Think I've been scammed

[ironfist]

I'm usually better about this stuff, but I think we fell for one. We got a letter in the mail that this company could lower our mortgage to 2%. So we contacted them and my wife talked to them. They sent over some paperwork and we filled it out and got it back. They said they need a check and we sent them some money. My wife was on the phone with them many times during the first week, making sure the paperwork was in order and everything. Now a week or two later, we call to follow up and the phone lines are always busy. Emails go unanswered. Everything I read online about this company is bad news. So do you guys think there's anything I can do about this? The name of the company is the "Litigation Law Group" out of California.

Man I feel really stupid for not checking this out more, but I guess we were too hopeful about getting out of some financial jams.

[schlesinj]

That does not sound promising. Chalk it up to a life lesson. I have spent a few k on a fake Michael Jordan rookie, a PS2 that never was sent and a Nolan Ryan rookie that was colored in the corners.

Litigation Law Group is not a name of a law firm. They could have at least made it sound like Ben Jarvis Green Ellis.

Depending on how long your mtg is currently you can get less that 3 percent from a bank or mortgage broker.

[Gregg]

It saddens and angers me to read things like this.

I am sorry, that you are going through this.

[B-Fly]

You can file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau or even attempt to serve them with a complaint and get a judgment in small claims court, but neither course is likely to get you your money back if this outfit is as shady as it sounds. Another option is to try the California Attorney General's Office, see if you can get these criminals prosecuted and/or fined.

[heyelander]

yeah, reading online, this doesn't look like a good thing. churn out some billable hours toward what will eventually amount to nothing and then bill you for the time.

[heyelander]

You can file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau or even attempt to serve them with a complaint and get a judgment in small claims court, but neither course is likely to get you your money back if this outfit is as shady as it sounds. Another option is to try the California Attorney General's Office, see if you can get these criminals prosecuted and/or fined.

BBB has nothing nice to say already.

http://www.la.bbb.org/business-reviews/Foreclosure-Law-Attorney/Financial-Litigation-Law-Group-in-Irvine-CA-100086794

[ironfist]

ugh, I was afraid there wasn't much to do. BBB doesn't have a good record of complaints being favorably resolved. We've been trying to get a hold of the Attorney General but not having much luck there.

[Lucky]

Very sorry to hear about this. It is amazing how many people out there are willing to cheat others.

[revo]

Wow, that sucks. I'm not sure what one of these types of groups can do over any mortgage broker, and if you do re-fi, you would only ever need to pay the appraisal fee upfront before the closing.

Hopefully you can rectify this situation, and if you do need a good mortgage broker in NJ, send me a note and I'll recommend a great one.

[JudeBaldo]

I'm usually better about this stuff, but I think we fell for one. We got a letter in the mail that this company could lower our mortgage to 2%. So we contacted them and my wife talked to them. They sent over some paperwork and we filled it out and got it back. They said they need a check and we sent them some money. My wife was on the phone with them many times during the first week, making sure the paperwork was in order and everything. Now a week or two later, we call to follow up and the phone lines are always busy. Emails go unanswered. Everything I read online about this company is bad news. So do you guys think there's anything I can do about this? The name of the company is the "Litigation Law Group" out of California.

Man I feel really stupid for not checking this out more, but I guess we were too hopeful about getting out of some financial jams.

Report them to the FBI.

[johnnya24]

Report them to the FBI.

My guess it's that they'll hang around long enough to squeeze money from enough unsuspecting clients, then up sticks before the main law enforcement bodies have time to build a case.

Judging from what I've seen from some other high profile cases, these bodies don't have the kind of resources that people generally assume.

[Judge Jude]

Sorry to hear.

And one other note: anyone who tells you they would never fall for any scam is full of shit. If you get the wrong pitch at the wrong time, I'm sure it could happen to anyone. That's what these guys count on.

Meanwhile, you may keep someone reading this tale from getting scammed themselves, so props for that....

[johnnya24]

Really sorry to hear about this, man. I hope you can pull some magic and nail these motherfuckers to the wall. Good luck.

If they keep the amounts they scam from each victim small enough, it will take a long time before (a) anyone bothers to pay attention and (b) is able to do anything about it. Then they just fold the operation, and set up elsewhere under a different name. In all likelihood, the people they have handling the cases are not aware it is a scam.

These things are pretty advanced these days, and I'll bet given the size of the USA and various different law enforcement agencies looking to bounce these small claim cases off on someone else, they will easily get away with it.

[schlesinj]

When I got scammed I tried working with Minnesota law enforcement, but it did not get very far.

Best of luck.

[Wonderboy]

The place to go is the Attorney General of the state they are located in. Most all of them have a hot-line number of some sort. Anything else is just a waste of time.