The Morgan Hill Police Department warns homeowners not to get
involved in foreclosure rescue and lease back scams which are being
perpetrated in Morgan Hill.
The Morgan Hill Police Department warns homeowners not to get involved in foreclosure rescue and lease back scams which are being perpetrated in Morgan Hill.
Scam artists posing as foreclosure rescuers promise homeowners facing eviction that they can reacquire possession of a home which has been foreclosed upon, even after the court has ordered their eviction. The scam artists record fraudulent deeds and other documents. They fool the homeowners into believing they can now move back into the property despite a court judgment ordering their eviction.
On Aug. 24, California Office of the Attorney General issued a press release regarding a $1.1 million judgement against an attorney in southern California for a foreclosure scam. Within the press release, the Attorney General’s Office said homeowners can file a complaint against a lawyer, a legal specialist or a company purporting to operate as a law firm with the State Bar by calling 1-800-843-9053 or visiting www.calbar.ca.gov.
For more information on the Office of the Attorney General’s action against loan modification fraud visit: http://ag.ca.gov/loanmod. This website will also allow you to look up anyone offering you foreclosure assistance. If the person or company has followed the legal steps required by California law, their name will be verified through this website.
By law, all individuals and businesses, who are not licensed attorneys or licensed Realtors, offering mortgage-foreclosure consulting, loan modification and foreclosure-assistance services must register with the Office of the Attorney General and post a $100,000 bond. It is also illegal for loan modification consultants and businesses to charge up-front fees for their services.
The police have information that some of our local residents may have fallen victim to similar scams. If anyone has information regarding this type of scam, or believe they may be a victim, please contact the Morgan Hill Police Department Detective Carlos Guerrero at (408) 779-2101 or Santa Clara County District Attorney Investigator Jamie Gauthier at (408) 792-2707.
