FTC Sends More Than $1.2 Million in Refunds to Consumers Harmed by Deceptive Mortgage Loan Modification Scam

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Summary:

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is sending over $1.2 million in refunds to 6,261 consumers who lost money to Consumer Defense, a deceptive mortgage modification scheme. The scheme, which operated under various names, deceived homeowners by charging them unlawful upfront fees and falsely promising loan modifications. The FTC's complaint was filed in 2018, and the defendants were ordered to pay refunds to harmed consumers. The case was appealed, but an appellate court upheld the ruling, and the district court entered a monetary judgment under Section 19 of the FTC Act. The FTC is providing refunds to consumers and urges them to cash their checks within 90 days.