Richard B Smith

Victim Location 95627

Total money lost $34,000

Type of a scam Travel/Vacations

Agoda Corp owned by Bookings.com sent me an email asking if I would be interested in selling my Mexican timeshare for $72000, depending on certification of ownership and permission from Gran Maya, the timeshare resort. I said yes, on condition that no money be requested of me. Well….permission was granted by Gran Maya (Karen Saavedra), but a transaction fee of $4000+ was demanded. I protested to William at Richard Smith, lawyer, who were overseeing the transaction. In a conference call with Agoda (Dominic Garcia) he agree to have Agoda cover this expense. William B Smith also agreed and notarized a guarantee to pay if Agoda did not. Agoda also agreed to pay a capital gains tax imposed by the SAT, Mexican government agency for collecting taxes. This bill was for $14000+, so the cashier’s check was issued by Scotiabank for 90000$. However there was an typo in transmitting the wire, and the bank charged me $4000+ for this error. The bank then released the check, but by land through Courier Express (does not exist). I was able to track the check to Laredo, where it was confiscated by the Customs (aduana) for lack of a declaration. I was sent the necessary document, returned it with a fine of $7000+. The Aduana then released the check back to Courier Express, which promptly "lost" the check. A complaint "citatorio" was submitted to a Mexican court against Courier Express by Miriam Suarez, a lawyer with Suarez and Suarez in Laredo, recommended by lawyer Smith. Both are bogus. A recall of the wires by *** ** *** indicated all receiving accounts had been closed.