Arizona AG warns against new mortgage scam
Jan 9, 2013, 4:27 PM | Updated: 4:28 pm
A letter sent to homeowners promising participation in a national lawsuit against a mortgage lender is a fraud, said Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne in a release.
The letter arrives in an official-looking envelope, but there is no return address. A phone number listed on the mailing is for Fresh Start, a New York-based company.
“This is the latest in a seemingly endless series of illegal or possibly illegal ploys related to Arizona’s mortgage crisis,” Horne said in the release. “Fresh Start claims to offer so-called audit services as a precursor to directing consumers to obtain legal assistance for mortgage holders who may have been victimized in the mortgage crisis.”
The letter asks homeowners to send $2,700 to the company for “research” purposes and then an additional $2,500 to retain a lawyer. The requests are a violation of both federal and state consumer fraud laws.
To see a copy of the letter, click here.
