Washington - Mortgage Fraud Resources

Falsifying tax records and utilizing straw buyers were two examples of mortgage fraud committed by rogue lenders in the state of Washington in recent years. The result of this fraud was multimillion loans for properties that weren't worth anywhere near the value of the loans that were received.

In this and other cases around the state of Washington, banks and lending institutions have been found to not always properly check that the records of a borrower. This is an example of why consumers themselves need to be responsible for making sure that not only is their mortgage broker serving their best interests, but that all information included on an application is correct.

The state of Washington has made mortgage fraud a felony with new state laws that were enacted in 2007 and 2008. This continues to have an impact on all types of mortgage fraud, including those committed by mail and wire fraud.

There are many state and federal resources that consumers can contact with concerns about mortgage fraud. FBI field offices are responsible for investigating potential cases of fraud and work 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 mortgage applicants find the resources they need to make smart mortgage decisions.

The state's Department of Financial Institutions and State Division of Credit Unions help 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.

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

Washington State Office of the Attorney General
www.atg.wa.gov/
1125 Washington Street, SE
PO Box 40100
Olympia, WA 98504-0100
Phone: (360) 753-6200
Toll-free: (800) 551-4636
Hearing impaired: (800) 833-6384

Washington State Department of Financial Institutions
http://www.dfi.wa.gov/
PO Box 41200
Olympia WA 98504-1200
Phone: (360) 902-8700
Toll-free: (877) RING-DFI (877-746-4334)
TDD: (360) 664-8126

Division of Consumer Services
http://www.dfi.wa.gov/consumers/default.htm
Phone: (360) 902-8703
Toll-free: (877) 746-4334
Email: dcs@dfi.wa.gov

Division of Credit Unions
www.dfi.wa.gov/cu/
Phone: (360) 902-8701
Toll-free: (877) 746-4334
Email: DCU@dfi.wa.gov

FBI Seattle Field Office
http://seattle.fbi.gov
1110 Third Avenue
Seattle, Washington 98101-2904
Phone: (206) 622-0460
Email: Seattle.FBI@ic.fbi.gov

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Seattle Regional Office
909 First Avenue, Suite 200
Seattle, WA 98104-1000
Phone: (206) 220-5101
Toll-free: (877) 741-3281
TTY: (206) 220-5254
Email: :WA_Webmanager@hud.gov

Spokane Field Office
http://www.hud.gov/local/index.cfm?state=wa&topic=offices
Thomas Foley U.S. Courthouse Building
920 West Riverside, Suite 588
Spokane, WA. 99201
Phone: (509) 368-3200
Email: WA_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 Eastern Washington
http://spokane.bbb.org
152 S. Jefferson, Suite 200
Spokane, WA 99201-4352
Phone: (509) 455-4200
Toll-free: (800) 356-1007
E-mail: info@spokane.bbb.org

Better Business Bureau of Western Washington
http://alaskaoregonwesternwashington.bbb.org
1000 Station Drive, Ste. 222
PO Box 1000
DuPont, WA 98327
Phone: (206) 431-2222
Fax: (206) 431-2211
E-mail: info@thebbb.org