Mexican cartels are continuing to show a willingness to stoop to any level of crime if it means more money for their criminal empires.
Alongside their usuals of drug and human trafficking, certain cartels are beginning to target the elderly population in America with timeshare scams that are estimated to be earning millions.
As reported by USA Today, following an investigation by the U.S. government, thousands of Americans have begun falling for these telemarketing scams.
The Jalisco New Generation Cartel, or CJNG, began the timeshare fraud in Puerto Vallarta and has since expanded to take a considerable portion of the Cancún timeshares.
The group operates at least two dozen separate call centers that reach out to American victims who have timeshares within the city, giving offers that they never intend to pay out.
Upon making a proposed deal with a timeshare owner, the cartel will then insist that the victim needs to cover an expense or tax — typically in the thousands of dollars — that will be returned once the deal is closed.
Ultimately, those who fall for the scam will never see the money again as the communication ends once the money is received.
The scam has seen immense success for the groups, with an anonymous American government official believing the fraud to be earning in the hundreds of millions every year.
via @NYTimes Beware older timeshare owners in Mexico https://t.co/rPUDsiDD4o
— all ages against ageism (@sandycamillo) March 21, 2024
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“It’s more cash in hand than they make from drugs,” said the official. “The overhead is really low for this.”
American agencies have made efforts as the U.S. Treasury Department has sanctioned 40 different Mexican companies that are associated with CJNG.
Unfortunately for the victims, very few people have seen justice as typically a complex web of shell companies are established around the operation making it nearly impossible to find those responsible.
The business expansion raises major concerns as the millions of new funds being brought in can assist cartels in their more traditional operations seen at the American southern border.
Cartels have already been having an easy time operating their businesses with weak border security under the Biden administration, and the last thing needed is more funding for the criminal rings to operate.
Sadly, options seem quite limited for what can be done.
USA Today reported that the “money flows through Mexican banks.” According to Mexican law attorney Spencer McMullen, these banks can’t be counted on to take any action against the illegal operations.
“Mexican banks are not doing their job,” McMullen said.
The most that can be done is to try and raise awareness about the scam so fewer people fall for it and give their hard-earned money to a cartel.
Make sure if anyone in your life owns a timeshare they aren’t sending money to unknown “investors” in Mexico.
