Foreclosure Rescue Scams: How to Recognize Bogus Mortgage Help

Despite the bona fide assistance out there, it’s harder than ever for many consumers to separate trustworthy foreclosure assistance companies from the bogus ones. And with unemployment and mortgage delinquencies remaining stubbornly high, con artists from coast to coast are increasingly preying upon Americans going through hard economic times.

This year, for instance, officials in California indicted two San Diego men on charges of illegally collecting $900,000 from desperate homeowners looking to avoid foreclosure. Authorities said the men billed people $2,500 to $3,000 for loan modification services, then did nothing.

The duo made their operation appear official by pretending that their offices were located near the White House, and sending out letters marked with the seal of the U.S. Capitol. They also claimed that they had forensic accountants and lawyers on staff. In reality, the two men worked out of Southern California and had no accountants or attorneys on the payroll.

Meanwhile, in New York, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo recently sued two loan modification companies, and shut down two other foreclosure rescue firms for alleged illegal practices.

Red Flags on a Foreclosure Rescue Scam

As mentioned, there are some surefire ways to spot a fraudulent – or potentially bogus – mortgage modification or foreclosure rescue offer.


According to Loan Scam Alert (a national program from NeighborWorks which is designed to help homeowners avoid scams and report them), here are six red flags that indicate you may be dealing with a scammer. Read the rest of this article on Housingwatch


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Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach, is not a certified financial planner, registered investment adviser, or attorney.

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