Attorney General’s Mortgage Fraud Task Force supports August housing workshops to help homeowners and reduce foreclosure fraud

Wilmington, DE – August 14, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — The Attorney General’s Mortgage Fraud Task Force is supporting two August workshops sponsored by Delaware non-profit housing agencies. These workshops, in Georgetown and Newark, are designed to help homeowners who are worried about missing a mortgage payment, are facing foreclosure, or suspect a foreclosure scam. The FREE workshops are as follows:

Date Time Location Address

Monday,
August 17
6:00 – 8:00 p.m. NCALL
1110 S. Bedford Street,
Georgetown

Thursday,
August 20
6:00 – 8:00 p.m. YWCA
153 E. Chestnut Hill Road,
Newark

During these workshops, presented by NCALL Research and YWCA Delaware, counselors from HUD-certified Delaware housing agencies and a representative from the Attorney General’s Office will lead informational presentations and be available to meet with individuals one-on-one to provide details about the Delaware Mortgage Assistance Program (DEMAP), mortgage refinancing options, foreclosure, and foreclosure rescue scams. Interested homeowners must RSVP for these events by calling NCALL at (302) 678-9400 or YWCA at (302) 224-4060, ext. 200. A complete list of Delaware housing events is available online at www.deforeclosurehelp.org.

Last month, foreclosure filings statewide broke another monthly record, totaling 652 in July, compared with 389 in July 2008. For the first seven months of 2009 foreclosure filings jumped 46% from last year, to 3,552, versus 2,443 at 7 months in 2008.

Borrowers who have missed mortgage payments and have been named in a foreclosure filing are reminded that mortgage rescue companies and others who offer to help with mortgage modifications are prohibited by law from receiving payment in advance of providing the service. Homeowners facing foreclosure or who suspect foreclosure fraud are encouraged to call the Attorney General’s Mortgage Hotline at 1-800-220-5424, visit the Attorney General’s website at www.attorneygeneral.delaware.gov/mortgageforeclosure, or visit the Delaware State Housing Authority’s Foreclosure Help website at www.deforeclosurehelp.org. These state resources provide information about government programs, access to FREE HUD-certified housing counseling services, as well as fraud-prevention and reporting tools.

CONTACT JASON MILLER
PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER
PHONE (302) 577-8949
CELL (302) 893-8939
Jason.Miller (at) state.de (dot) us