DON'T BE FOOLED.  PAYING FEES IN ADVANCE FOR PRIVATE LOAN MODIFICATION SERVICES DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

For a list of California State approved private loan mod services, contact the California Department of Real Estate ~  http://www.dre.ca.gov/

If you hire a private loan mod service, make sure they do the work and succeed in getting you the modification before you have an obligation to pay.

The California Association of Realtors reports on March 18, 2009:  "SCAM ARTISTS USING FORGED LETTERHEAD TO CON CALIFORNIANS"

'California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. is warning consumers that scam artists are using the forged letterhead of major lenders to con worried Californians into paying thousands of dollars for non-existent loan modification services.'

BE SKEPTICAL OF ANYONE WHO DEMANDS MONEY TO BE PAID UP FRONT AND WHO MAKES EXTRAVAGANT PROMISES THAT THEY CAN SAVE YOUR HOME.

Steps consumers can take to protect themselves from loan modification fraud are available at http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1697&.

Complaints may be filed with the California Attorney General's Office at:  Office of the Attorney General - Public Inquiry Unit, P.O. Box 944255, Sacramento, CA 94244, or online at http://ag.ca.gov/consumers/general.php. 

For information about homes and properties in Southern California, please contact us.  Harrison K. Long, Explore Group Properties, Coldwell Banker Previews.  949-854-7747