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• DON’T transfer or sign over the deed to your home as part of a foreclosure avoidance transaction. A
deed should be signed over only if you intend to sell the home for a fair price.
• DON’T sign any documents without reading and understanding them first, or any documents
containing blank spaces. Many homeowners think they are signing documents for a new loan to pay
off their mortgage and they discover they have actually transferred ownership to the “rescuer.”
• DO call your servicer and request mortgage assistance as soon as possible. You must notify the
servicer that you are seeking alternatives to foreclosure so it can start the loss mitigation process.
• DO consult an attorney or financial advisor before signing any “rescue documents.”
• DO take time to think about what’s being proposed and consider whether there are warning signs.
• DO contact a HUD-approved housing counseling agency that may be able to help you for no charge.
• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Trust your instincts and seek help. Reporting
suspicious schemes helps prevent others from becoming victims.

IF YOU SUSPECT A SCAM, CONTACT:

Washington Attorney General’s Office
Consumer Protection: 1-800-551-4636
Out-of-State: 1-206-464-6684
www.atg.wa.gov

Washington Department of Financial Institutions
1-877-RING-DFI (877-746-4334)
www.dfi.wa.gov

Northwest Justice Project
1-888-201-1014

Washington Home Ownership Center
1-877-894-HOME (4663)

Federal Trade Commission
1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357)
www.ftc.gov

Better Business Bureau
206-431-2222 or 253-830-2924
http://alaskaoregonwesternwashington.bbb.org/consumers/

More information on the latest rescue scams and ways to protect yourself can be found at:

The Washington Attorney General’s office: www.atg.wa.gov
The Washington Department of Financial Institutions: www.dfi.wa.gov and www.homeownership.wa.gov

January 2020 | Page 57