John Oliver Exposes Timeshare Industry's Deceptive Tactics
John Oliver exposes the $8.1bn predatory industry of timeshares and the equally troublesome industry of helping people escape them. Timeshare ownership has risen in recent years, with nearly 10m households in the US owning one or more type of timeshare. Timeshare companies aggressively sell their products, often lying about everything from the ease of making reservations to the total cost of the timeshare. The upfront cost for an annual timeshare can average about $24,140, not including annual maintenance fees in the thousands of dollars and pressure to upgrade for more money. The secondary industry of allegedly getting people out of timeshares has also sprung up, but these "timeshare exit companies" are often scams.