Global Timeshare Attorneys is a corporation based in Costa Mesa, California that has been helping clients exit their timeshares since 2019. They claim to be affordable attorneys that are at your service to release you from unwanted contracts and legal issues with your timeshare. Though they happen to be fronted by a legal team, that doesn’t necessarily guarantee they’ll be better than the other timeshare exit solutions on the market. Do their credentials actually set them above the rest?
Global Timeshare Attorneys Website Review
Our immediate first impression of their website isn’t very promising. Their landing page layout is incredibly outdated and looks more like a website that was created two decades ago rather than two years. Their logo is fine, but the rest of the font on the first page doesn’t match and there are large text-boxes with bolded print to boast their success rate and money-back guarantees.
These text boxes are extremely outdated and they are placed over a tacky stock photo of a corporate building to, we assume, assure the customer that they mean business. Below this is a large embedded video of what Global Timeshare Attorneys do and how they can help you, done in the style of those ‘draw my life’ videos from back in the day. They depict cartoonish characters being drawn by a hand with a sharpie as they go through the motions of getting their timeshare canceled.
This landing page is already not setting us up for success, and it is only further ruined by a crowded section at the bottom that details their location, contact info, and alleged credentials. Upon navigating to their contact section, you’ll find a standard contact form along with those repeated promises that they have a 100% success rate, Money-back guarantees, and that they’ve helped 2,500 clients end contracts in the last year.
If you’re hoping for more detailed information on their ‘our services’ page, you’ll be out of luck there as well. They once again reiterate that they have a 100% money-back guarantee, but that is nowhere near as comforting as an escrow payment option. We like to recommend companies that offer escrow payments as they provide clients with the security of knowing their contract will be dissolved before the company is paid in full. Learn more about the benefits of escrow payments here.
Scrolling further, you’ll find a lot of filler detailing how difficult timeshare contracts can be to dissolve but their services can help relieve you of that burden. This isn’t comforting at all and actually can draw clients away if they feel like they’re only being sold more of a scam. Clients looking to get out of their timeshares are seeking out a helpful company that makes them feel safe, and tons of filler and promises isn’t going to make your credibility any better.
‘How It Works’ offers very little as well with some vague step by steps of how the process will go, as well as infographics detailing timeshare costs. This whole page is a mess and offers nothing at all in the way of helpful information to release you from your timeshare. In our opinion, this entire page could have been removed from the website to reduce clutter, or filled with more detailed information about their services.
Approaching their ‘Legal Team’ section doesn’t offer more than a single lawyer by the name of Marilyn Thomassen, which we can find through their BBB is the firm that owns the business. They offer details about Thomassen’s 25-year career as an attorney and her experience in multiple facets of law, but paired with the barren legal team page it falls short of impressive.
They offer one more page in hopes of selling clients on their credibility, as they provide a section of resources. These are nothing more than links to news articles about timeshare scams and timeshare costs. All in all the entirety of the website is underwhelming and does very little to assure potential clients that their case will be handled efficiently in the hands of Global Timeshare Attorneys.
Global Timeshare Attorneys Reviews
Their Better Business Bureau profile is scarce when it comes to reviews, only offering two to speak of. Those two happen to be 5-star reviews and have led to 5 out of 5 ratings on their BBB profile. This isn’t promising, however, as they also have two filed complaints on their profile as well.
The first complaint details a guarantee/warranty issue that challenges this promised 100% money-back guarantee that Global Timeshare Attorneys felt the need to boast on every page of their website. This customer alleges that they went months after the initial consultation without contact and that they were met with no answers when they attempted contacting the company. They were bombarded with collection calls about their timeshare during this time and being unable to get through to Global Timeshare Attorneys, they were forced to speak with collections themselves.
They claim that the agency alleges they’d never been contacted by an attorney or anyone else attempting to resolve their contract. They also claim that when they tried to make good on the 100% money-back guarantee they were denied with a statement that if they were given their money back, everyone else would want their money back too. Global Timeshare Attorneys responded that they have been in contact with the resort and can’t give the refund because the client refused the settlement that they’d reached.
The client then alleges in return that they received no offer or information from the company and that any claims made otherwise are deceitful. The second complaint is very similar and seems to fully challenge this money-back guarantee. This is why we highly recommend companies with escrow payment options, so innocent clients aren’t scammed out of more of their money.
Much of the same can be found from their Google Reviews as well, with a 3.3 rating that is entirely due to a 1-star review alleging the company took their money and did nothing to contact them for resolution of their timeshare contract. The other two reviews seem to be a mistaken review for a pizza joint and a positive 5-star review for the actual company.
Cost
While we are given no concrete idea of what their costs and fees look like, disgruntled reviews seem to suggest that the charge is upward of a grand. This is highly concerning, especially if you factor in the reviews that state money was taken and no resolution was met. Escrow payments are invaluable for this reason as they offer security to the client that their money will be returned to them should the company not deliver on its promises.
Clients shouldn’t be bled of their money from their timeshare and from the company that you’ve entrusted to release you from your contract. Before you make any initial contact you need to do your research to ensure that none of your money is being given over to companies that won’t do the job they are promising. You shouldn’t be scammed while trying to get out of a scam.
Summary
There is very little to redeem Global Timeshare Attorneys as a credible resource for a timeshare cancellation. They offer little to no substance on an outdated website, so you aren’t even made entirely sure of what their company can do for you before you’re given a contact form. There are no guarantees that your consultation is free or that you’ll be given any resolution before the aren’tmoney is exchanged. This is a huge red flag.
The term ‘attorneys’ also feels misleading when you are led to a legal team page with only one attorney present on it. Thomassen’s firm is of course related to this company, but there isn’t much information given unless you dig for it to find out who else you might be working with. This feels misleading and doesn’t offer much in the way of credibility.
There is no information provided on costs or fees, so you are expected to contact them and set up your contract with no idea how much it’ll cost you until consultation. This is also a huge red flag. Money should never exchange hands without the client being sure their needs will be fulfilled. There may be a couple of good reviews but having only been in practice for two years and to have 2 complaints and a bad Google review with very few positive reviews, does not make this company look good.
All three bad reviews commented on the alleged 100% money-back guarantee, stating that it isn’t a guarantee at all and their money is still being held by the company with no resolution. From what we can see Global Timeshare Attorneys is a company that hides behind the promise of professional legal aid, without delivering anything of substance. You’d be much better off with a company that offers upfront and honest solutions, information, and credible resources.
You should also be sure that whatever company you get to handle your contract, your money is secure and will not be released before a solution has been met.