Monterey DA Charges Three In Alleged Upfront Fee Foreclosure Rescue, Refinance Scam

In Monterey County, California, The Salinas Californian reports:

• [T]he Monterey County District Attorney's Real Estate Prosecution Unit has filed multiple felony charges alleging that three suspects targeted and defrauded financially distressed homeowners through a Monterey County “foreclosure rescue” scam between Feb. 10 and June 15 of this year. The complaint charges Monterey County residents Maria de Lourdes Ponce and Fabian Olivarez Casillas and Santa Cruz County resident Melissa Garcia with criminal conspiracy.(1)

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• The suspects allegedly promised that they could negotiate with lenders to either lower monthly mortgage payments or refinance home mortgages and that such services required an advance fee of as much as $2,800.(2) Clients were assured that the advance fee was a “loan processing charge” and “fully refundable” if the loan negotiation failed.

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• The criminal investigation commenced on June 6, after the Gonzales Police Department received a report from an alleged victim of the foreclosure rescue scam. By July 17, the Gonzales Police Department had obtained statements from more than 35 victims and additional witnesses and executed a search warrant on Maria de Lourdes Ponce’s home.

For more, see DA charges 3 in Monterey County foreclosure scams; more than 30 victims involved.

See also, KSBW-TV Channel 8: Gonzales Woman Arrested For Mortgage Fraud (Police: Woman Charged Homeowners Thousands) (read story) (watch video).

(1) According to the story, Ponce, who was arrested by Gonzales Police Department on Aug. 15, faces 11 other felony counts, including residential burglary and elder abuse, 9 counts of grand theft, and 3 misdemeanor counts. Garcia is currently in custody in Santa Cruz County, where she faces prosecution on charges of forgery, elder abuse and multiple counts of felony grand theft in a similar foreclosure fraud scheme. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Fabian Casillas.

(2) Collecting upfront fees in California is prohibited under Section 2945.4(a) of the California Civil Code.