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End of mortgage support programs brings day of reckoning for homeowners in forbearance/foreclosure, DannLaw is here to help

Mortgage Fraud

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DannLaw founder Marc DannAs the new year begins nearly all the mortgage support programs implemented in response to the Covid 19 pandemic are coming to an end. That means millions of homeowners who have taken advantage of mortgage forbearance must begin making their house payments again. Many are finding it difficult to secure permanent loan modifications or repayment plans, some are about to lose their homes because the foreclosure moratoriums imposed by the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) have been lifted, and others are unable to make mortgage payments  because advance Child Tax Credit payments ended abruptly  just as a new wave of COVID-19 infections began sweeping across the nation.

The mortgage and foreclosure experts at DannLaw are already helping hundreds of homeowners deal with the challenges we described above. If you or someone you know is leaving forbearance, attempting to negotiate a loan modification with a lender, facing foreclosure, or having difficulty making mortgage payments please contact us at once to arrange a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.

It is important to contact experienced attorneys like the members of the DannLaw legal team because loan mods and foreclosure proceedings are extremely complicated areas of the law. Last week Whitney Horton, Brian Flick, Dan Solar and I shared our expertise and strategies with more than 200 lawyers from across the U.S. As we prepared our presentation, we identified numerous problems borrowers are confronting as they deal with lenders and servicers:

  1. OH Foreclosure TimelineMortgage loan servicers often provide inaccurate and/or incomplete information about the loss mitigation options available to borrowers leaving forbearance or seeking loan modifications.
  2. The CFPB has developed and implemented specific rules and procedures designed to protect homeowners with federally-backed loans, i.e. those issued by the FHA, VA, USDA or owned by Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae, who are exiting forbearance. Unfortunately, some servicers are ignoring the rules and pushing borrowers to accept options that offer less favorable terms or are easier for the lender to implement. This deplorable practice puts borrowers at risk of entering into a repayment plan that isn’t right for them.
  3. Servicers may seek exceptions to the above-mentioned rules in certain circumstances.
  4. Servicers are misrepresenting the rights of borrowers whose FHA, VA, USDA, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac loans have been sold to new, private investors.
  5. The incompetence of mortgage company staff combined with the mail delivery problems that are plaguing the U.S. Postal Service have caused some borrowers to miss first payment deadlines established under reinstatement or loan modification agreements through no fault of their own.
  6. Some mortgage servicers are adding unjustified/unwarranted fees and charges to mortgage loan balances.
  7. People attempting to contact servicers by phone are placed on hold for hours. When they do manage to speak to a staff member, they often receive inconsistent or incorrect information.
  8. Mortgage companies are not completing their work within the 30-day time limit established under the CFPB rules.
  9. Mortgage companies have initiated foreclosures against borrowers in violation of Federal Dual Tracking prohibitions.

While the CFPB offers extensive online resources, borrowers who attempt to deal with servicers on their own are at a serious disadvantage. Accepting the wrong loan modification or repayment plan could put your home and your family’s financial future at risk. Fortunately, you don’t have to go it alone: the experienced attorneys at DannLaw are here to help.

Whether you are ready to exit forbearance or are now facing foreclosure, we are just a phone call or email away. To arrange a free consultation call 216-373-0539 or complete and submit our contact form.

Stay well, stay safe, and Happy New Year to you and yours.

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Atty. Andrew Wolf AnnouncementDannLaw founder and former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann announced today that Attorney Andrew Wolf of North Brunswick, New Jersey has become an “Of Counsel” member of DannLaw’s Consumer Protection and Class Action Litigation Practice groups. Wolf, who has earned a reputation as one of the nation’s most effective consumer advocates will be based in DannLaw’s New Jersey/New York office.

“Andrew Wolf’s impressive level of experience, skill, and knowledge will significantly enhance our ability to both fight for middle and working-class families and to handle the influx of cases that will be generated in the coming months as millions of Americans exit mortgage forbearance and the federal foreclosure moratorium sunsets,” Dann said. “We could not have picked a better time to add a talented attorney with Andy’s level of expertise in individual and class action consumer protection law to our outstanding team.”

Wolf, who has resolved hundreds of individual consumer protection cases and been named Class Counsel in more than 135 state and federal class actions since entering private practice 24 years ago, said he eagerly seized the opportunity to join the team of attorneys that has pioneered the use of the nation’s most complex laws to secure justice for consumers and hold corporate wrongdoers accountable for their actions.

“When I opened my first office in 1997, I wrote down a simple mission statement – I am going to be a consumer protection attorney whose goal is to help as many people as possible who have been ripped off or taken advantage of in some way,” Wolf said. “I knew that if I did that I would make a decent living. After accomplishing that goal for 24 years and helping tens of thousands of consumers along the way, my new goal is to continue doing that good work at DannLaw.”

“Our familiarity with and respect for Andrew’s body of work along with the synergies that existed between our two firms served as the catalyst for the discussions that resulted in our teaming up,” Dann said. “I’m confident our new relationship will benefit Andrew, DannLaw, and our existing and future clients while causing nothing but headaches for unscrupulous lenders, scam artists, and corporate miscreants of all types. Andrew and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Andrew Wolf’s biography may be viewed here.

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DannLaw founder Marc DannAs America struggles to shake the curse of COVID-19, millions of homeowners impacted by the pandemic continue to face numerous challenges, including determining what to do when mortgage forbearance ends. In this update, we’ll outline the available options and offer sound advice on how–and how not–to proceed.

Before we discuss the options available to homeowners already in forbearance, we want to share some breaking news as well as a reminder. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development just announced that it has indefinitely extended the deadline for borrowers with FHA loans to enter forbearance. The window for new applications was to close on Thursday, September 30, 2021.
The FHA’s decision brings the agency in line with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac which have not set deadlines for initial applications. If you are not in forbearance but are struggling to make your house payment due to the pandemic and have an FHA or Fannie or Freddie-backed mortgage we urge you to take advantage of the opportunity to apply. If you have doubts or questions about what to do  please reach out Attorney Whitney Horton [email protected].
We also want to remind borrowers currently in forbearance that a number of extensions are available, but remember, extensions are not granted automatically. You must apply. For more information visit the CFPB forbearance information center.
That’s what’s new regarding initial forbearance and applications. Now we’ll take a look at the numerous and complicated options available to the nearly 2,000,000 homeowners who are preparing to resume making their mortgage payments.
As we’ve noted on numerous occasions, forbearance is not forgiveness. At some point, and that point is rapidly approaching for borrowers who paused payments early in the pandemic, homeowners will be responsible for missed payments, taxes, and other fees. That means now is the time to plan and execute an exit strategy based on the options that are available to borrowers whose loans are backed by the government which include repayment plans, deferral or partial claims, loan modifications, and lump sum reinstatements.
An explanation of each option may be found in our August 2021 update and the terms differ depending on whether the mortgage is insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), The Veterans Administration (VA) the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) or is owned by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or Ginnie Mae.
While we are glad that so many options are available, each is extremely complicated. Making the wrong choice can lead to devastating consequences, up to and including foreclosure. For that reason, we strongly suggest that you seek legal advice as you consider your options.
Homeowners whose mortgages are held by private lenders are especially at risk at the end of forbearance. If you are in forbearance, please stay in regular contact with your servicer because they have the ability to change the terms of your plan at any time. They can also require you to make a lump sum payment when forbearance ends. In addition, it is highly likely that any repayment options they offer will be designed to maximize their profit at your expense.
Whether you have a government-backed or private mortgage (or just don’t know) , the experienced DannLaw/Advocate Attorneys legal team is here to help. We invite you to contact us to arrange a free consultation so we can assess your situation and help ensure that your home and your finances don’t become victims of the pandemic.
Unfortunately, as often happens in crisis situations, the nation is being overrun by con men engaged in loan modification scams. If a company or individual makes promises that seem too good to be true, they probably are. Don’t put your financial security and your home at risk. Please seek help from reputable law firms–and remember, we regularly sue and recover damages from charlatans who bilk consumers. If you believe you are the victim of consumer fraud contact us right away.
Important notice about foreclosures.
The federal government’s foreclosure moratorium ended on July 31, 2021. Under new rules issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, foreclosure actions may proceed if the borrower:
  • Has abandoned the property.
  • Was more than 120 days behind on their mortgage before March 1, 2020.
  • Is more than 120 days behind on their mortgage payments and has not responded to specific required outreach from the mortgage servicer for 90 days
  • Has been evaluated for all options other than foreclosure and it is determined that foreclosure is unavoidable.
While foreclosure proceedings may begin, foreclosure is not necessarily a done deal. DannLaw’s experienced foreclosure defense attorneys have helped hundreds of families save their homes and their financial futures. We know how to use the law to protect borrowers and to hold lenders who violate the rules accountable.
If you were in foreclosure when the moratorium went into effect last year or believe your servicer or lender is about to begin proceedings to take your home, do not delay, contact DannLaw today to arrange a no-cost, no-obligation foreclosure defense consultation.
If you even suspect that a foreclosure will be initiated or reinstated Do not delay, contact us TODAY!  Click here to schedule an in-person, video conference, or telephone appointment or call us at 877-475-8100
Thanks for taking the time to read this important update. Be well, stay safe, and as always feel free to contact us should you have questions or need our help.
Sincerely,
Marc Dann
DannLaw
dannlaw.brmcstaging.com
877-475-8100

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If you are a former Home Savings or First Federal customer who now banks with Premier, contact us TODAY so we can protect your family’s financial future and fight for the monetary compensation you need and deserve.

The slogan “Better Together” used by officials of Home Savings Bank and First Federal Bank to characterize the merger that created Premier Bank in April 2020 will ring hollow if the new bank has violated the federal laws and rules that govern mortgage lending and servicing by engaging in these and other abusive practices:

  • Failing to automatically withdraw and/or correctly credit monthly house payments to borrowers’ accounts;
  • Failing to send borrowers monthly mortgage statements;
  • Refusing to respond to requests for information, including loan payoff amounts, in the timeframe required by law;
  • Providing false and/or inaccurate information to the major credit bureaus about the status of borrowers’ loans.

The impact of illegal acts like these can be devastating. Victimized homeowners could see their credit scores plummet by hundreds of points, be unable to refinance their homes to take advantage of low-interest rates, find it difficult to obtain a mortgage for a new home, and be denied credit or charged higher interest rates on auto loans and other types of borrowing.

That means mistakes made by Premier could cost borrowers tens of thousands of dollars—even though they did nothing wrong.

If you believe you have been abused by Premier or have questions about the bank’s actions/activities, please contact DannLaw and Marc Dann immediately by email at [email protected], calling 877-475-8100 or via the contact form on our website: dannlaw.brmcstaging.com/contact to arrange a no-cost, no-obligation consultation that will enable us to
determine if you are eligible to receive substantial monetary damages under the provisions of the Real Estate Sales Practices Act (RESPA), the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).

Please contact us TODAY so we can begin protecting you, your family, and your financial future.

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On Tuesday, April 27, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced that Mr. Cooper/Nationstar has been withdrawing multiple mortgage payments from the bank accounts of hundreds of thousands of consumers without authorization.
If your mortgage is serviced by these companies and your payments are automatically withdrawn from your bank account, you MUST do two things NOW:
Contact your bank to determine if your account has been debited for multiple payments.
If you are a victim of the Mr. Cooper/Nationstar ripoff, contact Marc Dann and DannLaw immediately at [email protected] or 877-475-8100 or dannlaw.brmcstaging.com/contact so we can begin protecting you, your family, and your finances.
These unauthorized withdrawals can cause serious problems for victims of the Mr. Cooper/Nationstar ripoff:
  • Checks written on affected accounts may be returned NSF.
  • Automatic withdrawals from the account for auto loans, utilities, and other consumer debts may be denied.
  • Banks may charge large, multiple overdraft fees.
  • Credit scores will be negatively impacted by late or denied payments.
We have launched a full scale investigation of Mr.Cooper/Nationstar’s actions and intend to fight to secure justice and just compensation for victims. Contact us TODAY!
Check our Facebook page and dannlaw.brmcstaging.com for updates and more information.

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I was Ohio’s Attorney General when the fraud-driven collapse of the housing market documented in “The Con” began. I’m proud to say that my office was at the forefront of the effort to hold the big banks, predatory lenders, rating agencies, mortgage brokers, stock and bond speculators, brokerage firms, real estate appraisers and others who ignited the near-collapse of the global economy accountable for their actions.

The things I learned as we investigated the mortgage industry were extremely disturbing and distressing. We discovered the home mortgage, which had for decades been the very foundation of the American dream, had become the cornerstone of a multi-trillion dollar racket run by charlatans, scam artists, and cheaters who gleefully used deceit and trickery to prey upon and ruin working and middle-class families.

While their behavior was deplorable, I was even more outraged by the fact that the regulators responsible for protecting the American people had turned a blind eye to the scam that was taking place under their noses and then refused to prosecute any of the criminals once it blew up.

I founded DannLaw in response to the government’s utter failure to protect and seek justice for homeowners and consumers. For more than a decade, DannLaw has filled the void left by regulators and prosecutors who refuse to do their jobs. We have used the law and the civil justice system to help thousands of families save their homes and to force banks, mortgage servicers, and other cheaters to play by the rules and compensate our clients.

I urge you to watch “The Con” which is fascinating and infuriating and to remember that we at DannLaw are here to do the job the regulators won’t.

You can register for the August 5 free Virtual live premiere of The Con here: https://www.thecon.tv/event

I hope you will join me for this important event.