California Couple Ripped Off By Loan Mod Outfit Obtains Triple Damages In Lawsuit Under New State Law Allowing For Punitive Damages Scam Cases

In Victorville, California, the Victorville Daily Press reports:

• A local couple who say they were scammed by a loan modification company are the first in the country to use a new organization that guided them through the small claims court process and helped win a fight to get their money back. [... Jeff] Lomax said he paid Certified Financial Protection Group, based in Temecula, $1,000 to begin a loan modification but nothing was ever done, so he sued to get their money back. In Civil Court on Monday the couple won a big victory against Certified Financial Protection Group and its agent Mike Wayman after they failed to appear in court for a second time.

• Judge Bruce Austin awarded the couple more than $7,000, three times the amount they were actually seeking including all court fees and other legal costs the defendant is ordered to pay. A new California law just passed in June allows victims of scammers to receive punitive damages up to three times the amount they paid.

For the story, see Home owners fight back (Awarded $7,000 in court case against reported loan scammer).