Based on our experience with Devin Benter's previous and current businesses and business practices, it appears he lures unsuspecting homeowners to enroll in his Dispute Resolution Programs where, in the agreements, the company offers to review homeowners' loans for errors and acts of misconduct and then prepare documents for consumers to file complaints. He then charges an advanced fee to begin the process and, most recently, instructs the client to provide post-dated checks that will be cashed after completing differet "phases" of the dispute resolution process.
BCA's advice: Be diligent and do your research before paying any money or providing information to anyone boasting that they can save your home. Some basic things to remember when it comes to mortgage relief: Never pay an up-front fee. Complainants who did business with Core Advisory Group Svcs, LLC allege the company refused to start services without first collecting up-front fees, in some cases as much as $5,000. It’s illegal for companies that provide mortgage relief services to charge you before they’ve given you a written offer from your lender and you’ve accepted the offer.
A forensic loan audit won’t prevent foreclosure. Many companies offer to review your mortgage loan documents to determine whether your lender complied with state and federal mortgage lending laws. The claim that you can use the audit report to avoid foreclosure, accelerate the loan modification process, reduce your loan principal, or even cancel your loan, is simply not true. There is no guarantee that the lender will modify your loan, even if you sue them based on errors in your loan documents.
Thoroughly review your agreement and compare it with what you are told by the relief company. Before signing any agreement, carefully look over the terms and make sure you understand what services are being offered. If the contract is riddled with legal jargon, it may be best to have an attorney review it. Ask for clarification if something isn’t clear or if you have any questions. Obtain all promises and guarantees in writing.
Don’t stop making your mortgage payments. If you discontinue making mortgage payments, you could lose your home. If a company advises you to stop paying your mortgage, it should also warn you that doing so could result in the loss of your home and damage to your credit rating.
Don’t send your mortgage payment to anyone but your lender or loan service provider. Any company that asks you to send your mortgage payment to them while they negotiate on your behalf will almost certainly take your money and disappear. If your lender doesn’t receive your mortgage payments, you could lose your home.
Don’t do business with a company that guarantees to get you a modification. The decision to modify your loan rests with the lender. They may not agree to change your loan and any company offering you mortgage relief services should inform you of this. For more tips on how to avoid foreclosure, visit our BCA how-to guide on “How to Take Steps to Avoid Foreclosure”