South Carolina - Mortgage Fraud Resources

The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs and the South Carolina Attorney General first partnered together in 2008 to help stop mortgage fraud in the state.

Consumers who suspect they are victims of mortgage fraud are encouraged to call the toll-free number 800-553-7723 for the Stop Mortgage Fraud hotline. The phone line is operational Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. The coordinated effort from SCDCA and the AG's Office allows consumers across the state to receive immediate, expert attention to their concerns and problems.

In addition to exposing current mortgage scams, the hotline also provides much needed educational information and assistance to consumers.

There are many other state and federal resources available to residents, some of which are listed below.

FBI field offices are responsible for investigating potential cases of fraud and work 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.

The state's Department of Labor, Licensing & regulation helps to set rules, investigate complaints and exercise enforcement/disciplinary authority over the businesses it oversees. It also tracks the mortgage lenders doing business in the state. The South Carolina Real Estate Commission and Appraisers 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.

South Carolina Attorney General
www.scattorneygeneral.org/
P.O. Box 11549
Columbia, S.C. 29211
1-803-734-3970
Email: info@scattorneygeneral.com

South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs
www.scconsumer.gov/
Consumer Complaint Services and Forms
P.O. Box 5757
3600 Forest Drive, 3rd Floor
P.O. Box 5757
Columbia, SC 29250
Phone: (803) 734-4200
Toll-free: (800) 922-1594

Mortgage Fraud Complaints
http://www.scconsumer.gov/mortgage_fraud.htm
Hotline: (800) 553-7723

South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation
http://www.llr.state.sc.us/
Synergy Business Park, Kingstree Building
110 Centerview Dr.
P.O. Box 11329
Columbia, S.C. 29211
Phone: (803) 896-4300

South Carolina Real Estate Commission
http://www.llr.state.sc.us/pol/rec/
Synergy Business Park, Kingstree Building
110 Centerview Dr., Suite 201
PO Box 11847
Columbia, S.C. 29211-1847
Phone: (803) 896-4400

South Carolina Real Estate Appraisers Board
http://www.llr.state.sc.us/POL/REAB/
Synergy Business Park, Kingstree Building
110 Centerview Dr., Suite 201
PO Box 11847
Columbia, S.C. 29211-1847
Phone: (803) 896-4400

FBI Columbia Field Office
http://columbia.fbi.gov/
151 Westpark Blvd.
Columbia, SC 29210-3857
Phone: (803) 551-4200

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Columbia Field Office
www.hud.gov/local/index.cfm?state=sc&topic=offices
Strom Thurmond Federal Building
1835 Assembly Street, 13th Floor
Columbia, SC 29201-2480
Phone: (803) 765-5592
Email: SC_Webmanager@hud.gov

National Credit Union Administration
Region III - Atlanta
www.ncua.gov/AboutNcua/org/Region3.htm
7000 Central Parkway, Suite 1600
Atlanta, GA 30328
Phone: (678) 443-3000
Email: Region3@ncua.gov

U.S. Treasury Office of Thrift Supervision
http://www.ots.treas.gov
Complaints: (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

Better Business Bureaus
Columbia Better Business Bureau
www.columbia.bbb.org
2330 Devine St.
Columbia, SC 29205
Phone: (803) 254-2525
E-mail: info@columbia.bbb.org

BBB Upstate South Carolina
www.greenville.bbb.org
408 North Church Street, Suite C
Greenville, SC 29601-2164
Phone: (864) 242-5052
E-mail: info@greenville.bbb.org

Better Business Bureau of Coastal Carolina
http://myrtlebeach.bbb.org
314 Laurel Street , Suite 203
Conway SC 29526
Phone: (843) 488-2227
E-mail: bbbinfo@sc.rr.com

Better Business Bureau of the Southern Piedmont
www.charlotte.bbb.org
13860 Ballantyne Corporate Pl., Ste. 225
Charlotte, NC 28277-3167
Phone: (704) 927-8611
E-mail: info@charlotte.bbb.org

Better Business Bureau of the Southeast Atlantic
http://savannah.bbb.org
6606 Abercorn Street, Ste. 108C
Savannah, GA 31405-5817
Phone: (912) 354-7522
E-mail: bbbsea@bellsouth.net