New Jersey - Mortgage Fraud Resources

The use of deception by fraudulent mortgage lenders in New Jersey has resulted in the loss of millions of dollars to homeowners and multiple foreclosures since the collapse of the housing bubble in 2007. Such fraudulent lenders have used the credit information of their unwitting victims to obtain fraudulent mortgage loans and turn a profit via the sale of urban properties at grossly inflated prices.

This is just one example of the type of fraud that New Jersey homeowners need to be aware of. The good news is that there are numerous state and federal resources that can help statewide consumers address and identify potential fraudulent schemes. A list of such resources is included below.

The FBI plays a lead role in investigating frauds of all kinds, including mortgage fraud. FBI field offices work in conjunction with the offices of the state and U.S. attorneys general to prosecute criminals.

Local offices of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) can help mortgage applicants find the resources they need to make smart mortgage decisions and can provide guidance to homeowners on the questions they should ask while shopping for reputable lenders.

The State Department of Banking and Insurance helps to set rules, investigate complaints and exercise enforcement/disciplinary authority over the businesses it oversees. Its Real Estate Commission and Appraiser Board each have numerous sources of mortgage fraud information for consumers and can direct them to appropriate contacts for specific questions on mortgage fraud.

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

New Jersey Office of the Attorney General
Division of Consumer Affairs
http://njconsumeraffairs.gov/
P.O. Box 45027
124 Halsey Street
Newark, New Jersey 07101
Phone: (973) 504-6200 '
Toll-Free: (800) 242-5846 (NJ only)

New Jersey Real Estate Appraiser Board
http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/nonmedical/reappraisers.htm
124 Halsey Street
PO Box 45032
Newark, NJ 07101
Phone: (973) 504-6480

New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance
www.njdobi.org/
20 West State Street
P.O. Box 325
Trenton, NJ 08625
Toll-Free: (800) 446-7467
Phone: (609) 292-7272

Consumer Inquiries and Complaints
http://www.state.nj.us/dobi/consumer.htm
Toll-free: (800) 446-7467

New Jersey Real Estate Commission
www.nj.gov/dobi/remnu.shtml
20 West State Street
P.O. Box 328
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0328
Phone: (609) 292-7272
Email: realestate@dobi.state.nj.us

FBI Newark Field Office
http://newark.fbi.gov/
White Collar Crime Program
11 Centre Place
Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: (973) 792-3000

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
www.hud.gov/local/index.cfm?state=nj&topic=offices
Newark Field Office
One Newark Center, 13th Floor
Newark, NJ 07102-5260
Phone: (973) 622-7900
TTY: (973) 645-3298
Email NJ_Webmanager@hud.gov

Camden Field Office
800-840 Cooper Street, 2nd Floor
Camden, NJ 08102-1156
Phone: (856) 757-5081
Email: NJ_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

Northeast Region Office
Harborside Financial Center Plaza Five, Suite 1600
Jersey City, New Jersey 07311
Phone: (201) 413-1000

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 Bureau of New Jersey
www.trenton.bbb.org
1700 Whitehorse Hamilton Square, Ste. D-5
Trenton, NJ 08690-3596
Phone: (609) 588-0808
E-mail: info@trenton.bbb.org