If you desparately need to get rid of your timeshare you may have come in contact with one of these companies. Some of them charge an upfront fee.  Some of them are "postcard companies."

"A postcard company (PCC) is one that sends the owner a postcard to invite them in to show them how to get rid of their timeshare. They tell them what a horrible investment they made, etc. Then they tell them that, for a fee that ranges up to a few thousand dollars, they will take their timeshare off their hands so they will never be saddled with the maintenance fees again. Then the companies turn around and sell the timeshares cheap on eBay or elsewhere. They can afford to sell them so cheap because they have already received a handsome price to take them. Also, they are often affiliated with a closing company that the buyer is mandated to use. The closings costs are high and that generates more money for the PCC's."