The Finance Group

October 8, 2013

This is an interesting case, and it demonstrates the complexity of trying to determine what is real and what is not.

Two different Aimfair members sent us separate comments about The Finance Group and asked if we had heard of the company. Both answered calls from someone who knew their ownership and contact information but not their names. The names they asked to speak with were guests of our members, who recently stayed at one of the resorts, which suggests confidential information is leaked from the registration desk or there abouts. But, that is another story.

No, we said, so we took a look. Here is what we found:

1. The Finance Group is listed by the California Department of Real Estate as a licensed corporation and owned by a licensed real estate broker in California.
2. The company has more than 50 agents working for it.
3. The company is actually doing business as another name, which is Home Smart PVA.
4. Home Smart PVA is a real estate mortgage banking firm, and its website is http://hsca004.homesmartfranchise.com/.
5. The company has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
6. We verified the address and telepone numbers for the company.

So, this all sounds pretty straight forward and its address in Modesto, California has been verified.

So, what's the big deal?

In conversations with Todd Priest, the owner of The Financial Group, he states that his company has never been associated with marketing, renting or selling timeshares. Yet the Better Business Bureau states the company is in the business of marketing, renting and selling timeshares.

Furthermore, the Better Business Bureau says they have received over 200 calls regarding The Finance Group, and none were complaints about timeshare sales and rentals.

We asked the Better Business Bureau about the process of updating a business profile. Essentially, all a person has to do is say they are the owner and ask the BBB to change the profile.

Therefore, an identity thief could easily impersonnate an owner and change the profile of a target business, especially when the company's main line of business is completely different and separate from the alleged sale of timeshare interests.

The conclusion we reached is the following:

1. Don't send money to someone you do not know or cannot meet in person.
2. Don't send money to a Buyer's Escrow Agent. Demand to use the Seller's (that would be you) Escrow Agent.
3. Scammers are only in this to make a commission off of what they receive. So, go back to Rule #1 - Don't Send Money.
4. Don't stop your due diligence.
   • Check licenses.
   • Check addresses
   • Check domain ownership and start dates.
   • Check phone numbers.
   • Meet the Buyer or buyer's representative.
5. Finally, Don't Send Money to Anyone You Do Not Know!

Here are images of contracts that the scammer uses and the licenses that validate the legitimacy of the target of the identity thief:




The more we see, the more it becomes evident that we have to take responsibility for our actions. The Federal Government, the State Government, the Mexican authorities, the Better Business Bureau....all these and others too have so much on their hands, that they cannot police all of these elusive Advance Fee Scams. It is up to us! Let's use good common sense and judgement.

Remember - Scams would not exist if no one sent in money!

Return to Possible Scams ...OR... Return to Timesharing