Has anyone heard of The National Relief Group?

[olassh]

In my desperation, I hired a company here in Orlando to negotiate and modify my loan with Sovereign Bank. They charged me 2,500 and convinced me with their website-testimonials from happy customers, BBB logo-and I fell for it. Needless to say, they did nothing for me. This is a company called Lifeline Financial and as far as I know, they are still in business. Sovereign Bank has denied my modification twice and I sent in my QWR letter in hopes of stalling or to be perfectly honest, I don't know what I'm going to do with the information. They replied with a letter asking for "about $200.00" to cover the cost of the documents that they would have to send me. I have two questions and would appreciate a reply. First, can the bank charge me for what should be my documents? Second, has anyone heard of The National Relief Group? If so, are they a legit group that one could trust to work out something with the bank. It seems that each time I talk to someone at the bank I get different information and it also seems as if they are willing to do absolutely nothing for me. I cannot lose my home. Thank you for your time and information.

[faith]

Hello and welcome to this forum,
Consumer fraud laws, including requirements that lenders disclose the terms of a loan and borrowers’ cancellation rights, have been important tools for attorneys fighting predatory lenders. But with thousands of lawsuits filed on behalf of subprime borrowers across the country, many consumer advocates are calling for government regulation of the subprime industry.

Federal statutes require pre-closing disclosure of estimated loan terms, pre-closing disclosure of actual loan terms for high-rate and high-fee €mortgage loans, and notice when changes are made from the terms applied for by the borrower. • State statutes and common law prohibit fraud, deceit, and misrepresentation in loan transactions.

The Truth in Lending Act (TILA) sets out detailed disclosure requirements that govern virtually all consumer credit transactions, with the goal of promoting informed consumer choice. The Real Estate Settlement Practices Act (RESPA)6 dictates procedures and forms for residential real estate closings to make clear to borrowers the true costs of buying and refinancing. Complementary provisions of TILA and RESPA require lenders to provide ‘‘good faith estimates’’ of both loan terms and costs early in the mortgage process. Clearly, Congress had the bait-and switch problem on its mind. However, neither law has prevented problems or provided much relief for unsuspecting and unsophisticated consumers
.
You need to have self control, be bold, persistent and use common sense to avoid being scammed. Don't give money, don't just sign take time to read alll the documents. fraud and scams are on the rise and it happens all over the world, especially to those homeowners that does not ask questiions and just give money, signing documents they don't read or understand. At closing, subprime borrowers are often presented with terms that do not match those previously offered, and then pressured into signing documents they have not had time to review.” TAKE THE TIME to read the contract, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, if you don’t fully understand it, DON’T SIGN. If there is pressure to sign THAT’S A RED FLAG. DON’T

You may file a complaint against your lender to your
State Attorney General Bill McCollum. Call your bank and ask to talk to a supervisor to discuss about your situation. As far as he Lifeline Financial write them a letter certified and demand to return the money back to you or you will file a complaint to the State Attorney General, Better Business Bureau and contact the media and file a complaint against these scammers.

How to Report Fraud and Scams in the State of Florida
To report fraud or a scam in the state of Florida start with the State Attorney General, Better Business Bureau or contact the local municipal, state or Federal regulators most likely to have answers to your questions.

Here’s the link for it:

Florida Attorney General - Home Page
Attorney General of Florida Bill McCollum
135 W Central Blvd # 1000
Orlando, FL 32801-2437
(407) 245-0893


Mortgage Scam prevention:
Don't fall for promises like "We'll save your credit"; "We'll buy your house 'as is'"; or We'll get you a new mortgage with low monthly payments

Don't sign away ownership of your property (sometimes called a "quit claim deed") to anyone without the advice of lawyer you trust. "When people get behind on their loan payments, they get a bit desperate, but the answer is not putting someone else on your title

Beware of any home sale contract where you aren't formally released from liability for your mortgage. Also, make sure you know what rights you're giving up and that you agree to giving them up.

Don't call for assistance from one of those ubiquitous signs on telephone poles that advertise help. Chances are, that's not where help lies

Do proceed with caution, if a company or person
Describes itself as a "mortgage consultant," "foreclosure service," or something similar; Collects a fee before giving any services;
Advertises to people whose homes are listed for foreclosure, including anyone who sends fliers r solicits door-to-door; and says you should make home mortgage payments directly to them or to their company instead of your mortgage lender.

Don't sign anything that has any blank spaces. Information could be added later that you didn’t agree to. Yes, it happens.

Never sign a contract under pressure. Always know exactly what you're signing. Take your time to review the paperwork thoroughly — ideally with a lawyer who only represents your interests

Cast a jaundiced eye at deals that sound too good to be true. Lately, some scam artists promise they'll wipe out or pay off your home's debt for you (so-called "debt elimination"). Some flustered homeowners bite. Just remember the free lunch rule: There isn't one.

A final thought: Remember, if you can't fix your finances, selling your house (on the normal market, that is) may not be the end of the world. Sure, you'll be a renter again. But given how much homes around the country have appreciated in the last several years, chances are you've made some money, which you can use to get back on your feet.

Don't panic. Get full information on the foreclosure process in your state. Make sure you know ALL deadlines — for court, for document filings, etc. States usually have associations that can offer free advice. For who to turn to for advice, click on your state http://www.hud.gov/local/

[snapple candy]

Olass,
No they shouldnt not make you give money for your own documents. I would not give another penny to any "foreclosure relief" company to assist you. You already went thru one scam company, dont go thru another. I would consider going thru NACA.org and/or look for a non-profit in your area that might be assisting homeowners in foreclosure and modification. There is a few people on this blog from FLA that might be able to direct you. Hang in there, there is hope.

[olassh]

Thank you faith for the valuable informtion, I appreciate the time you put into answering my question. I still don't know though whether or not the bank can ask for $200.00 for the QWR documents I've requested from them. They, that is Sovereign Bank, tell me that they can charge $10.00 per document because according to RESPA, the loan has to be less than a year old to get those documents free. I found out today that the foreclosure process has begun and tried repeatedly to talk to the person handling that, but he is about as hard to reach as Obama himself. Thank you snapple candy for the pep. I really need it and you are sure right about not getting ripped off again. I'm glad to know that there are still good people around. Lately, I haven't felt so. Thanks again!

[faith]

Originally Posted by olassh

Thank you faith for the valuable informtion, I appreciate the time you put into answering my question. I still don't know though whether or not the bank can ask for $200.00 for the QWR documents I've requested from them. They, that is Sovereign Bank, tell me that they can charge $10.00 per document because according to RESPA, the loan has to be less than a year old to get those documents free. I found out today that the foreclosure process has begun and tried repeatedly to talk to the person handling that, but he is about as hard to reach as Obama himself. Thank you snapple candy for the pep. I really need it and you are sure right about not getting ripped off again. I'm glad to know that there are still good people around. Lately, I haven't felt so. Thanks again!

Hello again,
Maybe the link provided will help you understand the process of QWR. Read it carefully from the beginning to the end, it will give you information that can help you. As Snapple said, do not give anymore money to anyone, have you heard this statement, don't throw good money after bad?

The link provided states,
Generally, then, if the loan is not a first mortgage, the inquiry does not constitute a QWR.

In addition, the law directs servicers not to provide information to a consumer reporting agency during the 60 days following receipt of the QWR concerning overdue payments related to that period or to the QWR. (See RESPA Section 2605(e)(3) )

In establishing procedures to comply with RESPA’s QWR provisions, banks should keep in mind that, contrary to some claims, the QWR process does not require a lender or servicer to stop foreclosure proceedings or other legal action on the loan.>>

>>
http://www.ababj.com/briefing/scare-mail-beware-of-qwr-s.html

Please read the rest about QWR in the link provided above.

Hope this helps.

[olassh]

Thank you Faith for this much needed information. I appreciate the time you took to put this together. I have read this from start to finish and have a clearer picture of how this whole thing works. Thank you very much.