I get so much mail from attorneys, realtors, foreclosure consultants, etc. Some of their programs are even guaranteed. Who should I trust?

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there preying on homeowners in distress. Beware of the most common "scams" facing the homeowner in foreclosure.

• Quickly selling the home without negotiating specific terms with the lender (such as in a legitimate "short-sale").

• Exploiting the bankruptcy laws to delay foreclosure and charging excessive fees to assist the borrower with a "workout," only to have the borrower spend more money filing a bankruptcy anyway.

• Having the homeowner deed (or sell) the property to a third party and "renting" it back to the original borrower (this leads to the scam artist owning the property, and the original borrower still liable for the loan).

Be wary of any program that offers a guarantee as each borrower's situation is different. Because each case is based on these individual circumstances, no legitimate program can offer a guarantee. Any homeowner seeking help should proceed with caution.

Take advantage of the
Foreclosure Prevention Program's
free consultation by calling
(510) 465-0404