Rhode Island - Mortgage Fraud Resources

Rhode Island displaced Florida as the state leading the nation in mortgage fraud in early 2009, according to a report by the Mortgage Asset Research Institute.

The report, prepared for the Mortgage Bankers Association, compared the number of fraud cases reported in an industry data base to the total number of mortgage loans originated in 2008. Through the first nine months of 2008, Rhode Island was not even on the list of the top mortgage-fraud states tracked by the research institute. So the report certainly signified a major change in the scope of mortgage fraud in Rhode Island.

An informed consumer is one that can recognize potential mortgage fraud before, or while it is occurring. A list of state and federal resources is also included below to help individuals deal with such cases.
For example the FBI has taken a lead in investigating mortgage fraud as FBI offices around the country work in conjunction with the offices of state and the federal attorneys general to prosecute criminals.

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

The Rhode Island Department of Business Regulations helps to set rules, investigate complaints and exercise enforcement/disciplinary authority over the businesses it oversees. The Real Estate division of this department has 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 all businesses should operate and will take steps to ensure that consumers are being treated fairly.


Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General
http://www.riag.ri.gov/
150 South Main Street
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: (401) 274-4400

Rhode Department of Business Regulation
Banking Regulation Division
http://www.dbr.state.ri.us/divisions/banking
1511 Pontiac Avenue
Cranston, RI 02920
Phone: (401( 462-9503
Email: BankInquiry@dbr.state.ri.us

Division of Commercial Licensing and Regulation, Real Estate
http://www.dbr.state.ri.us/divisions/commlicensing/realestate.php
1511 Pontiac Avenue
Cranston, RI 02920
Phone: (401) 462-9506
Email: CommercialLicensingInquiry@dbr.state.ri.us

FBI Boston Field Office
http://boston.fbi.gov/
One Center Plaza, Suite 600
Boston, MA 02108
Phone: (617) 742-5533

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Providence Field Office
www.hud.gov/local/index.cfm?state=ri&topic=offices
121 South Main Street, Suite 300
Providence, RI 02903-7104
Phone: (401) 277-8300
TTY: (401) 277-8391
Email: ri_webmanager@hud.gov

National Credit Union Administration
Region 1 - Albany
www.ncua.gov/AboutNcua/org/Region1.htm
9 Washington Square
Washington Avenue Extension
Albany, NY 12205
Phone: (518) 862-7400
Email: Region1@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
Better Business Bureau In Eastern Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island and Vermont
http://rhodeisland.bbb.org
235 West Central Street, Suite 1
Natick MA 01760-3767
Phone: (508) 652-4800
Email: info@boston.bbb.org