Mexican Drug Cartel Targets Seniors and Their Timeshares A notorious Mexican criminal group, Jalisco New Generation, has shifted its focus from drug trafficking to scamming retirees and their timeshares. Operating through call centers in Mexico, the cartel poses as sales representatives offering to buy back timeshares for hefty sums. They then coerce victims into wiring large amounts of money to Mexico, often vanishing thereafter. This scheme has reportedly earned the cartel hundreds of millions of dollars over the past decade. The victims, primarily older retirees, have suffered significant financial losses, with some even losing more than the initial value of their timeshares. The FBI has seen a 79% increase in timeshare fraud complaints over the past four years, with American owners losing an estimated $288 million to various scams, including those orchestrated by the cartel. The cartel's influence extends to legal sectors of the economy, and it has been linked to the deaths of call center employees. The scam has even reached as far as Puerto Vallarta, where hotel workers are coerced into leaking guest information. U.S. officials have expressed concern over the lack of cooperation from Mexican authorities in investigating these crimes. Despite the U.S. Treasury Department imposing sanctions on numerous Mexican companies and individuals for timeshare fraud, few arrests have been made, and the cartel continues to operate with impunity. The victims, often embarrassed and reluctant to come forward, face devastating financial consequences, with many losing their life savings. The article highlights the heartbreaking story of a retired couple who fell victim to the scam, losing nearly $900,000 and facing financial hardship in their senior years.