I would guess.
How often have you heard McDonald’s say “our franchisees are scumbags”?They say our franchisees are “the best,” or use similar laudatory language. And there is a reason for this – it protects, and increases, the value of the trademark, tradename or service mark. I realize you are not business-savvy but this is way everyone does it. It is called “puffing,” and there is absolutely nothing dishonest, or unethical, about it. To the contrary, it is a sound business practice. And, aside from the sales contract pages that specify the Trump role in every development, you can go to the Trump website and find there is a disclaimer for every property for which they license the mark, as opposed to being the developer/owner. So, despite the media hit pieces like the LA Times article which does not even mention that the contract Stephanie Simms signed specified that Trump was not the developer, there is full disclosure by the Trump Organization when they license a property. No con here at all.
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-trump-baja-snap-story.html
What to believe? 
but after reading the LA Times article, more specifically the 2nd paragraph, and the last 4 paragraphs, part of me wants to just slap the shit out of Stephanie Simms. She used her life savings to put a deposit down on property in a foreign country. Then it turns into a country western song with Simms losing her job, her condo in Canoga Park, no savings, no 401K.
I get it, Trump's an asshole. I understand why the libs on this board are freaking out about a Trump presidency. But what is the responsibility of the potential buyers. You have 3 culprits in this fiasco. Trump, who only licenses his name, the Mexican developers, and the prospective home buyers. What is the culpability of the 3 parties? Besides the fact that alarm bells should go off when you purchase real estate in a foreign market, like MEXICO, but to agree to upwards of a 30% deposit, and to use your entire life savings.
Whether it's Enron, or the 2008 foreclosure meltdown with real estate, when do we look at the individual, and say "what the hell were you thinking".
Matt, I'm trying to be sympathetic, but when the problem is somewhat self-inflicted, I'm just not feeling it.
What to believe?
being scammed. I remember some group trying to recruit me into buy a unit down in, I believe it was, San Felipe. I saw a story a few years later, and it turned out the development got started, but never got off the ground.