You've seen an advertisement or had a call out of the blue - something in itself to be wary of as your details have probably been obtained through a stolen database - and are now considering whether to join a class action against your resort developer or even exchange company.

So what's the reality behind these schemes; is this just another scam, a way of obtaining money from timeshare owners under false pretences?

From evidence collected by RDO's enforcement team, headed up by a former Spanish police inspector, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the majority of these schemes are bogus, their primary goal being to have people sign up to expensive Holiday Clubs, something that is never made clear in their initial contact with timeshare owners. This is a classic ' bait and switch ' tactic, something that is illegal under laws adopted in the UK in 2008.

Contrary to the statement made by Claims Directive, a company located in Arguineguín Gran Canaria that claims to represent timeshare owners’ interests, the timeshare industry both in Spain, the rest of Europe and USA as well as other international territories is extremely robust.

Some of the world’s biggest hotel brands operate within the timeshare industry, such as Hilton, Marriott, Wyndham, Disney and Four Seasons. Timeshare owners recently reported high levels of satisfaction with their timeshare – 87% overall were “satisfied or extremely satisfied” according to a report by The Christel DeHaan Tourism and Travel Research Institute at the Nottingham University Business School.

The survey also reveals that there are 1.5 million owners in Europe, 48% of whom own in Spain, where there are 345 resorts. Furthermore, €3.2 billion was generated by the industry in 2007 alone, €957 million of which came from timeshare sales.

Timeshare is almost 50 years old, but contrary to popular belief it all started in Switzerland, not the US. It’s an industry that continues to evolve, GoTimeshare's Fiona Klonarides reports.

As part on an ongoing campaign to help stamp out fraudulent practices targeted at timeshare owners, RDO (Resort Development Organisation), the trade body for timeshare and fractional ownership, is calling for consumers to come forward with their complaints.

Of particular interest are complaints from people who have been invited to a presentation either to discuss ways in which to dispose of their timeshare or to join a class action scheme, but are then persuaded to sign up to membership of a holiday club of which they had no former knowledge. A deposit is frequently taken and if no cooling off period is provided, which is frequently the case, consumers may lose significant sums of money.