Mortgage Foreclosure Scams Part 4 of 7

Another very dangerous and very concerning type of foreclosure "rescue" scams is what is referred to as the "bait and switch" scam by Steve Tripoli and Elizabeth Renuart, authors and researchers of a report by the National Consumer Law Center in 2005, (more information about the report below.) The dangers of the bait and switch are tremendous, and homeowners are often not aware their ownership may be at risk. They usually involve forgeries of deeds and documents. Many homeowners are unaware that there was any intention by the "rescuer" to purchase the home, and most often it is for pennies on the dollar, and the unwary homeowner is evicted. Many victims of this type of fraud claim that the documents the scam artists possessed were not the same documents that they signed, or worse yet - still holds the original mortgage on a home he or she no longer owns! Yes, that's right, in this scam, the victim is often left with no home, but a remaining valid mortgage contract on the original amount borrowed to purchase the home. It is popular in the areas of Colorado, Nevada, Florida, Virginia, Minnesota, Illinois, and Washing D.C., but again, it can happen anywhere or to anyone.

The report by Steve Tripoli and Elizabeth Renuart is entitled "DREAMS FORECLOSED: The Rampant Theft of Americans' Homes Through Equity-Stripping Foreclosure "Rescue" Scams". This is a very well researched report that deserves reading by every concerned consumer and honest professional in the mortgage industry. It can be downloaded in PDF form here.