Entry bubble Avoid Foreclosure Rescue Scams

By: Nicole | August 15, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

Mortgage PaymentsA few weeks ago, I wrote a post about avoiding mortgage foreclosure. I know that topic resonated with a lot of folks. In addition to other worries, homeowners must now be more guarded than ever against foreclosure rescue scams. The fear of losing their homes can make even the savviest consumers susceptible.

The Federal Trade Commission and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency both provide general descriptions of the most common foreclosure rescue scams:

  • Lease-back or repurchase scams happen when someone offers to pay your mortgage and rent your home back to you. This scheme often involves signing over your deed to a con artist.
  • Refinance Fraud occurs when people pose as mortgage brokers and offer to refinance your loan so you can afford the payments. Con artists may trick you into signing over the ownership of your home by saying that you are signing documents for a new loan.
  • Bankruptcy Schemes attempt to abuse the bankruptcy laws. The con artist may even file a bankruptcy case in your name, without your knowledge.

Here are some general tips to help you avoid these scams:

  • Read and understand everything you sign.
  • Don’t sign blank or partially completed documents.
  • Make payments directly to your lender or mortgage provider.
  • Contact your lender directly to discuss payments and options.
  • Never sign over the deed to your house without consulting a lawyer.
  • Report suspicious activity to the FTC or your state consumer protection office.

For more information about housing, visit the USA.gov Homes and Housing Page. Do you have any other tips for avoiding foreclosure scams?

| View Comments [3] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: bank   foreclosure   fraud   home   housing   lending   loan   money   mortgage   nicole   scams  

 

Entry bubble Avoid Mortgage Foreclosure: Doing Nothing is the Worst

By: Nicole | June 06, 2008 | Category: General

After spending the last few days at a consumer protection conference, I’ve returned feeling energized and determined. I am always humbled by the dedication of state and local consumer professionals. They work tirelessly against the scams and frauds that threaten consumers everyday.

HousesI was saddened though by one particular panel discussion, the one about home mortgage foreclosures. The rate of mortgage foreclosure across the country is increasing at an alarming speed, and almost 70% of homeowners facing foreclosure don’t seek assistance. That’s something we should all work to change.

If you are unable to make a mortgage payment, you should act right away. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offers tips for homeowners in trouble, and the Federal Reserve has put together a list of foreclosure prevention resources.

Don’t ignore phone calls and letters from your lender. Be honest about your financial situation, and see if you can figure out a repayment plan that works. Lenders don’t want to take your house, and they have options to help you.

If you don’t have any luck with your lender, contact a HUD-approved housing counselor. Non-profits, like HOPE NOW, can also help you.

Avoid foreclosure prevention companies. Even if they are legit businesses, they will charge you a hefty fee to help. Worse yet, they could be scam artists who will ask you to sign over the deed to your house. You’ll still be in debt, and you’ll lose your home.

Don’t be embarrassed, and don’t believe that your situation is hopeless. Counselors and consumer protection offices have helped many people keep their homes, even in the most difficult situations. If you can’t make that next mortgage payment, please ask for help.

| View Comments [6] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: avoid   difficulty   foreclosure   home   housing   lender   lending   money   mortgage   nicole   payment   prevent   trouble  

 

Entry bubble Moving Out!

By: Jake | October 15, 2007 | Category: General

postal stamp: return to sender for better address

The apartment hunt is over! I found a new place in Alexandria and I move in early November. One of the first things I will do is tell various government agencies about my change of address.

I've found in the past the best place to start is the post office. I can change my address at any post office, or go online and do it for a dollar. After changing my address, the U.S. Postal Service will forward my mail to my new address for a year.

Though USPS will not tell people who mail me I have moved, they will forward my address change information to the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS will send my tax forms to the last address change furnished by myself or USPS. The last time I moved I did not change my address with the Internal Revenue Service and my tax forms arrived at my new address (though the IRS also got my new address when I changed for W-2's at work).

If this move were taking place during tax season and I had filed my tax return before changing my address, I would have notified my old post office and the IRS of the change so my refund and any other materials went to my new address. If you are collecting social security benefits,  have a passport or receive other services from federal agencies you should notify them of your address change.

For address changes on the state level, I've found the best place to start is at the state motor vehicles office. I can get my driver's license and car registration updated here, and most department of motor vehicles offices also allow you to update your voter registration.

Many municipalities require you give notice if you have a vehicle in their limits, so they can assess and collect property tax.  In the past I have received bills from former counties, so I will notify my old municipality so they don't send me a personal property tax bill.

After all the address changes are done, the Pueblo website has a moving checklist of things I need to do. I will be addressing things such as choosing a mover and utilities next week.

| View Comments [2] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: address   apartments   change   housing   irs   moving   taxes   usps  

 

Entry bubble Apartment Hunt!

By: Jake | September 24, 2007 | Category: Home and Family

Hi! My name is Jake and I’ll be your Monday blogger for Gov Gab. I look forward to writing, but I didn’t really know what to do my first blog about.

For rent signThen it hit me. I was notified a couple weeks ago that my rent will go up substantially next month. It’s too much for me to pay and I need to find a new place. I plan to be a renter and I’ve looked at private rental sites, but there are government sites that have proved useful too.

Every municipality tends to have a website with some sort of rental and housing information. I have lived in Virginia most of my life and I would like to stay here. Both the City of Alexandria and Arlington County have apartment housing websites where I can get rent prices and information about cost of living.

It’s been a while since I put my signature on a lease so I need to jog my memory about what to look for in a lease. The Consumer Action Handbook has a bunch of tips on that. I remember most of these tips, but when the pressure is on to find a new place I don't want to overlook these things and wind up in a bad situation later. The best government resource for looking for housing is the Department of Housing and Urban Development. They have a very useful resources for renters webpage. Alright that'll do it for now. Please feel free to comment below. Have a great week!

| View Comments [11] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: apartments   housing   rent