855-305-2068

Mortgage audit notice

Is this a legitimate business

Legitimate business?

Didn't Receive Call Yet But Mail, My Neighbors Received The Same Mail. The Figures Are Off And This Obviously Sounds Like another SCAM.  REPORTING TO POST MASTER GENERAL, AND ATTORNEY GENERAL. ONE SCAM AFTER ANOTHER MAIL OR PHONE.  THIS TYPE OF MAIL APPEARS TO BE BORDERING ON DECEPTIVE BUSINESS PRACTICES AND POSSIBLY THE ANTONYM OF MISTI MEANER.  .12 On Your Side: BBB warning about mortgage auditing program
The Better Business Bureau is warning homeowners about a company targeting the CSRA.
Posted: 4:51 PM Apr 24, 2012
Reporter: Elizabeth Owens
Email Address: liz.owens@wrdw.com

News 12 at 6 o'clock / Tuesday, April 24, 2012

BURKE COUNTY, Ga. -- "You may be owed a refund of several thousand dollars from your mortgage lender" is the claim that caught one homeowner's attention.

James Seigler has been paying on his home for more than 20 years so he was all ears when he received a letter claiming he may get some of that money.

"Yes, it sounded real good, and they got a number here and a case number and so I gave them a call," Seigler said.

The letter was from Mortgage Auditing Program, which states it is a division of AMT. AMT claims that they can get homeowners thousands of dollars back from mortgage lender mistakes or overcharges.

"Well they sounded legit and everything and they got to the end and I got suspicious and they asked for $299," Seigler said.

He immediately felt a red flag when the representative asked for money upfront.

"I've always been told all my life if someone wants to help you and wants money upfront , you need to beware," he said.

Seigler called the Better Business Bureau of the CSRA to inquire about AMT. Turns out, AMT has an F-rating with the BBB.

Gigi Turner says the company not only charges homeowners an upfront fee of several hundred to a thousand dollars, but also sneaks in a monthly fee as well.

"Consumers end up finding that end up subscribing to service from this company that they don't recall subscribing to," she said.

Turner says there are some are some honest mortgage auditing services but make sure they have a legal team.

Also, remember you can ask for a history of payments from your mortgage lender yourself to see if you are owed money.


Apr 26 2012
16 Comments
Communication, Ideas, Money, News, Quotes
Warning: Mortgage Auditing Program

So this week we received a letter in the mail stating that we “may be owed a refund of several thousand dollars from your mortgage lender.” It then gives the date we signed our home loan and the amount of our original loan. The letter goes on to say:

   “Government studies by the FDIC as well as financial audits of lenders have shown that thousands of mortgages contained mistakes or overcharges. Your monthly mortgage payment may have been miscalculated and you may be due a refund from either your current or previous mortgage lender. The average refund is $1,497.32 and one third of the refunds equal $3,000 to $7,500. You are eligible for a mortgage analysis and refund review.”

At first I thought wow, I would not mind a refund! Then I think…this is not from my mortgage company, and all it says for the return address is: Mortgage Auditing Program//Division of Consumer Services – of WHAT company? So I Google: “Mortgage Auditing Program” and all I find are tons of hits about how this is a scam. That you have to pay $249 to sign up, etc. Yuck, I hate stuff like this, because it always makes me think of my grandma and how if she had received something like this, she might have believed it. She was very trusting of companies she worked with, and this is just vague enough and enticing enough to mess with your mind. Who does not want to learn that they could receive a refund from their mortgage company?

If you stop to think about it, the only time you usually see any type of refund from a large company for a mistake is through a class action lawsuit. So if your mortgage was miscalculated, then most likely others were too, or it was part of a larger situation where large numbers were effected and charged a fee they were not truly required to pay. If that happened, you would hear about it in the news or directly from your mortgage company.

Further research shows that the Better Business Bureau gave this company an F rating and they had 41 complaints in the last 12 months. With the following comment: “For $249 the company performs a review of the payments you have made to your mortgage lender.”
I just wanted to share this in case anyone else receives a similar letter. It is frustrating because I do not want individuals to get duped and excited about the possibility for a refund from $3,000 to $7,500!
Share this:

   Email
   Digg

Like this:
Like
Be the first to like this.
Tagged Better Business Bureau, mortgage analysis, Mortgage loan, postaday    
16 thoughts on “Warning: Mortgage Auditing Program”

   BEM says:    
   June 11, 2012 at 4:42 pm    

   I just got one of these letters today. Immediately thought it was a scam.
   Reply    
   Marilyn says:    
   June 12, 2012 at 3:48 pm    

   Got our letter today and red flags everywhere. Tell everyone we know to watch out they are on the look out for poor people who could use a few dollars. $3,000-7,500. Watch out!!!!!
   Reply    
   Deb Adkins says:    
   June 21, 2012 at 4:24 am    

   I got the same letter yesterday and thought I would Google it to see what the scam was. Thanks for verifying my suspicions. I also got a telephone call from a 907 phone number telling me that I was selected to receive an $8000 grant from the Federal Government. I knew it was a scam but I played along to see where it was going. The guy even verified that he was from the US government when I asked. The kicker was when he asked if I wanted the money wired to my checking account or to my credit card. All I could think of was that some old trusting soul would fall for this. I hung up, called back the number but “it was no longer in service or was disconnected” and called the phone company with the number. The operator had no idea who to call to report this. Please Spread the word about this one too.
   Reply    
   Kim says:    
   June 21, 2012 at 6:06 am    

   6/20/12 – yep, add me to the list of letter receivers…it’s hitting the shredder NOW :)
   Reply    
   Sherry says:    
   June 21, 2012 at 7:31 pm    

   Just received the same letter with the same dollar amounts. Thought it too good to be true and I was right. Vultures! Let’s hope everyone checks this out before being scammed. Mine too is hitting the shredder.
   Reply    
   NL says:    
   June 25, 2012 at 4:02 pm    

   Yes, I got the same letter and just opened it today. Thanks for the post as I thought it was a scam. Unbelievable…
   Reply    
   NL says:    
   June 25, 2012 at 4:04 pm    

   BTW, did you all have the return address as 826 East State Rd., Suite 200, American Fork, UT 84003? Thought I’d add that for others looking this up.
   Reply    
       Diane Rancan says:    
       June 28, 2012 at 11:52 am    

       No there was no return address, that was another alarm!!!
       Reply    
           Sonofabutch says:    
           June 28, 2012 at 12:40 pm    

           Yeah, no address. The frauds think we are stupid.
   Scam Notification – US Airlines « random olio says:    
   June 27, 2012 at 6:51 am    

   [...] with the Mortgage Auditing Consumer Services letter we received, and that I wrote about a few months ago, this is just another way to scam people. I still fear that those that are most effected are the [...]

BBB Tip of the Week: Mortgage audit

The Spokesman-Review

June 3, 2012

• Who wants to perform my outside mortgage audit? Did you receive a “mortgage audit notice” in the mail last weekend? I did. “Mortgage Auditing Program, Division of Consumer Services” says we may be owed a refund of several thousand dollars. Hmm.

• The first thing to do when you get mail like this is to discover who sent it. Running the phone number (888-251-6057) through www.800notes.com told me it was AMT Auditing in South Jordan, Utah. I then found the F-rated company on www.bbb.org. It said for $249 they “perform a review of the payments you have made to your mortgage lender. Consumers are also asked to sign up for a trial subscription of the business’s debt cancellation program. The business asks that consumers agree that after 30 days, a monthly subscription fee of $49.95 will be charged.”      

• BBB complaints allege that people don’t remember signing up for debt cancellation, that timely refunds aren’t sent, and that customer service in resolving issues is slow. According to the Federal Trade Commission, forensic mortgage auditing (marketed as saving consumers from foreclosure) is a scam. The letter from ATM specifically states that this is “NOT an offer to prevent or rescue you from foreclosure nor is this a forensic mortgage audit offer.” That’s good, because the FTC says: “There is no evidence that forensic loan audits will help you get a loan modification or any other foreclosure relief, even if they’re conducted by a licensed, legitimate and trained professional.”

• Even if you sue your lender over loan document errors and win, they’re not required to modify your loan to make your payments more affordable.

• If you cancel your loan, you’ll have to return the borrowed money, which could cause you to lose your home.

• It is a red flag if a company collects an upfront fee before providing any services or accepts payment only by wire transfer.

But ATM Auditing still has an F rating from the BBB.

• More info or report scams: Visit the BBB at www.bbb.org. Call (509) 455-4200 or (800) 356-1007. Or sign up to receive our Scam Alerts at www.bbb.org/scam. And for free advice from housing counseling agencies certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, call 1 (888) 995-HOPE.



   Email
       More Sharing ServicesShare
       |
       Share on facebook
       Share on twitter
   Print
       Text Size

Sevierville woman avoids mortgage audit scam, warns others
Posted: Jun 18, 2012 12:35 PM CDT

"There are so many scams coming out, you better not give anybody money up front," Kim Smith said. "There are so many scams coming out, you better not give anybody money up front," Kim Smith said.

   Latest Headlines
   Special needs woman abandoned in Caryville placed in state custody
   Kentucky General Fund revenues exceed projections by $83M
   Planners consider new vote on Murfreesboro mosque
   Report: Tennessee Department of Children's Services slow to comply with reform plan
   Bookkeeper charged with stealing more than $650,000 from Oak Ridge medical office
   Knoxville Tourism & Sports Corp. makes big changes, including name
   Man arrested for fondling himself while staring at kids in park
   US transportation bill key for Appalachia roads
   Tennessee holding earthquake preparedness drill
   Haslam begins higher ed review on Tuesday

By DON DARE
6 On Your Side Reporter

SEVIERVILLE (WATE) - Many people might jump at the chance to get money back from their mortgage company due to some miscalculation. But is it a money saver or a scam?

The notice comes in an unsolicited letter that reads, "You may be owed a refund worth thousands of dollars." However, once you take the next step of calling the toll free number, you find out getting money from your mortgage company will cost you $300.

Kim Smith, of Sevierville, at first thought she'd get back some money. She received an unsolicited letter that says the mortgage company may have overcharged her for the home she bought in December 2005, and she could be due a refund.

"It says I'd get up to $1,497.32 or a third of the refund equals $3,000 to $7,500. We were all excited. We thought we were going to get it," she said.

The letter came from a company called Mortgage Auditing Program, a division of Consumer Services.

"Well the way I read it, I even called my husband at work and said, oh when you get home, guess what? We get money back on our house," Kim said.

The letter suggests that for some families, mortgage audits amounted to $7,500 so Kim contacted the company.

"This man said on the phone, oh the president signed a bill and the mortgage companies have to pay all these people back. And we thought we were going to do it, but when he said, he needs $299, I said no." She added that the company supposedly needed the money, "right then on the phone."

While 6 On Your Side was there, Kim called the auditing service and gave them the reference number provided in the letter. The customer service agent said, "We help homeowners like yourself get money back that is rightly owned to you by your mortgage lender."

The agent also said his company has many satisfied customers. "You received your letter because there is something about your mortgage situation that has raised a red flag with us," he explained.

He told Kim the audit costing $300 would discover any overcharge by her mortgage company and if she wasn't due a refund, she would get her $300 back.

"We have done 400 to 700 audits a week," the agent said, "so we are a very reputable company."

However, Better Business Bureau President Jerry Tipton said, "They've had 52 complaints in the past 12 months."

The company's rating is an F. Tipton says complaints against the company range from service to refunds.

Since Kim rejected the company's offer, she wasn't told about an additional service. "They also want you to sign up for a subscription for their debt reduction service, $49 a month and apparently a lot of people don't even realize they signed up for this," Tipton said.

Kim asked how the auditing company got all that accurate information about her home and mortgage. In Tennessee, each register of deed's office maintains that information, which is open to the public, at least some of it.

"The more in-depth records are by subscription service only so that makes it harder for the people who do these scams to get the records in Knox County," explained Register of Deeds Sherry Witt.

She says to safeguard personal information, her office has redacted Social Security information. "We contracted with a vendor, DTS, and they went in and masked the Social Security numbers that are put on during closing," Witt said.

Kim is thankful she saved her money and she shared this warning, which many people have heard before. "There are so many scams coming out, you better not give anybody money up front."

Many experts warn against home audit offers, saying any errors are to be pursued in court and many are not successful. If there were errors, you would need to hire an attorney.

The Federal Trade Commission goes even further, calling many audit offers scams.

6 On Your Side contacted Mortgage Auditing Program for a comment, but no one has returned our calls.

If you have a consumer issue, call the 6 On Your Side Hotline at 865-633-5974 or email ddare@wate.com.



A Utah company charged homeowners hundreds of dollars each for “risk free” mortgage audits, then either delayed their promised refunds for months or never paid them at all, customers told Better Business Bureau.

Consumers  several states also said AMT Auditing Services of American Fork, Utah, added unauthorized charges to their charge cards and/or forced them to deal with long, frustrating delays when the homeowners tried to contact customer service representatives to resolve their issues.

AMT Auditing Services has an “F” grade with the BBB, the lowest grade possible, with complaints and reports from 25 states. BBB in Salt Lake City identifies Colton Moody as manager of the company.  CRM Ventures LP, Enlightened, LLC, and Mortgage Auditing Program are alternative business names.

Kim States, BBB President, said that consumers should be cautious when solicited by AMT or other businesses seeking advance fees for mortgage audits.

States said the number and pattern of complaints involving AMT indicates “a significant and ongoing problem with the way this company handles its business.  There remain continuing concerns over the value of mortgage audits.  And there certainly is no acceptable excuse for a business that seems to chronically ignore its own customers.”

Homeowners say they received mailings from AMT similar to one sent to a Wisconsin consumer in March. That mailing said: “This notice is to inform you that you may be owed a refund of several thousand dollars from your mortgage lender. Your monthly mortgage payment may have been miscalculated and you may be due a refund from either your current or previous mortgage lender.”  The letter says that the average refund is $1,497 and one-third of the refunds are $3,000 to $7,500.” In fine print at the bottom, the letter says it is not  a mortgage modification offer, a forensic mortgage audit offer nor an offer to prevent foreclosure.

In 2010, the Federal Trade Commission warned consumers: “So-called forensic loan auditors, mortgage loan auditors, or foreclosure prevention auditors backed by forensic attorneys offer to review your mortgage loan documents to determine whether your lender complied with state and federal mortgage lending laws. The ‘auditors’ say you can use the audit report to avoid foreclosure, accelerate the loan modification process, reduce your loan principal, or even cancel your loan.  Nothing could be further from the truth.”

On its website, www.amtdivision.org, AMT offers a mortgage audit at a sale price of $299. The site says AMT will determine whether a consumer has been overcharged and then notify the homeowner so he or she can obtain refunds from the lender.

Some customers who filed complaints with the BBB said that AMT took months to complete audits that it promised to complete in a few weeks. They also said the company delayed or reneged on promises of full refunds if the audit uncovered no overcharges.

The company did not respond to a request for information from the BBB.

Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona and the FTC discourage consumers from making advance payments for outside mortgage audits. Check BBB Business Reviews of companies at www.tucson.bbb.org or by calling 314-645-3300. The FTC also suggests getting free advice from housing counseling agencies certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development by calling 1-888-995-HOPE.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 15th, 2012 at 5:27 pm and is filed under alert, Life, scam. Tags for this post: AMT Auditing Services, BBB, Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona, Colton Moody, CRM Ventures LP, Enlightened, LLC, mortgage, mortgage audit, Mortgage Auditing Program, mortgage help, Tucson. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

This is a scam. The company is AMT Auditing Services LLC that has a F=FAIL rating with the BBB and 59 complaints with 51 failure-to-responds to date http://www.bbb.org/utah/business-reviews/loan ... ork-ut-22302183 

For the most recent version of the scam letter that uses a virtual office address, read Anonymous' post here https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-251-6057/2#p388168568106719228 where s/he has many good links. (Anonymous and I are different people. My pseudonym is anonymous with lower-case "a.")

For details on the scam (why it's a scam, why the audit is useless, the $49.95/month budgeting software you will be forced to buy when you buy the audit), read my most recent post here https://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/8552408593#p378409069894258328 

For the latest info on the nest of scam companies associated with AMT Auditing Services LLC and how AMT managed to fool the state of Utah and acquired a "LLC" in its name even though it's only a DBA, read my post here https://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/8882546227#p406315009970092446  As older companies receive Cease & Desist Orders from state AGs, new companies may be created to take their place.

The Northern Indiana BBB has a news story on AMT here http://northernindiana.bbb.org/article/AMT-Au ... -Tell-BBB-34231 that describe the difficulty of getting refunds and the recurrent $49.95/month fee for use of the budgeting software that victims are signed up for behind their backs when they buy the audit.

Even though AMT salesman tell victims their $299 will be refunded if the audit finds no overcharges on victims' mortgages, AMT does not give refunds. The fine print says AMT gives rebates, not refunds, within a 45-day window starting from when victims get their audit results. Victims should go to amtdivision.org, find the rebate form, fill it out, mail it in and you should get your $299 back (beware the rebate procedure may have changed by now). AMT lies to victims by using the word "refund" during the sale without mentioning "rebate" or "rebate form." Victims don't know about the rebate form, wait for their refund in vain and unknowingly run their 45-day clock out. This is how AMT steals victims' $299 "refundable" audit fee. Scammed victims should file an online complaint with the Utah Division of Consumer Protection here http://www.consumerprotection.utah.gov/

This is a scam, they sent us a letter with only information about our mortgage that is public record!  When I asked the criteria for this...she told me, but really wanted the name of my Mortgage Company.  So, I told her no, and asked what the criteria was Again!  There is a $279 fee for the service, without a guarantee that they can help!  Sounds like the are only Helping Themselves to a lot of potential $279 fees...you do not get the money back if they Can't Help You.  Win-Win for them.  Definite Scam...BEWARE.  I told her I was going to report it, I am doing that here and called my mortgage company~

Forensic Mortgage Loan Audit Scams: A New Twist on Foreclosure Rescue Fraud

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt177.shtm

Please use the Utah Division of Consumer Protection online complaint form here http://www.consumerprotection.utah.gov/