Florida-based Mortgage Assistance Solutions, LLC, and its managing member Michael Thomas Stoller, Beverly Hills, California, was sued by Attorney General Lisa Madigan for defrauding desperate Illinois homeowners who enrolled in its “Fresh Start” program by falsely promising to negotiate with the homeowners’ lenders to reduce their mortgage payments or save their homes from foreclosure. The company requires an upfront enrollment fee but, in the end, provides homeowners with little or no help. Madigan filed suit agaisnt the mortgage rescue company for allegedly violating Illinois ‘ recently-enacted Mortgage Rescue Fraud Act, as well as the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.
The new act was initiated by Madigan in 2006 and became law in January 2007. It prohibits mortgage rescue companies from requiring payment from consumers prior to completing all the terms of a rescue contract. It also requires rescue businesses to fully disclose to a homeowner the exact terms and nature of the proposed rescue services and their rights to cancel the contract.
“The last thing financially-pinched consumers on the verge of losing their homes need are so-called ‘rescue’ firms that do little more than separate homeowners from their money,” said Attorney General Madigan. “We worked hard to draft this new law to protect homeowners from unscrupulous businesses engaged in mortgage rescue fraud.”
Madigan’s complaint describes how the defendants, in some cases, solicit homeowners by taking advantage of their fear of losing their homes with postcards that read, “YOU WILL LOSE YOUR HOME IF YOU DON’T CALL NOW!!!!” When contacted by potential customers, Mortgage Assistance Solutions refuses to discuss the specific programs available until they receive a $1,200 payment from the homeowners.
Allegedly, the defendants claim they can obtain a better deal from lenders than the homeowners can obtain on their own. Once homeowners make this payment and execute a “Fresh Start” mortgage service agreement, the company generally fails to contact the homeowners’ lenders to work out forbearance agreements in a timely fashion, leaving the homeowners in worse financial shape than before.
In addition to violating the Mortgage Rescue Fraud Act’s provision that businesses cannot charge consumers before completing all of the terms of a rescue contract, the complaint alleges that the company is violating other provisions of the act by failing to provide homeowners with (1) full disclosure of the exact terms and nature of the proposed rescue services and (2) notice of their right to cancel the contract. The lawsuit also alleges that the defendants violate the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act by misrepresenting that they can save homeowners’ homes from foreclosure when, in fact, Mortgage Assistance Solutions generally fails to follow through and work out forbearance agreements with mortgage lenders.
The Attorney General is asking the court to order restitution for the defrauded homeowners and to order the defendants to stop all deceptive business practices. The suit also seeks a civil penalty of $50,000 and additional penalties of $50,000 for each violation found to have been committed with the intent to defraud.
With tens of thousands of Illinoisans poised to lose their homes in the collapse of the subprime mortgage industry, Attorney General Madigan has worked aggressively on several fronts to protect consumers from the devastating results caused by predatory lending and other forms of mortgage fraud. Madigan’s office has sued seven mortgage rescue companies to stop deceptive practices and successfully participated in three multi-state settlements against major subprime lenders Household Finance, Ameriquest and First Alliance Mortgage Company. To date, she has obtained more than $600 million in enforcement actions against these lenders.
Madigan urged Illinois homeowners who are unable to make their mortgage payments to contact their lenders as soon as possible to work out a plan to avoid foreclosure. With the rise in foreclosures nationwide, many lenders have set up special units to assist borrowers in trouble. Madigan warned that the longer consumers delay, the greater the chance of losing their homes to foreclosure.
In May 2005, Maryland enacted the Protection of Homeowners in Foreclosure Act (PHIFA). The Illinois Act is very similar to our PHIFA. This past summer, we started getting decisions and judgments in PHIFA lawsuits. So far, we have won every case. (“We” are five attorneys affiliated with Civil Justice, Inc. in Baltimore.) The latest decision confirmed that the homeowner remained in title and owed zero to the foreclosure consultant and foreclosure purchaser. The Maryland fight has progressed to the point that the US Attorney, Maryland Attorney General, and various County State’s Attorneys are actively involved. Montgomery County successfully prosecuted a criminal case this summer. Civil Justice is now involved in a federal class action against a mortgage broker that includes well over 270 victims.
Is there anyone who is compiling information on fighting this fraud in the various jurisdictions? I believe that this information could be useful to others who have recently enacted such legislation.
Michael Gregg Morin
Morin Law LLC
mikemorin@msn.com
I am a resident of cape may NJ. I fell into this companies so called help. I need help in getting my money back. I have a copy of my aggreement if you need it. They told me every week that all was fine and that it would be 90 days for the review and all would be fine. My adjuster name was Heater. I received a phone call on Tuesday was told that it assigned to an adjuster and they gave me his name. 2 days later I received another phone call from them and was told I need to file bankrupty. I called Heater and was told that terry was not returning their phone calls and ended the call. I called back very upset and received a message from shawn and was told to stop calling thenm and I had to take to Richard in the quality control department who I had spoken to many times. I followed all their instructions and I never received any further responses to my calls. I spoke to Richared 3 times. They don’t return any phone calles. I am now 7 months behined on my mortgage because them,
Can anyone help me get my money back? and hold them responsible.?
This guy is a fraud and caused my wife and I to lose our home two years ago. He takes the “Initial Fee”($2500 in our case), and slow plays you until your home is gone. He does no “working with the lenders”. The problem is that alot of states dont have Criminal Statute that governs this type of thing. You have to hire an attorney and go after them in a civil case. Well if you’ve lost your job,are losing your home, and what little money you had, you gave to a lying P.O.S. like this you dont have thousands to pay an attorney to represent you in a civil case. The federal government needs to address this. This guy is taking advantage of struggling families who are looking for help. Worked in the Detention/Corrections field for 9 years, this guy ranks right up there with the scum of society I deal with on a daily basis due to my job.
I currently am waiting the California Supreme Court’s decision(s)on Michael Thomas Stoller. He solicitated me back in 2008 to save my home from forecloser, I paid him a retainer fee of $1,800 and then an additional $699.00 for his services he did absolutely nothing and as a result I and my family ended up on the streets and I have been since 2008. The California’s Supreme case is one that I hope will bring some type of restituion to me and my family. I was a Maailman for over 15 years in Northern california. I thought Lawyers took oaths like I did some 16 years ago. Mr. Stoller should be ashamed of his self as a human being. My only question(S) is; Why has this “Person” not behind bars? and will there be justice in California? or Do we all vote just for the sake of saying, “We did”? PLease refer to State Bar Cases at their web site in California. Sincerely Yours a concerned Victim. Keith