Press release -
European Consumer Claims provides much needed lifeline for ABC Lawyers 'fraud' victims
Thousands of 'fraud' victims offered much needed aid by leading global claims firm
ABC Lawyers
Incorporated in 2016, this Hampshire based timeshare claims and exit company did not (despite the name) employ any solicitors. 'Lawyers' is actually a non-specific moniker that anyone may use if they work in any capacity connected with legal activities. It does not denote any legal qualification.
ABC Lawyers managed to operate for three years, despite shocking reviews and adverse publicity. They have been accused of taking money for timeshare exits and compensation, but carrying out neither procedure on behalf of their clients. In the case of the exits, the ABC relinquishment 'method' was allegedly to send the timeshare company a letter saying "if you don't respond to this letter within fourteen days, we will consider our client to be free of their contract". The timeshare companies ignored these letters as they carried no legal weight and therefore meant nothing.
ABC even are said to have then contacted the timeshare company to change the mailing address of the customer. So the continued demands for maintenance never reached the intended recipient and the first the un-exited timeshare member knew of their continued ownership was when the maintenance fee debt began to accumulate to levels warranting serious debt collection activity.
Legal actions
ABC Lawyers was run by one Mark Rowe, 54, who was also director of around 11 other companies and involved personally with running many more including Monster Group Travel, Monster Rewards and sellmytimeshare.com.
In February 2022 the CPS authorised the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit to file charges against Mark Rowe and 17 other individuals. There were 79 counts in total related to an alleged “large-scale fraud targeting timeshare owners” between 2013 and 2017.
A UK trial has concluded against Mark Rowe, concerning over £25 million's worth of fraud.
Many media outlets media outlets will be reporting on Mr Rowe, his past, his companies, his associates and the scandal around the fraud itself.
However, at ECC we believe the focus should be on the most important aspect of this story: the victims affected by the fraud; the millions that they have lost; and the services that they desperately needed but which never materialised.
These victims not only lost money, many suffered an even worse fate: being still stuck with the burden of a timeshare they no longer wanted nor could afford.
ECC to the rescue
Luckily for Rowe's victims there are also honest and capable claims firms like European Consumer Claims.
Market leaders ECC have nine years of top level experience, the highest possible star ratings on all public review sites and an abundance of positive coverage in high quality and far reaching media.
ECC clients regularly post appreciative testimonial videos, documenting their experience with either their claim or their relinquishment.
When ECC's directors heard about the significant amounts of money lost by over 34,000 people to Mark Rowe's enterprises, they knew they had to help.
"It was the right thing to do," says Greg Wilson, CEO of ECC. "The actions of one rogue operator should not be allowed to destroy the reputation of the whole sector. And this is our way of helping to prevent that from happening."
ECC announced an open offer to help ABC 'victims' achieve the relinquishments or claims that they had already paid ABC Lawyers for.
"We acquired certain assets from the liquidation of ABC, which allowed us to contact the victims and offer our assistance,"continues Wilson. "The offer we made then still stands, even over six years later. All ABC victims have to do is get in touch."
"Some of the people who lost money to Rowe and his companies have already come under ECC's wing and we are proud to report that we have delivered for them. However we would like to help a lot more of these people."
To date, only a small percentage of affected victims have taken up ECC`s offer for assistance. It is perhaps understandable that the majority were sceptical following the terrible experience they had suffered at the hands of ABC.
Wilson clarifies: "Of those that did reach out to us for help, ECC have already assisted over 119 clients to free definitively themselves from their timeshare contracts and associated financial burdens, with a further 50 in process.
"In addition, ECC´s associated legal teams are currently representing around 210 clients with claims against timeshare companies in liquidation; a further 164 people have their cases in the capable hands of qualified and specialist timeshare lawyers (many already processing through the courts); with another 33 having already enjoyed court victories representing over €675,000 in awards.
"Whilst we continue to work on other client cases, we welcome the opportunity to assist more of these victims by delivering on the service they thought they would receive when they contracted ABC."
Need help from a genuine company?
If you are unhappy with any aspect of your timeshare, or how it was sold to you, get in touch with us to explore your options.
If you have previously had a negative experience with a dishonest claims or relinquishment company, also get in touch.
It will be our pleasure to demonstrate the difference between predatory firms, and a company with integrity.
Related links
- SRA Legal jargon explained
- 18 defendants face trial after five year investigation into £25million timeshare Monster Group
- ECC offers help to ABC victims
- ABC Lawyers reviews
- ABC Lawyers on TrustPilot
- Ombudsman decision against ABC Lawyers
- ECC contact page
- Four people from Dorset to face trial following investigation into £25m timeshare scheme
- European Consumer Claims (ECC)
- Are European Consumer Claims (ECC) the timeshare compensation industry market leaders? Here's why we think we are:
- ABC Lawyers Companies House
- Multiple charges of fraud ordered by the CPS in relation to Monster Group Travel, Monster Credits, Monster Rewards and sellmytimeshare.com
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ECC provides timeshare claims services, relinquishments expert advice and help
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www.timeshareadvicecentre.co.uk
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