that 19% of the sale price be paid prior to the sale proceeds being given to the seller. This proved to be $12,350 USD.
We sent all of the documents that we were provided to a tax attorney and financial expert. With a little digging, he was able to unearth the information that the tax was bogus and that the agency "International Accounting & Tax Services S.A.De S.C." which provided the tax information has been linked to scams.
We were already getting leary about this, after investing $6,500 and have refused to go forward with the transaction. I have no real expectation that my wife and I will be able to get our money back, but I do know that they will not be able to get any more money out of us.
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