In 2007, Attorney General Bill McCollum initiated an agency-wide Mortgage Fraud Task Force to address the issues of mortgage and foreclosure rescue fraud. Since then, the Task Force has reviewed information pertaining to the business practices of more than 200 foreclosure rescue businesses.

The Task Force currently has over 50 active investigations, including at least a dozen cases in which lawsuits have been filed, six of which were filed under the Foreclosure Rescue Fraud Prevention Act.

Attorney General McCollum has also called together representatives from state agencies, law enforcement groups, prosecutorial entities and the Florida Bar to address the state's mortgage fraud issues and to develop a cooperative approach on behalf of Florida’s homeowners.

The group's first three goals will be to develop a streamlined complaint intake system – if possible, a systematic method of triaging complaints, and a cooperative interagency consumer education initiative.

By establishing a team approach, Florida will receive an "all hands on deck" approach to ensure no case goes unaddressed.

Many unscrupulous companies and individuals are taking advantage of the desperate situation our state’s homeowners are facing. These companies promise they can help save homes, then take outrageous up-front fees from our homeowners facing foreclosure. The companies often keep the fees, take no additional action, and let the homes fall into foreclosure.

By the time the homeowners discover the fraud, it is TOO LATE.

• Homeowners should NEVER pay any up-front fees and should avoid any high-pressure sales tactics. Fees may only be collected AFTER services are completed.
• Homeowners should first try talking to their lenders or a lawyer before contracting with any third-party company for rescue or modification services.
• If a homeowner believes he or she has been taken advantage of by a disreputable company, he or she should call the Florida Attorney General’s fraud hotline at 1-866-9-NO-SCAM or file a complaint online at myfloridalegal.com. The complaint will be reviewed by the Attorney General’s Mortgage Fraud Task Force.