Through a network of 19 UK-based organizations, an alleged multimillion-pound timeshare scam may have defrauded hundreds of victims. Five individuals have so far been charged with operating a scam in which victims were cold-called and presented with a fake paid service in order to obtain money that they were due from timeshare schemes.
According to the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), some people received follow-up calls informing them that they had been cheated and offering them another phony paid service in exchange for their money back.
Emma Luxton from the SFO said elderly and vulnerable people were among those targeted, and that this type of investment fraud is on the rise.
Investigators claim the scheme ran from January 2018 to September 2024. In August the SFO arrested a man in his 50s as he was about to board a flight at Manchester Airport.
The following month four alleged accomplices a woman in her 30s and three other men in their 50s were also arrested on suspicion of fraud.
Ms Luxton, who is the SFO's interim chief operating officer, said investigators need to hear from witnesses and victims who were contacted by the 19 named companies.
The 19 companies are:
- AML Executive Contracts Ltd registered in Hull
- ASA Partnership Ltd registered in Manchester
- DW Contract Consultancy Ltd registered in Enfield, north London
- DW Law Consultancy Ltd registered in Enfield, north London
- ERS Europe Ltd registered in the City of London
- Harwood Advisory Group Ltd registered in Hove, East Sussex
- Huntland Rock Associates Ltd (Hunter Rock Associates), registered in Yorkshire
- Meta UK Group Ltd registered in the City of London
- Milton Chadwick Consultants Ltd registered in Mayfair, London
- The Nobel Group of Companies (including but not limited to Nobel Acquisitions and Investment Group Ltd and Nobel Business Services Ltd), registered in Leamington Spa and the City of London
- Park Square Associates Ltd registered in Leeds
- Rockland Associates Ltd registered in Norfolk
- Silverstream Management Group Ltd registered in Fitzrovia, London
- Sonata Trading Ltd registered in York
- Termination Services Ltd registered in north London
- The Biz Doc UK Ltd aka Business Doctor registered in Herefordshire
- Timeshare Legals Ltd registered in north London
- TSL Europe Ltd registered in east London
- Venture Compliance Ltd registered in Leeds