If you’re contacted by a company or individual who claims that, for a fee, they can help you receive government-sponsored homeownership relief – beware!
The fact is you don’t have to pay anything to get the benefits of these programs.
To receive assistance from the nationwide mortgage servicing settlement, Independent Foreclosure Review Program, or the Making Home Affordable Program, you just need to qualify.
Companies Are Trying To Trick You
Yesterday, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced that they were cracking down on two mortgage loan modification operations that allegedly tricked consumers into believing that their services were associated with government agencies.
One of the loan modification operations claimed that, for a fee, they could help people get benefits from programs offering government-sponsored relief for homeowners, including the recent nationwide mortgage servicing settlement or the federal Independent Foreclosure Review program.
Get Real Help by Talking to a Housing Counselor
Don’t be fooled. You can get real help by talking to a certified housing counselor. In Washington State, call 1.877.894.HOME to connect with a counselor.
You can also call search for a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-approved housing counselor online at http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm.
For more information about mortgage assistance available to Washington residents, visit www.homeownership.wa.gov.
More Tips from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
For more tips on how to protect yourself, read the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's blog about cracking down on loan modification scams. http://www.consumerfinance.gov/blog/why-you-should-be-suspicious-of-government-logos/
More Tips from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
For more tips on how to protect yourself, read the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's blog about cracking down on loan modification scams. http://www.consumerfinance.gov/blog/why-you-should-be-suspicious-of-government-logos/