Protecting Your Home
“Live from the BBB”
with Univision WXTV-Channel 41
February 12, 2008
Dealing with Foreclosure and Mortgage Problems
Consumers who buy homes using certain variable types of mortgages can suddenly be required to make big monthly payments – payments that they can’t afford.
Nowadays, foreclosure rates are very high. Many people are worried about losing their homes. It’s a big mistake to ignore the situation. If you are having problems paying your mortgage, it’s important to take the right steps – quickly.
Scammers and dishonest lenders often contact home owners who are having money troubles. Find out how to avoid losing your home to a scam or unfair lending deal:
· Act Now to Stop Foreclosure
· Avoid Unfair Lending Practices
· Property Flipping Scams
· Foreclosure Rescue Scams
· Mortgage Elimination Scams
· Identity Theft and Real Estate Scams
· HETPA: New York’s New Law
· How to Find Help: National, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut
Act Now to Stop Foreclosure
1. Act now - don't wait until it’s too late. If you are falling behind with your mortgage, or can no longer afford mortgage payments, take action right away. If you wait too long, it could be too late to save your home.
2. Get help from experts. Mortgage problems can be very complicated. Consumer helpers from nonprofits, government agencies, and volunteer lawyers can provide very important advice about what to do. These experts are often very busy. Be patient and call several places until you find someone with knowledge who can help you. Check to see whether you qualify for free or low-cost services.
3. Talk to your current lender about the problem now if you are having trouble paying your mortgage. Ask if there is a way to modify your loan to make your monthly payments more affordable, a way to reinstate your loan if you are behind on payments, or a way to “work out” your debt through a mutually agreeable option, such as selling the property.
· Be persistent. Some lenders are hard to reach. If a lower-level person can’t help you, ask to speak to a supervisor.
· If you can’t reach your lender, or can’t get the lender to help you, try to get expert advice or legal help to slow down the foreclosure process. You may need extra time to identify the correct mortgage owner, and it takes time to work out a solution to mortgage problems.
· Don’t hide from your lender. Don’t ignore warning letters or phone calls.
4. Do your best to keep paying the mortgage while you talk to your lender. Try very hard not to miss a single mortgage payment. Once you miss a payment, your credit will be damaged, and it will be harder to pursue options such as re-financing. Sometimes home owners are told that they cannot get help unless they stop paying the mortgage. Be warned! This is not good advice. If you have already missed a payment – start paying the mortgage again right away, and talk to your lender about making up the missed payment, while you work out a long-term solution.
5. Be sure you know who really owns your mortgage. Your mortgage may have been sold to investors several times. This can be very confusing. Some home owners have been contacted by more than one company, claiming ownership of a mortgage. Try to find out who has a legal right to foreclose on your property – and who doesn’t.
· If you are not sure who owns your mortgage loan, request that a company prove that it is the legal owner. A lender should be able to provide documentation of ownership.
· You may need to seek legal help or expert advice, if you cannot identify the legal owner of your mortgage loan, or if you are not sure whether loan documentation is valid.
6. Avoid unsolicited “home rescue” loans, “foreclosure rescue” or “foreclosure bailout” home buying plans, or “mortgage elimination” schemes. Unfamiliar lenders or businesses may call, knock on your door, or put flyers and signs in your neighborhood. These are often scam companies that offer loans or purchase plans on very poor or even fraudulent terms. Beware! Just walk away if someone tries to scare or pressure you into signing a deal.
· Before you do business – get more information about the potential lender, business, or financial services provider. Call the Better Business Bureau, your Attorney General's office, your state Banking Department, or local Department of Consumer Affairs to ask about the company’s record and to check out its sales claims.
· Be aware that a foreclosure rescue scammer who offers to talk to your lender for you may try to charge you a big fee for services that you might be able to do yourself for free.
7. Never sign away ownership of your property, unless you actually intend to sell your home to a qualified buyer on terms that are agreeable to you. If you wish to sell your property, be sure to employ independent, accredited professionals – such as real estate brokers and lawyers – who will represent your own interests, instead of the interests of the purchaser of your property. Check with The Better Business Bureau for information about business reliability.
8. Make sure you understand all fees and terms of any financial agreement that is presented to you. Never sign documents with blank lines. If you don't fully understand a document - don't sign it. Consider consulting an expert, like a lawyer.
For information about finding your own expert sources of help, see the How to Find Help section.
Avoid Unfair Lending Practices
If you are thinking of using your home as collateral for a loan, to get some fast cash – think twice. Or, if somebody tries to convince you that you can afford to buy a costly home, even if you have poor credit and a low income – watch out!
Unless you are careful, you could take out a loan that you might not be able to repay. This could lead to the loss of your home equity (the dollar amount of your home’s value that you actually own), or even the total loss of your home.
"Predatory" loans are provided to consumers on unfair terms or through unfair business practices. Unfair loans can be made to new or existing home owners for a wide variety of purposes, such as first or second mortgages, re-financing, home improvement financing, or mortgage rescue. Victims take out loans that they cannot afford, that have deceptive or unclear terms in them, that may include big hidden fees, or that cost more than is necessary given the person’s credit history.
Unfair lending practices can involve any of the players in the loan market: lenders, mortgage brokers, real estate brokers, attorneys, even home improvement contractors. Some lenders or brokers use frequent advertising and neighborhood visits to encourage people to take out loans. Others target certain communities, by advertising in a specific language, or targeting neighborhoods with high numbers of elderly home owners, residents in areas that lack branches of legitimate lending institutions, or home owners without much access to credit.
To protect yourself, keep these things in mind when you are considering a loan:
1. If you are having trouble paying your mortgage, get help from a foreclosure prevention counselor – check with local nonprofit groups or government agencies. It is very difficult to make wise decisions about loan terms when you are worried about money matters. You may need a trusted person to help you check out loan terms and find the best loan deal. Get expert advice, if possible. (See How to Find Help section.)
2. Adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) can be very risky. Loans with terms that can result in sudden, big increases in your mortgage payment can be dangerous. If you are not sure whether you are looking at this type of loan, get help from someone with expertise.
3. Shop for a better loan – don’t assume that top lenders won’t consider you. Don’t assume that a local bank or credit union won’t give you a deal on a loan. Take a little time to comparison shop. You can check the reputation of a lender with the BBB at www.bbb.org.
4. Ask about loan payments and fees. Ask what the total amount of the monthly loan payment will be, including taxes or insurance fees. Ask whether other fees will be charged, and find out whether those fees are considered fair. Check the terms to see whether your total monthly payment amount could increase at any time in the future. Get all of this information in writing. Make sure you can afford the fees and the monthly payment both now and in the future.
5. Watch out for pre-payment penalties. Be sure you know whether there are significant financial penalties for re-financing, called pre-payment penalties, during any part of your loan term. That could really hurt you if you want to re-finance your mortgage to get a lower cost loan, or if you need to sell your home in an emergency. Check all the details before you sign.
6. Stay away from “no documentation” loans. Borrowers should be very wary if lenders offer to provide loans for significant sums without requiring extensive income documentation. It is too easy for loans of this type to be falsified by dishonest lenders, without your knowledge. Make sure that your income is correctly stated on loan applications and that the value of the home for which the loan is given is not over-inflated. Ask to see documents that make references to these facts.
7. Be suspicious of unsolicited loan offers. Unfair loans are marketed to victims through phone calls, door-to-door solicitations, flyers, or even invitations issued by members of religious or social groups. Legitimate lenders do not make actual loan offers until they know a lot about you and your financial situation. If you are unfamiliar with a lender, check it out with the Better Business Bureau.
8. If you re-finance your home, make sure the terms benefit you. It doesn’t make sense to re-finance in a way that could replace low-interest loans with high cost ones, suddenly increase your monthly payment, or put you at risk of losing your home. If you have credit card debt, try to work out a payment plan with your credit card companies instead of taking a new, risky “debt consolidation” mortgage on your home. You’ll have to pay fees for re-financing, too, so don’t re-finance your home repeatedly.
9. Take your time, and make sure you understand what you are signing. If the lender uses high pressure tactics to get you to sign, that's a big warning signal. Ask questions. Be sure you understand all the terms and conditions, before you take out a loan that could cost you your home. Make sure that the written loan terms agree with any verbal promises made. Don’t sign anything that you don’t understand.
10. Make sure that your attorney represents you – not the lender. It is vital for borrowers to be advised by a reputable, independent attorney who can fairly represent the interests of the borrower instead of the interests of the real estate agent or lender. For help in locating such an attorney, contact your local bar association (membership group for lawyers). In general, it’s wiser to find and choose your own expert advisors for important home purchase matters such as legal issues, home inspection, etc., instead of accepting suggestions from the lender or realtor. (See How to Find Help section.)
11. Don’t take out a loan that you can’t repay. Most important of all: don't take out a mortgage loan that you can't afford.
If you are not sure whether you can afford a loan, there are many nonprofit organizations that may be able to help you find advice. The Better Business Bureau, the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), or your state’s Banking Department may be able to refer you to sources of information and counseling.
Property Flipping Scams
This type of crime affects home buyers and is increasingly common. Scammers purchase homes at very low prices. Often these are homes in or near foreclosure. The homes may be in poor condition.
After doing minor repairs to facilitate a quick sale, the scammers get a dishonest appraiser to issue a fraudulently inflated appraisal on the property. A dishonest home inspector may issue a clean report on the property. Then the home is quickly sold – “flipped” - at a big profit to genuine, unsuspecting home buyers. Or a fake buyer purchases the home at a huge price, abandons the property after the deal closes, and allows it to go into foreclosure. The scammers then share the big profits.
If the home is purchased by real buyers, they may soon discover that they are stuck with a huge mortgage on a home that is worth far less than they paid, and that may cost even more to repair. In some cases, the victims of a criminal property flipping scam may learn that they don’t even own clear title to their new home – but may still be asked to repay a mortgage obligation.
Property flipping swindlers may operate in “rings” or “one-stop shops” of mortgage brokers, lenders, appraisers, home inspectors, closing agents, and attorneys, all working together to strip would-be home buyers of their hard-earned savings. These groups of scammers typically try to convince home buyers that they can help them with all the details of the home purchase: but as a result, there isn’t anybody protecting the home buyer’s interests. Be sure you choose a reputable, independent attorney and home inspector who will represent your interests fairly; it’s usually not a good idea to rely on people suggested by a realtor or mortgage broker.
Even if you are not a victim of this scam yourself, you can be affected by it. Whole neighborhoods can be seriously harmed by property flipping schemes. When properties go into foreclosure, the unoccupied homes can be vandalized. Or the homes may be temporarily rented out to tenants who don’t take care of the properties. When property flipping has damaged a neighborhood, nice residential streets can lose financial value and become unsafe, in a very short period of time.
Foreclosure Rescue Scams
Foreclosure "rescue" or “deed theft” scams target people whose home mortgages are in trouble. Scam operators advertise over the Internet and in local publications, distribute flyers, and contact people whose homes are listed in the foreclosure notices. Scammers may get in touch through religious groups or other neighborhood groups; they often look like trustworthy people.
For example, scam operators might agree to pay off an overdue loan if the owner will move out of the home and sign over the deed to the property. In this type of scam, owners are given the chance to rent the home with an option to buy it back later.
The rent payment is often so high that it is not affordable, and the "tenant" is often evicted. Similarly, when the home owner wants to purchase the property back, the scam operator usually sets the price of the property out of reach. Unfortunately, the troubles of these home owners don't stop there. Instead, they often find out that the scammers have not paid the initial mortgage, which leaves the home owner not only facing eviction but also owing the amount of the original loan.
Mortgage Elimination Scams
A similar type of con known as "mortgage elimination" swindles people out of their properties and large sums of money by pretending to manipulate the bank lending system. The swindlers may create fraudulent documents for their victims that supposedly release them from their mortgage obligations. Second loans are then taken on the properties in order to pay the fraud perpetrators.
Mortgages cannot be “eliminated” through phony claims that a loan is “invalid.” Common sense tells us that you cannot get rid of a legal debt simply by pretending that it is not a real debt. Even so, many victims fall for “mortgage elimination” schemes that feature this kind of claim.
Another feature of mortgage elimination scams involves having the home owner place the title to the home in a trust of some kind, or transferring title to the home.
Promoters of mortgage or debt elimination schemes have been known to argue that a bank loan is not a loan of "real" money; so they claim that the mortgage debt is not legal. Scammers may quote selectively from government documents issued by real agencies such as the Federal Reserve to support their arguments, or fabricate legal-looking information to present as "proof" to scam victims.
Home owners who sign onto such mortgage elimination programs may face potentially serious legal problems such as default on their original mortgage, foreclosure, difficulty selling the home when an irrevocable trust clouds the home owner's title, potential liability for failure to pay any additional loans procured by the trust, the possibility of being an accessory to criminal activity - even jail time.
Identity Theft and Real Estate Scams
Criminals may steal the financial identities of other people to commit real estate or financial crimes, such as cheating lenders out of large sums through fraudulent home purchase or re-financing schemes.
It’s a good idea to check your credit report regularly, to be sure you are not a victim of identity theft. This can be done for free, once a year, through the English language website at www.annualcreditreport.com; or by calling (877) 322-8228; at TDD # (877) 730-4104 for the hearing impaired; or by writing Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105283, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. If you discover any transactions in your report that you did not authorize, you should report the possible misuse of your identity to all three credit services.
For more information in English and Spanish about how to fight identity theft, go to www.ftc.gov/idtheft.
HETPA: New York's Law
As of February 1, 2007, a law called the Home Equity Theft Prevention Act (HETPA) took effect in New York State. The law is intended to protect people who are at risk of foreclosure or mortgage loan default.
The Home Equity Theft Prevention Act, or HETPA, applies to transactions that transfer equity in a home from the owner to a purchaser - generally, it applies to the sale of a home in foreclosure to a buyer who wants to purchase the home as an investment.
The law has established these new requirements to protect New York's consumers:
· Consumers are entitled to cancel the agreement within a five day cooling off period - specifically, the "right to cancel" period extends to midnight on the fifth "business day", including Saturday but not Sunday, following the date on which you sign the purchase contract. Notices of cancellation of sale must be provided by seller to purchaser in writing.
· Sales agreements must be in writing.
· Agreements must be in English. If the owner's primary language is Spanish, the agreement must be in both English and Spanish.
· The agreement must be signed and dated.
· Lenders may not grant mortgages to equity purchasers if they know that the purchaser did not comply with HETPA requirements.
Contracts covered by HETPA must contain the following details:
· Equity purchaser's complete contact information
· Address of residence in foreclosure
· Total consideration to be given by equity purchaser in connection with the sale: disclosure of all fees and payments to be made to the buyer, plus total value of the home to be sold, and a complete description of all terms of payment
· Complete description of any services the purchaser has agreed to perform or promised
· The time at which physical possession of the residence is to be transferred
· Date when the residence will be vacated by the equity seller
· Terms of any rental or lease agreement
· Terms of any buyback or re-conveyance agreement
· Notice of cancellation form that can be used to file a cancellation with purchaser if desired
· Date on which the five business day "right to cancel" period ends
During the five-business-day "right to cancel" period, the following actions are not permitted:
· Purchaser cannot induce seller to execute - or accept - any instrument of conveyance of any interest in the residence in foreclosure or default.
· Purchaser may not record any document regarding the property sold with the county clerk.
· Transferring any interest in the property to a third party is prohibited.
· Purchaser may not give seller any consideration (payment).
· The equity seller cannot waive or shorten his or her right to cancel during the five day period.
The purchaser is also forbidden to do any of the following:
· Purchaser cannot represent that it is acting as an advisor or consultant to the seller.
· Purchaser cannot represent that it is assisting the equity seller to save the house.
· Purchaser cannot represent that it is assisting the equity seller in preventing a completed foreclosure.
The buyer of the house falling under the provisions of HETPA may not make misrepresentations or deceive the seller in any way, especially about the value of the house; the amount to be received as a result of the sale; how much time the seller will have before a home is put up for foreclosure auction; contract terms; the nature of any relevant document; or the seller's rights and responsibilities.
If the HETPA law is violated, the transaction may be rescinded (legally cancelled) by the equity seller within two years of the date of the recording of the conveyance. The equity seller may also bring an action for recovery of damages or equitable relief for violation of the law. A violation under HETPA is considered a Class E Felony and may result in a fine up to $25,000. The law is not retroactive. There are exceptions to HETPA: for more details in English about the law, go to www.banking.state.ny.us/hetpyrul.pdf.
How to Find Help
Check out potential lenders or financial services providers before you do business. Call the Better Business Bureau, your state Attorney General's office, your state’s Banking Department, or your local Department of Consumer Affairs to ask about the lender's record.
National
The Better Business Bureau®
When seeking reliable businesses, Start with TrustSM by contacting The Better Business Bureau for information. You can check on a company’s reliability history, file a complaint, or find a local BBB source of help, through the national website any time. Just go to the national website home page and input your zip code to find the BBB nearest you.
Website: www.bbb.org
Get More Money Now – Más dinero ya
BBB Public Education Project on Money Management
For BBB consumer tips about managing credit, debt, savings, and investment issues, and detailed links to resource information, go to the national BBB website for this project. The site contains detailed information about debt problems and finding appropriate help with credit counseling. The Get More Money Now program is generously supported by the FINRA Investor Education Foundation (formerly the NASD Investor Education Foundation).
Website in English: www.bbbmoneynow.org
Website in Spanish: http://www.bbbmoneynow.org/?lid=2
Federal Housing Administration
Click here for tips on avoiding foreclosure, in English.
http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page?_pageid=33,717348&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) approved housing counselors can help you with legal issues, answer financial questions, and help you talk with your lender about money problems, if needed.
Call (800) 569-4287 or TTY (800) 877-8339.
HUD en español
Spanish language information and links to detailed lists of HUD-approved local housing counseling agencies, nationwide by state. These are ground-level community organizations able to help consumers. Click here to go to the Spanish website.
http://espanol.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hccprof14.cfm
Homeowner’s Preservation Foundation
Free, prompt help for home owners in trouble provided by selected HUD-approved counselors.
For immediate help, call: 1-888-995-HOPE (4673)
Website in English: www.995hope.org
Address: 3033 Excelsior Blvd., Suite 500, Minneapolis, MN 55416
NeighborWorks America (Neighborhood Housing Services)
This is a national network of 240 local community organizations working to combat and prevent foreclosure. With funds provided by Congress, it runs foreclosure counseling programs across the country. The hotline listed on their website is the same as the one listed for the Homeowner’s Preservation Foundation.
NeighborWorks website - foreclosure resources in English: http://www.nw.org/network/foreclosure/default.asp
Local Help with Legal Issues
Local bar associations and pro bono legal groups can help you find a qualified attorney who will fairly represent your interests.
· Lawhelp.org: Visit this website and click on "housing" to see information about locating and qualifying for free or low cost legal services, in your state.
Website in English: www.lawhelp.org
· Findlegalhelp.org: This is the American Bar Association (ABA) website resource, which can link you to sources of qualified legal help in your state.
Website in English: www.findlegalhelp.org
State of New York
Better Business Bureau Resources for New York
BBB resources for the Metropolitan New York, Long Island, and Mid-Hudson area:
Website in English: www.newyork.bbb.org
Website in Spanish: http://espanol.newyork.bbb.org
BBB resources for Upstate New York:
Website in English: http://upstateny.bbb.org
New York State Banking Department
Call the NY Banking Department's Consumer Help Line at 1-877-226-5697 (1-877-BANK-NYS) for general advice - especially before you sign any agreement with a person or firm claiming they can save your home from foreclosure. Information is also posted in English on the website at www.banking.state.ny.us/hetp.htm.
Information in English about New York State HALT campaign (Halt Abusive Lending Transactions), including contact information for complaints, and educational fact sheets: http://www.banking.state.ny.us/cshalt.htm
New York State Attorney General
The Attorney General is the New York State’s chief legal officer, and is charged with protecting the state’s citizens against fraud. Among other things, the Attorney General’s office handles complaints dealing with real estate financing and home improvement fraud.
Website in English: http://www.oag.state.ny.us/
Website in Spanish: http://www.oag.state.ny.us/spanish/home.html
HUD – New York State
Detailed list of HUD approved housing counseling agencies in New York State, in English. These are New York organizations able to help consumers. Click here to view list.
http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm?webListAction=search&searchstate=NY
HUD foreclosure prevention tips:
- Click here for English: http://www.hud.gov/local/ny/homeownership/foreclosure.cfm
- Click here for Spanish: http://espanol.hud.gov/local/ny/homeownership/foreclosure.cfm?&lang=es
HUD list of New York community group contacts for home ownership assistance, in English: Click here to view list.
http://www.hud.gov/local/ny/homeownership/buyingprgms.cfm
New York State Consumer Protection Board
Click here to view tips about foreclosure prevention in English:
http://www.consumer.state.ny.us/home_improvement_initiative.htm
City of New York
New York City Department of Consumer Affairs
Center for Economic Opportunity -Office of Financial Empowerment (OFE)
This is a new city program. Among other goals, the OFE aims to protect low income New York City residents from predatory lending, and promote financial education. The city’s Department of Consumer Affairs enforces consumer protection laws, handles some types of consumer complaints, and licenses businesses such as debt collection agencies and home improvement companies.
Call: 3-1-1 or 1-212-NEW-YORK from outside New York City
Website in English: www.nyc.gov/consumers
Address:
Office of Financial Empowerment
New York City Department of Consumer Affairs
42 Broadway, 8th floor
New York, NY 10004
New York City Anti-Predatory Lending Task Force
This is a coalition of New York City nonprofit organizations and consumer advocates, working together to combat abusive mortgage lending practices in New York City. This coalition has published an educational booklet, the NYC Homebuyer Pocket Guide, which offers detailed contact information for groups that can help home owners who are in trouble with mortgages, or who need other lending related information. This and other information is available on the Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project website at www.nedap.org; NEDAP has organized several coalitions dealing with financial justice and immigrant issues, and can provide referrals to organizations that help home owners and would-be home buyers.
Pocket Guide in English:
Click here to visit the NEDAP resources for consumers page, and then click on the link to the Pocket Guide at the bottom of the page. http://nedap.org/resources/consumer.html#homeowners
South Brooklyn Legal Services Foreclosure Prevention Hotline
For help with foreclosure due to mortgage fraud, primarily in Brooklyn, for individuals in eligible income brackets:
Call: 1-718-246-3279
Website: Click here to view website information on services and eligibility requirements.
State of New Jersey
Better Business Bureau Resources for New Jersey:
Website in English: http://newjersey.bbb.org
New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance
This New Jersey agency protects and educates consumers about insurance, money matters, and real estate transactions.
Hotline (New Jersey only): 1-800-446-7467
Website in English: http://www.state.nj.us/dobi/index.html
Links to New Jersey consumer alerts, sources of help: http://www.state.nj.us/dobi/division_consumers/finance/personalfinance_menu.htm
New Jersey Home Ownership Preservation Effort: http://www.state.nj.us/dobi/njhope/
New Jersey Home Ownership Preservation Refinance Program:
http://www.nj.gov/dca/hmfa/consu/owners/preservation/
New Jersey Attorney General, Division of Consumer Affairs
This agency provides information on its website about mortgage lending problems, and contact information for complaints and inquiries about consumer protection issues.
Call: 1-973-504-6200
Toll Free in New Jersey: 1-800-242-5846
Website in English: http://www.nj.gov/lps/ca/home.htm
New Jersey Housing Resource Center
Information in English on housing issues, with links to foreclosure guidance information.
Website in English: http://www.nj.gov/njhrc/
HUD – New Jersey
Detailed list of HUD approved housing counseling agencies in New Jersey. These are New Jersey organizations able to help consumers. Click here to view the list.
http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm?webListAction=search&searchstate=NJ
HUD foreclosure prevention tips:
- Click here for English: http://www.hud.gov/local/nj/homeownership/foreclosure.cfm
- Click here for Spanish: http://espanol.hud.gov/local/nj/homeownership/foreclosure.cfm?&lang=es
HUD list of New York community group contacts for home ownership assistance.
Click here for English:
http://www.hud.gov/local/nj/homeownership/buyingprgms.cfm
Click here for Spanish: http://espanol.hud.gov/local/nj/homeownership/buyingprgms.cfm?&lang=es
Legal Services of New Jersey Anti-Predatory Lending Project
Legal Services of New Jersey (LSNJ) coordinates the statewide network of nonprofit programs which provide free legal assistance in civil cases to low-income New Jersey residents who cannot afford lawyers.
Hotline, for in-state New Jersey calls only:
Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-5:30 pm: 1-888-LSNJ-LAW (1-888-576-5529)
Website in English: http://www.lsnjlaw.org/english/placeilive/iownmyhome/aplp/index.cfm
Website in Spanish:
http://www.lsnjlaw.org/espanol/index.cfm
State of Connecticut
Better Business Bureau Resources for Connecticut:
Website in English: http://ct.bbb.org
State of Connecticut Department of Banking
The state of Connecticut has announced that consumers who are having mortgage problems can now call a Mortgage Foreclosure Assistance Hotline for helpful advice about what to do.
Hotline (for Connecticut residents only): 1-877-472-8313
Website in English: http://www.ct.gov/dob/site/default.asp
List of sources of help in Connecticut in English: http://www.ct.gov/dob/cwp/view.asp?a=2235&q=386114
Connecticut Attorney General
The Attorney General is the Connecticut’s chief legal officer, and is charged with protecting the state’s citizens against fraud.
Call: 1-860-808-5318
Website in English: http://www.ct.gov/ag/site/default.asp
Connecticut Consumer Protection Board
This state agency is responsible for protecting Connecticut consumers from fraud or injury. Inquiries are accepted by phone; the agency prefers to receive complaints in writing.
In-state calls from Connecticut only: 1-860-713-6300
Toll Free: 1-800-842-2649
Website in English: http://www.ct.gov/dcp/site/default.asp
HUD - Connecticut
Detailed list of HUD approved housing counseling agencies in Connecticut, in English. These are Connecticut organizations able to help consumers. Click here to view the list.
http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm?webListAction=search&searchstate=CT
HUD foreclosure prevention tips:
- Click here for English: http://www.hud.gov/local/ct/homeownership/foreclosure.cfm
- Click here for Spanish: http://espanol.hud.gov/local/ct/homeownership/foreclosure.cfm?&lang=es
HUD list of Connecticut community group contacts for home ownership assistance, in English: Click here
http://www.hud.gov/local/ct/homeownership/buyingprgms.cfm
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© 2008 by the Education and Research Foundation of the Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan New York, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission is given for this material to be duplicated and distributed, in unaltered form, at no charge, for public benefit purposes.
The contact information for resource groups in this publication is provided as a public service, but does not indicate endorsement by the Better Business Bureau, nor does it indicate that any particular nonprofit organization has met the BBB Wise Giving Standards for Charity Accountability.
For information about charities reviewed by the Better Business Bureau, please go to www.bbb.org, find your local BBB by inputting your zip code, and search for local charity reports with your local BBB. National charity reports may be viewed at www.bbb.org/charity. Charity reports for the New York City, Long Island and Mid-Hudson Region may be viewed online at www.newyork.bbb.org.
Likewise, information in this publication is not intended as legal advice or financial advice. Please consult a reputable attorney, credentialed financial advisor, or qualified counselor for professional help with such matters.
