Lawsuit alleges company used Jasper address to attempt to defraud Arizona couple and others

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita has sued a company using a Jasper, Ind. address for allegedly engaging in illegal deceptive practices, including identity theft and fraudulent timeshare transactions.

The complaint, filed in Dubois County, claims the company never conducted legitimate business in Indiana and used its state business registration to perpetrate fraud against timeshare owners.

According to court documents, Go Go Travel Consulting, 1 DCB Square, Suite 400, Jasper, allegedly contacted Arizona residents Scott and Debra Jensen in April 2024, claiming to represent a Mexican national interested in leasing their timeshare property in Mexico.

The company allegedly used the identity of “Mark Hoffman,” a legitimate broker from Bloomington, Indiana, without his knowledge or consent. The scheme involved offering the Jensens substantial rental payments for their timeshare property.

“Defendant submitted a revised offer for fourteen weeks of rental at a price of $73,920.00 in order to entice the Jensens into engaging in a fraudulent transaction,” the complaint states.

The Attorney General’s office alleges the company created falsified documents, including a notice from Mexico’s Secretaria de Turismo and a bank transaction receipt showing approximately $130,027.18 in Mexican pesos supposedly deposited into escrow.

After receiving these documents, the Jensens were contacted by a purported Mexican official to pay substantial fees associated with the transaction.

When the Jensens became suspicious and requested photo verification from the supposed broker, the company refused, ironically citing concerns about identity theft.

While the Jensens did not ultimately send money to the company, they filed a complaint with the Attorney General’s office after realizing they had been targeted in a scam.

The real Mark Hoffman also filed a complaint after Mr. Jensen contacted him about the unauthorized use of his name and broker license number.

According to the complaint, the phone number on Go Go Travel Consulting’s website is a spoofed VOIP address registered to Mexican nationals Ricardo Balcazar and Adrian Valenzuela Breton. Further investigation determined that the company is not and never has been a tenant at the Jasper address listed in its business registration.

The Attorney General’s filing also references a separate case in Dubois County involving similar allegations against Go Go Travel Consulting, where an Oregon resident claims losses of nearly $50,000 from the same scheme.

The complaint draws connections between this operation and similar schemes investigated by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, noting some are linked to “Mexico-based transnational criminal organizations.”

According to FBI data cited in the complaint, approximately 6,000 U.S. victims reported losing nearly $300 million between 2019 and 2023 to timeshare fraud schemes in Mexico, though actual losses may be higher as many victims don’t report being scammed.

The Attorney General is seeking judicial dissolution of Go Go Travel Consulting under Indiana Code § 23-1-47-1, which allows for such action when a company obtains its articles of incorporation through fraud or abuses its authority.

“The facts of this complaint make it clear that Defendant Go Go Travel Consulting, LLC is not and has never been a legitimate business formed using the laws of the State of Indiana,” the filing states.

The complaint alleges the company “was formed for the purpose of committing fraud and continues its fraudulent activities.”

In addition to dissolution, the Attorney General seeks an injunction prohibiting the company and its agents from engaging in further fraudulent or deceptive business practices.

The case highlights the growing problem of timeshare fraud targeting U.S. property owners, particularly those with properties in Mexico and other international locations.

Authorities advise timeshare owners to be wary of unsolicited offers to rent or buy their properties, especially those promising unusually high returns or requiring upfront fees.

Attorney General Rokita filed the lawsuit through his Homeowner Protection Unit (HPU), which is part of the office’s Consumer Protection Division. 

In conjunction with this legal action, the Attorney General’s office is raising awareness about the broader issue of timeshare fraud, which is often linked to organized crime. According to a joint notice by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), timeshare fraud schemes are frequently perpetrated by Mexico-based transnational criminal organizations. These organizations use the proceeds from such fraud to fund other criminal activities, including drug trafficking and human trafficking. 

“As we work to protect Hoosiers, we will continue holding accountable those who engage in these kinds of illegal shakedowns,” Attorney General Rokita said. “We encourage anyone who believes they have been a victim of timeshare fraud to contact our office immediately.” 

Hoosiers are encouraged to contact the Office of the Attorney General about any suspected scams or scam attempts. Consumers may file a complaint by visiting indianaconsumer.com or calling 1-800-382-5516.  

The lawsuit is attached here.