"'Tis the season," I have heard it said before talking about the atrocities of disappearing pets around Halloween and home break-ins or pick-pockets at Christmas.... but it looks like it can be said again about this season of increased foreclosures.

If you or someone you know, for some unfortunate series of events, is in a season of foreclosure, you need to be careful. You are not just in a season, you have become a target.

There are some things you can do to protect yourself though from one of the biggest hunters out there.

First you need to know what this hunter is. It is mortgage fraud. Freddie Mac has done an excellent article, Avoiding Mortgage Fraud, about the dangers of Mortgage Fraud that gives some excellent insight and advice.

One of the biggest schemes Freddie Mac points out is "A foreclosure rescue scheme often begins with a scam artist offering a promise to pay off your delinquent mortgage, allowing you to stay in the home as a renter with the option to purchase the home back when your financial situation improves. But what really happens is a series of steps designed to cash out the equity in the home and disappear..." (See the article for more information...)

Some of the warning signs of these scammers, again, according to Freddie Mac, are if...

This is just the tip of the iceberg. The video below gives more information about what you can do to stay protected.

Please remember, if you are already in this season or can see this season coming, you need to go to your lender now and see what you can work out. If you think you have been approached by one of these scammers, report them so we can take one more hunter off the prowl.