Optima Audit Corp

The FTC MARS Rule makes it illegal for a company offering mortgage assistance relief services to collect ANY fees at all until it provides a written offer for a loan modification or other relief from your lender and you accept the offer. They must also provide documentation from your lender showing the changes to your loan if you decide to accept the lenders offer and clearly tell you the total fee they will charge for their services. The company must inform you before signing up for services that you can cease using their services at any time that the company is not associated with the government or your lender and that the lender may not agree to change the terms of your mortgage. It is illegal to divide fees or services into components for the purpose of avoiding this law. It is also illegal for a company to advise you not to communicate with your lender or mortgage servicer.~~Under the same rule attorneys who offer mortgage relief services can require an advanced fee ONLY if they: are licensed to practice law in the state where you live or where your house is located; they're providing you with real legal services and providing mortgage assistance relief services as part of the practice of law; they're complying with state ethics requirements for attorneys; AND they place the money in a client trust account withdraw fees only as they complete actual legal services and notify you of each withdrawal. Under this same rule attorneys cannot misrepresent any material aspect of their legal services including the likelihood they'll get a favorable result and attorneys cannot engage in a widespread telemarketing operation staffed by non-attorneys.