Santa Clara County’s District Attorney Jeff Rosen issued a
message for county residents facing foreclosure: be cautious of
mortgage scams. Rosen said, that if you are facing foreclosure, his
office is taking action to help.
Santa Clara County’s District Attorney Jeff Rosen issued a message for county residents facing foreclosure: be cautious of mortgage scams.
Rosen said, that if you are facing foreclosure, his office is taking action to help.
“Recently, we prosecuted and convicted two defendants for running a business that promised homeowners behind on their mortgages that the homeowner could get their mortgage terms changed. These con artists convinced scared homeowners to stop speaking with their lender and instead pay the defendants an advance fee. With the help of the San Jose Police Department, the defendants’ business was shut down and they were sentenced to several years in state prison and ordered to pay back the victim homeowners.”
The “con artists” violated the Foreclosure Consultants Act. It is a crime for anyone, even an attorney or real estate agent, to collect advance fees to perform loan modification services on a home mortgage, Rosen said. Instead, use a HUD-certified foreclosure counselor. Find one by calling the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Foreclosure Help Hotline at 408-794-1242.
The District Attorney’s Office also sends a letter to most homeowners whose home gets a notice of foreclosure, officially called a Recorded Notice of Default. The Foreclosure Help Hotline is included in the letter and the key points of the Foreclosure Consultants Act.
To find out more information, leave a message on the District Attorney’s Real Estate and Foreclosure Fraud Hotline at 408-792-2879.
