If you’re one of the many Americans who own a timeshare, you’ve probably wondered if there is a way out. You know that you can’t resell it for very much, and the scumbag resort that sold it to you won’t take it back.
So you stumble upon Timeshare Freedom Group, a timeshare exit firm that claims to be able to get you out of your timeshare free and clear. Is it too good to be true?
Timeshares are a shady industry, so it’s our job to shine a light on these companies and help you understand how they work, so you can make an educated decision based on the facts.
So is Timeshare Freedom Group legit or a scam? Read on to find out.
Table of Contents
Who is the Timeshare Freedom Group?
Timeshare Freedom Group (TFG) is a timeshare exit company for the resort industry.
The company offers a service which could cancel your timeshare by negotiating directly with your timeshare company on your behalf. TFG is not a law firm, but as stated on their website, they do work with attorneys in the rare cases where a timeshare cancellation requires a court proceeding. Customer reviews also state that the company sometimes employs attorneys in the timeshare exit process.
On the internet, you can find the Timeshare Freedom Group at https://timesharefreedomgroup.com. In the blog section, you’ll find useful information regarding timeshare contracts, maintenance fees, and typical timeshare sales tactics are all discussed in detail. The testimonials page on Timeshare Freedom Group’s website shows many customers claiming that the company assisted them in terminating their timeshare contract. Also, the website lists endorsements from a number of large media outlets, including CNBC, CNN, FOX NEWS, and MSNBC.
How does the Timeshare Freedom Group work?
TFG’s Four Step Process
A four-step procedure is followed by the Timeshare Freedom Group in order to assist you in getting out of your timeshare contract.
- A personal face-to-face or a virtual consultation will be scheduled with a member of their staff as soon as possible, so that they can determine whether or not they can accept your case at that time. During your meeting, the representative will provide you with an estimate of how much your timeshare will cost you over the course of your lifetime, as well as a quote for how much it will cost to cancel your timeshare contract.
- When the timeshare cancellation file is being prepared, the second step is taken care of by the company, which will collect all of the necessary paperwork, such as any paperwork the timeshare company may have given you at the time of purchase, recent bills, and a written statement detailing your experiences and why you want to get out of your timeshare contract.
- At this point, the third step is for them to review the contract, determine whether or not you have any legal options, and begin negotiating with your timeshare developer.
- The final step is when you are completely free of your timeshare obligations, including all financial obligations to your timeshare company. The official cancellation of your timeshare contract will be confirmed in writing, at which point your responsibility for any owner or financial obligations associated with your timeshare contract will be terminated.
Timeshare Freedom Group Pricing
The majority of timeshare exit companies are commission-based, and the sales rep may aggressively try to convince you to pay thousands of dollars up front. So, you should always bargain for a lower price when dealing with a timeshare exit company! It can only be advantageous for you.
Generally speaking, it is best to obtain a custom quote from a timeshare cancellation company, and don’t make any decisions until you’ve done your own research and fully understand what, exactly, the company will be doing for you. This small extra effort can make a significant difference.
The timeshare cancellation industry is a highly complex and intricate industry with many moving parts. So, it’s natural for the cost of timeshare cancellation services to vary depending on a variety of factors. If a company provides you with an instant quote, this may be a red flag, particularly if the company has yet to become familiar with the specifics or complexities of your situation.
On their website, Timeshare Freedom does not specify how much it will cost. The cost of an exit, according to the company’s website, is determined by:
- How long you have owned the timeshare
- Which resort do you have your timeshare with?
- How much do you pay for yearly maintenance fees?
- Whether there is still a mortgage on the timeshare
- If there is such a mortgage, the balance is as follows:
- Whether you are current or past due with either your mortgage and/or fees,
- Other specifics that may be listed in your timeshare contract
Further Research into Pricing
Based on further research, we believe that there will be some up-front costs associated with the purchase. Those who are skeptics about the timeshare exit process should consider working with a company that does not charge any up-front fees.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Loren Goldfarb worked as a Business Development Specialist for the Timeshare Freedom group for a total of one year and four months in that position. He describes his role and responsibilities in the organization as follows:
Based on this information, we can infer that the cost of services at Timeshare Freedom Group ranges from $3,000 to $45,000, depending on how persuasively the company can negotiate with the customer.
Although Timeshare Freedom Group’s prices seem to be roughly the same as its competitors, the company does claim to offer a 100 percent money-back guarantee if they are unable to successfully end your timeshare obligations within 24 months.
Online Reviews
Yelp and Trustpilot
Timeshare Freedom Group, like their competitors, has a section on their website dedicated to positive customer testimonials. However, website testimonials are not a reliable source for customer reviews. It’s better to look at trustworthy third-party review sites like Yelp and Trustpilot.
During the past year, Timeshare Freedom Group has received a small number of negative Yelp reviews, which are listed below. This may not seem alarming on its own, given that all businesses receive negative feedback from time to time. However, TFG does not seem to have the best reputation in its voluntary reviews. As of July 4, 2021, Trustpilot reported 58% of positive reviews over the past 12 months, with 18% of those people being manually invited by TFG’s profile admin.
Lack of communication
When researching a timeshare exit company, another feature to look for is how the company organizes its customer service and client communication. Any reputable timeshare cancellation company will assign you a dedicated client manager who is easy to contact anytime during normal business hours.
Unfortunately, multiple Yelp complaints about Timeshare Freedom Group include customers who have not received an update on the status of their case, can not reach their client manager, and have not received any return phone calls.
Also, according to a job description posted by Timeshare Freedom Group on jobsearcher.com, TFG customer service representatives are expected to make welcome calls to new clients and provide monthly status updates to existing clients.
Pros and Cons of Timeshare Freedom Group
The Good
- Work with attorneys
- offer a free consultation
- Answers negative online reviews
Works with attorneys
TFG is not a law firm, but as stated on their website, they do work with attorneys in the rare cases where a timeshare cancellation requires a court proceeding. Customer reviews also state that the company sometimes employs attorneys in the timeshare exit process.
Offers a free consultation
The best timeshare cancellation companies will provide you with a free consultation before you sign any documents. This is an important opportunity for you to ask as many questions as you want and for the timeshare cancellation company to gather all of the information it requires in order to provide you with a custom quote.
Make sure you take notes and ask questions during your free consultation. You shouldn’t make any immediate decisions; take some time to consider the offer and have the representative call you at a later time. If you choose to work with a timeshare exit company, take the time to ensure that everything is in writing before paying anything. This is critically important!
Timeshare Freedom Group does offer a free consultation to evaluate your situation, and the company claims to assist individuals in getting out of their timeshare contract “permanently and legally”.
Responds to negative reviews
Timeshare Freedom Group appears to have taken the time to address most of the complaints found on Yelp and Trustpilot.
The Bad
- Lots of lawsuits
- Too many suspicious and negative reviews
- Flaky on refunds
- Some unsubstantiated claims discovered
Lots of lawsuits
Timeshare Freedom Group and associates have been involved in multiple lawsuits, usually involving a timeshare company as the plaintiff.
The owner of the company is Jordan Salkin, according to a lawsuit filed by Diamond against Timeshare Freedom Group on September 23, 2020. According to the Diamond Resorts lawsuit, Jordan Salkin referred some timeshare customers to his legal advisor, Michael A. Molfetta, and they split the upfront fees received from the timeshare holders.
Many suspicious and negative reviews
The Timeshare Freedom Group customer reviews on Trustpilot seem suspicious enough to raise an eyebrow. After taking a closer look, you’ll find a few red flags.
TFG pays for Trustpilot’s premium features, such as the ability to send invites out to specific people, requesting them to leave a review. We also found many 5-star reviews appearing in clusters, all on the same day and all manually invited, along with the company’s same-day replies — which could lead one to question the legitimacy of these reviews.
Flaky on refunds
It is the promise of the Timeshare Freedom Group that you will be out of your timeshare legally within 24 months.
In some complaints, clients claim that TFG did not complete the cancellation of their timeshare within the 24-month period and that TFG had even requested that the client extend the 24-month money-back guarantee to a total of 30 months.
In April, 2020, truthinadvertising.org reviewed TFG and posted this screenshot from the company’s FAQ page, regarding the 24 month guarantee.
The image aligns with several customer complaints. However, the FAQ page seems to have been updated since. The section now appears in the following image:
Some unsubstantiated claims discovered
One way to tell if you’re working with one of the best timeshare exit companies is to look for a physical location where you can meet with them in person. One indicator that you are dealing with an established timeshare exit company is to check if the timeshare company has a large national footprint.
The Timeshare Freedom Group claims to have 15 other locations across the United States. According to the website, customers in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, and the Caribbean have benefited from timeshare exit services provided by the company
On LinkedIn, fourteen people identify Timeshare Freedom Group as their current employer, which is a relatively low number of staff, when the company claims to operate in 15 locations across the US. The only person excluded from this category is the owner himself, Jordan Salkin, who does not have a profile associating him with his company. Looking further, every person who claims association to the company, both past and present employees, claim to be located in California.
Furthermore, not only is there no evidence online to support TFG’s claim of having a large national footprint, but also, there is no evidence of the company having the years of experience that it claims.
A Facebook page for Timeshare Freedom Group claims to have ten years of experience in the timeshare exit industry, and their website claims to have the same information, despite the fact that their Facebook page and the website’s domain name were only registered in 2017.
Timeshare Freedom Group’s BBB profile is relatively new, only 4 years old. This is far from the 10 years experience the company claims to have been offering timeshare cancellation services. Though there are no negative reviews published on the BBB profile, the lack of unverifiable consistency in the company’s message and claims is offsetting.
Rumor: Is TFG affiliated with Timeshare Freedom LLC?
Timeshare Freedom LLC is another timeshare exit company that operates in the United States. According to the Better Business Bureau page for Timeshare Freedom LLC, the company was founded in 2010. I personally reached out to a TFG representative via email at jeremym@timesharefreedomgroup.com and inquired about any association between the two companies. Despite the similarities in the names and claimed years of experience, Timeshare Freedom Group claims no affiliation with Timeshare Freedom LLC.
Final Verdict: Is Timeshare Freedom Group a Legit Timeshare Exit Firm?
Some things that the Timeshare Freedom Group does distinguish them from fraudulent organizations. However, given the numerous red flags raised, as well as the involvement of Timeshare Freedom Group in this lawsuit, we are unable to say with confidence that timeshare owners can put their trust in them when it comes to the cancellation of their timeshares.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns Timeshare Freedom Group?
The owner of the company is Jordan Salkin.
Where is the Timeshare Freedom Group located?
Timeshare Freedom Group’s main office is located at 23046 Avenida De La Carlota Suite 600 in Laguna Hills, California 92653.