Facing foreclosure is more than frightening. Many people believe that their entire world will fall apart with the loss of their home and will do virtually anything to keep it. Scam artists know this and operate in a variety of ways to trick you into giving your hard-pressed funds to them for phony efforts to save your property.
Foreclosure scams have several common characteristics that signal that the impending help is simply too good to be true. For one, valid foreclosure relief companies will never contact you. Scammers skim through legal notices to find information on homeowners facing foreclosure to capitalize on the fear and panic factor that those legal notices bring.
Characteristics of scams include:
- Charging high fees and making you pay upfront before any services are offered
- Asking homeowners to immediately transfer their property title to the company
- Offering to buy your house and lease it back to you until you can afford to repurchase it
- Requesting that mortgage payments be made directly to the company instead of your lender
- Filling out loan paperwork and claiming to submit it to a relief lender
Another important aspect to consider is that foreclosures in Florida generally take longer than they do in other states, meaning you may have additional time to work on your options. Florida also has special provisions for some circumstances, such preventing foreclosure for active duty military personnel.
These considerations underscore how important it is to consult an experienced foreclosure defense attorney for the entire process. Working with Jonathan Kline may not only help you save your home, but could ultimately save you money in the long run by helping you avoid scams.
