David Lazarus of The Los Angeles Times has uncovered a new wrinkle in the mail pitches being sent out for timeshares.

Have you received a postcard around your birthday with an offer of two roundtrip airfares to any U.S. location, plus a car rental? Don't dial that number in an attempt to redeem it! It's very likely a time share solicitation disguised as a free trip.

You'll need to sit through a 90-minute strong arm pitch. And those free tickets aren't really free. You can only go where they say and when.

Why the smoke and mirrors? "If we said 'time share,' our response rate would probably go down," one marketer told Lazarus. "That's why we say, 'call for details.' "

Remember, never buy a time share from the original developer. The only way to buy a time share is used from an existing owner. They paid the big money to buy it, most of which went to marketing, sales and commissions -- not the property itself.

The time share business is spiraling into a state of near collapse. Developers and marketers are more desperate to unload time shares and stave off bankruptcy than Clark can ever recall.

For a brief spell, time shares almost gained respectability thanks to the interest of Hilton, Marriott, Wyndham and others in their development and sale.

But buying a time share is not an investment, it is an obligation. The typical time share loses 80% of its value the moment you buy it.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the big hoteliers themselves can't get money to fund time-share operations.

The only way to even consider buying a time share is to get one secondhand at a deep discount from a private owner. But even then, if the operator of the time share is insolvent, you'll likely have problems with maintenance of amenities like pools or tennis courts.

This is very dicey territory. You've been warned!

The time share industry recently got together to try and drum up interest in purchases once again. Many people believe the hype that these vacation weeks have value and that a timeshare is an investment. That is not the case. A timeshare is a pre-payment for a vacation. So, it’s important to buy time shares the right way these days. What does that mean? Well, timeshares have virtually no value. So, if you buy one directly from a developer, you’re paying for commissions, marketing and sales expenses. Very little is paying toward the value of the home. If you don’t believe that, take a look at all of the timeshares people are trying to dump on eBay. The way to buy smart is to buy “second hand.” Developers will charge $15,000 for a timeshare. Within minutes of the purchase, it’s worth about $3,000 in the secondary marketplace. Now, people are often taken by the fact that Marriott or some other reputable hotel brand is affiliated with the timeshare. They think it’s a valuable, smart investment. But those companies offer no buyback policy. So, obviously they know the value is low.

Clark has received many calls over the years from people who are stuck with a timeshare they just can't seem to sell. The truth is that timeshares are extremely difficult to sell no matter what you paid for them or when you bought them. Even if you love your timeshare, sometimes your circumstances change and you need to sell your week. The trouble is that there is no solid, active secondary market for selling timeshares because they lose about 80 percent of their value the moment they are sold. But there may be a new way to solve this problem. Clark read about the new option in the Wall Street Journal, but he wants you to keep in mind that it is very new. It’s a donation program called “Donate for a Cause,” and it allows you to donate the timeshare to a charity and claim a tax deduction of $4,900. There is no fee at all, and you don’t need an appraisal, according to the Journal. Clark wonders if there are any gotchas, and he wants you to know that you will be a guinea pig if you get involved. But he talked with the owner to find out if there are any gotchas, and he couldn't find any. Even the annual maintenance fees you have to pay are transfered with the donation. So, where does the timeshare go? When you transfer the ownership, you get a receipt for your donation and the proceeds go to a non-profit organization of your choosing. The Web site for information is donateforacause.org. The owner also recommends that you discuss the tax issues with your accountant before you deduct it.