Maryland - Mortgage Fraud Resources

Maryland's Mortgage Fraud Protection Act is designed to help Maryland homeowners who are in financial difficulty avoid losing their homes due to foreclosure. Signed into law in 2008, the law
makes mortgage fraud a crime for anyone involved in the mortgage transaction and  provides for significant fines and imprisonment for violators.

The statute also allows victims of mortgage fraud to bring private action against violators and gives courts the authority to order restitution and forfeiture and enhanced penalties for cases involving vulnerable adults.

There are a variety of state, federal and private agencies and organizations in Maryland that can serve as resources for people who have been affected by mortgage fraud or wish to learn more about the subject.

FBI field offices investigate potential cases of fraud and work with the state and federal attorneys general to prosecute criminals. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) can help mortgage applicants find the resources they need to make smart mortgage decisions.

The Maryland Division of Financial Regulation helps to set rules, investigate complaints and exercise enforcement/disciplinary authority over the businesses it oversees. Its Commission of Real Estate Appraisers has numerous sources of mortgage fraud information for consumers and can direct them to appropriate contacts for specific questions on mortgage fraud.

The Better Business Bureau sets guidelines by which businesses should operate and takes steps to ensure that consumers are treated fairly.

Maine Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
www.oag.state.md.us/
200 St. Paul Place
Baltimore, MD 21202
Phone: (410) 528-8662

Maryland Commissioner of Financial Regulation
www.dllr.state.md.us/finance/
500 North Calvert St., Rm. 402
Baltimore, MD 21202-3651
Phone: (410) 230-6100
Email: finreg@dllr.state.md.us

Maryland Real Estate Commission
http://www.dllr.state.md.us/license/occprof/recomm.html
500 North Calvert Street
Baltimore, MD 21202-3651
Phone: (410) 230-6230
mrec@dllr.state.md.us

Maryland Commission of Real Estate Appraisers and Home Inspectors
www.dllr.state.md.us/license/occprof/reappr.html
500 North Calvert Street
Baltimore, MD 21202-3651
Phone: (410) 230-6165
Email: appraiser@dllr.state.md.us

FBI Baltimore Field Office
http://baltimore.fbi.gov/
White Collar Crime Program
2600 Lord Baltimore
Baltimore, MD 21244
Phone: (410) 265-8080

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
www.hud.gov/local/index.cfm?state=md&topic=offices
Baltimore Field Office
10 South Howard Street, 5th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21201-2505
Phone: (410) 962-2520
TDY: (410) 209-6681
Email: MD_Webmanager@hud.gov

District of Columbia Field Office
820 First Street, NE, Suite 300
Washington D.C., 20002
Phone: (202) 275-9200
TDY: (202) 275-6388
Email: DC_Webmanager@hud.gov

National Credit Union Administration
Region II - Capital
www.ncua.gov/AboutNcua/org/Region2.htm
1775 Duke Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-3437
Phone: (703) 519-4600
Email: Region2@ncua.gov

U.S. Treasury Office of Thrift Supervision
1700 G Street, NW
Washington, DC 20552
Consumer Complaints
http://www.ots.treas.gov/?p=ConsumerComplaintsInquiries
Phone: (800) 842-6929
E-mail: consumer.complaint@ots.treas.gov

Southeast Region Office
1475 Peachtree Street, N.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
Phone: (404) 888-0771

National Fair Housing Alliance
http://www.nationalfairhousing.org/
1212 New York Avenue, NW Ste 525
Washington, DC 2005
Phone: (202) 898-1661
E-mail: nfha@nationalfairhousing.org

To locate your local affiliate:
http://www.nationalfairhousing.org/MemberOrganizations/tabid/2574/Default.aspx

Better Business Bureaus
Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland
www.baltimore.bbb.org
1414 Key Highway, Suite 100
Baltimore, MD 21230-5189
Phone: (410) 347-3992
E-mail: info@greatermd.bbb.org

Better Business Bureau of Metro Washington DC and Eastern Pennsylvania
http://www.dc.bbb.org
1411 K St., NW, 10th Floor
Washington, DC 20005-3404
Phone: (202) 393-8000
E-mail: info@mybbb.org