Friday, April 11, 2008

Surge In Foreclosure Rescue Scams A Byproduct Of Housing Crisis

Reuters recently ran a story that reminds us that there's big money in running foreclosure rescue scams.
  • Among the byproducts of the U.S. housing crisis is a surge in scams that cheat people out of their money, their homes, or both, under the guise of offering to rescue them from foreclosure. "There is a lot of money to be made if you are good at committing fraud," said Debra Zimmerman, an attorney at Los Angeles-based Bet Tzedek Legal Services, which provides free legal assistance to stricken home owners. "Foreclosure rescue scams are big business right now." Groups like Zimmerman's say that as soon as borrowers end up in foreclosure -- a matter of public record in the United States - they are bombarded with calls, leaflets and knocks on the door from people armed with fraudulent offers of help.

For more, see Troubled US homeowners fall prey to "rescue" scams.