Minnesota AG Tags Two Out-Of-State Outfits With Civil Suits Alleging Upfront Fee Loan Modification Ripoffs

From the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General:

• Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson today filed two lawsuits against separate out-of-state mortgage modification companies for violating a 2009 state law that prohibits companies that offer to negotiate or modify the terms or conditions of an existing home mortgage from requesting advance payments from homeowners. These are the first lawsuits filed under the new law.

• “Homeowners who contact their lenders to modify their mortgages often face unreturned phone calls, lost paperwork, and other red tape. This and the bad economy have created an opening for mortgage modification companies to swoop in and take advantage of people,” said Attorney General Swanson.

• The lawsuits were filed against: American Modification Consultants, LLC of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, d/b/a American Mitigation Consultants; and INQB8 LLC of Scottsdale, Arizona, d/b/a Discount Mortgage Relief.(1)

For the Minnesota AG press release, see Attorney General Swanson Files Two Lawsuits Against Mortgage Modification Companies For Violating New State Law (Lawsuits Are First Ones Filed Under 2009 Law Designed To Protect Consumers From Abuses By Mortgage Modification Companies).

(1) The lawsuits allege that the companies violated Minnesota law by charging advance fees to homeowners and then failed to deliver the promised services. American Mitigation Consultants charged homeowners advance fees of up to $1,250; and Discount Mortgage Relief charged homeowners advance fees of up to $3,000, according to the Minnesota AG's press release.