Calgary woman ran motorhome time-share Ponzi scheme, officials allege
An alleged motorhome time-share scam has resulted in dozens of charges being laid against a Calgary woman.
Acting on a tip from Crime Stoppers, Alberta government investigators uncovered what they believe was a Ponzi scheme operated by Pamela Vanberg.
Between 2009 and 2012, several customers signed contracts with Vanberg and her businesses — paying membership fees from $5,000 to $45,000 — to buy time-share use of a motorhome.
But the customers allegedly didn’t get access to the motorhome and most were not given refunds as promised, officials said in a written release.
Refunds that were given allegedly came from money paid by new customers, as happens in a Ponzi scheme.
Vanberg and her businesses — Calgary Motorhome Inc. and Canada Motorhome Inc. — face 63 charges under the Criminal Code and the Fair Trading Act.
The seven victims accounted for in the charges allegedly lost a total of $118,852.
Vanberg and her companies have also been issued a director’s order under Section 157 of the Fair Trading Act to stop accepting funds from consumers "until the business is in a position to provide the product or service specified", officials said.
Investigators think there could be more victims. They are being encouraged to contact Service Alberta’s Consumer Contact Centre at 1-877-427-4088.
The case is scheduled to be heard in Calgary provincial court on March 3.
