Oregon - Mortgage Fraud Resources

The Portland office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Attorney's Office announced expanded efforts to identify and prosecute mortgage fraud in April 2009. As part of a multiagency approach, special Internet and phone tip lines were established to handle reports of mortgage fraud.
Investigations are handled by the Oregon Mortgage Fraud Working Group, which tackles mortgage fraud on multiple fronts.

From 2007-09,  the U.S. Attorney's Office in Oregon has brought charges or secured convictions in more than a half dozen major mortgage fraud cases, resulting in sentences of up to 10 years in prison. These cases have been successfully investigated by the FBI, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service, Oregon Department of Finance and Corporate Securities, and other federal and state law enforcement agencies.

Oregon indeed has been a leading player in the fight against mortgage fraud at state and national levels. A list of resources that includes recommended contacts for consumers is included below.

FBI field offices are responsible for investigating potential cases of fraud and work with the offices of the state and federal 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.

The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, through its Division of Finance and Corporate Securities, helps to set rules, investigate complaints and exercise enforcement/disciplinary authority over the businesses it oversees. The state Real Estate Agency has numerous sources of mortgage fraud information for consumers and can direct them to appropriate contacts for specific questions on mortgage fraud. The Oregon Appraiser Certification and Licensure Board keeps track of practicing mortgage lenders in the state.

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

Oregon Department of Justice
www.doj.state.or.us/
1162 Court Street NE
Salem, OR 97301-4096
Phone: (503) 378-4400
Consumer Hotline: (877) 877-9392
Email: consumer.hotline@doj.state.or.us

Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services
Division of Finance and Corporate Securities
http://egov.oregon.gov/DCBS/
350 Winter Street, NE, Room 410
Salem, OR 97309-0405
Phone: (503) 378-4140
Email: dcbs.dfcsmail@state.or.us

FBI Field Offices
Portland Division
http://portland.fbi.gov/
Crown Plaza Building, Suite 400
1500 SW 1st Avenue
Portland, OR 97201-5828
Phone: (503) 224-4181
E-mail: portland@ic.fbi.gov

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Portland Field Office
www.hud.gov/local/index.cfm?state=or&topic=offices
400 SW 6th Avenue, Suite 700
Portland, OR 97204-1632
Phone: (503) 222-2600
TTY: (971) 222-2625
Email: OR_Webmanager@hud.gov

National Credit Union Administration
Region V - Tempe
www.ncua.gov/AboutNcua/org/Region5.htm
1230 W. Washington Street, Suite 301
Tempe, AZ 85281
Phone: (602) 302-6000
Email: Region5@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

West Region Office
225 E. John Carpenter Freeway, Suite 500
Irving, Texas 75062-2326
Phone: (972) 277-9500

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 Southwest Idaho
www.boise.bbb.org
4355 Emerald St., Suite 290
Boise, ID 83706
Phone: (208) 342-4649
E-mail: info@boise.bbb.org

Better Business Bureau of Oregon and Western Washington
www.thebbb.org
PO Box 1000
DuPont, WA 98327
Phone: (206) 431-2222
E-mail: info@thebbb.org