A nefarious Mexican drug cartel, known for its heinous acts, has now set its sights on a new target: retirees and their timeshares. The Jalisco New Generation cartel, notorious for its involvement in drug trafficking, avocados, and real estate, has now devised a cunning scheme to deceive seniors into parting with their hard-earned money.

The modus operandi is simple yet effective. Cartel members posing as sales representatives reach out to timeshare owners, offering to purchase their properties at inflated prices. They then concoct elaborate stories and concoct false fees, convincing their victims to wire large sums of money to Mexico. The victims, often elderly and retired individuals, fall prey to these manipulative tactics and end up losing hundreds of thousands of dollars.

According to U.S. officials, the cartel has raked in hundreds of millions of dollars over the past decade through this fraudulent scheme, operating through call centers in Mexico that specifically target American and Canadian timeshare owners. The officials also mentioned that the cartel goes to the extent of bribing resort employees in Mexico to obtain guest information.

This scam represents a new phase in the evolution of the Jalisco New Generation cartel, which has penetrated both legal and illegal sectors of the economy. With minimal resources, such as a phone and a persuasive script, cartel employees are deceiving individuals across multiple countries, leaving a trail of financial devastation in their wake.

Even the employees involved in these fraudulent operations are not immune to the cartel’s brutality. In a grim discovery last year, the remains of eight young Mexicans who worked at a cartel-owned call center were found in plastic bags on the outskirts of Guadalajara. This incident highlights the grave risks associated with crossing paths with this notorious criminal organization.

The cartel preys on vulnerable targets, particularly older retirees looking to liquidate their assets for the benefit of their families. Victims who have fallen prey to this scam have reported losses surpassing the initial value of their timeshares in locations like Jamaica, California, and Mexico.

The rapid growth of the timeshare industry, with billions of dollars in sales annually, has provided fertile ground for fraudulent activities. With millions of American households owning timeshares, scammers have ample targets to exploit, extracting thousands of dollars in upfront fees and fines from unsuspecting victims.

Despite a surge in timeshare fraud complaints received by the F.B.I., the agency faces challenges in investigating scams originating in Mexico due to jurisdictional limitations. Victims of these frauds have been defrauded of millions of dollars over the years, with many choosing not to report the crimes out of embarrassment and shame.

The disgruntled retirees who have fallen victim to these scams recount harrowing tales of financial ruin. James and Nicki, a retired couple, were lured into a web of deceit by supposed real estate agents offering to broker the sale of their timeshare. What began as seemingly innocuous fees quickly escalated into hefty demands, leading the couple to wire nearly $900,000 to Mexico, wiping out their life savings in the process.

The emotional toll of falling victim to such scams is immense, as victims grapple with the harsh reality of being swindled out of their retirement funds. The F.B.I. warns that these fraudulent operations often involve wiring money to accounts affiliated with the cartel, leaving victims in dire financial straits.

As the saga of timeshare fraud unfolds, individuals like Pete Willard find themselves at a loss, having lost significant sums of money with little recourse for justice. With law enforcement agencies struggling to combat these sophisticated scams, victims are left with limited options for redress.

The insidious nature of these fraudulent activities extends beyond mere financial loss. In Mexico, where these scams originate, the consequences can be far more grave, with reports of individuals disappearing under suspicious circumstances. The callous actions of the cartel have left a trail of devastation, both financially and emotionally, for the victims and their families.

The intricate web of deception spun by the Jalisco New Generation cartel serves as a stark reminder of the dangers lurking in the shadows of the timeshare industry. As law enforcement agencies grapple with the evolving tactics of criminal organizations, the plight of retirees and timeshare owners caught in the crosshairs of these scams remains a pressing concern.