Date Received: 2022-03-24
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Subissue: Account status incorrect
Consumer Complaint: Applied for Forbearance from Freedom Mortgage due to financial hardship due to COVID-19 which was approved in XX/XX/XXXX and ended XX/XX/XXXX. We had asked for one person 's name to be dropped from the loan and sent the divorce decree and a quitclaim deed signed by the person who should be taken off the loan. Initially, I was informed the divorce decree was all that was needed, so an email was sent to lossmitigations @ freedommortgage with the attached divorce decree on XX/XX/XXXX. Then we were informed that a quitclaim deed was needed which was initially sent on XX/XX/XXXX. We applied for a modification agreement which was sent out to us in XX/XX/XXXX. When we received the documents that month with the notary, the person 's name was not taken off. We were unable to sign the modification documents. I called Freedom mortgage to ask why since I had submitted the documents they requested. They informed me that the quitclaim deed documents were blank. They never reached out to us to inform us of this. I sent the quitclaim deed again via email to XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX. I was sent to a Customer Care supervisor as my concern was escalated due to lack of communication and the concern of the possibility of incorrect default or forclosure. On XX/XX/XXXX, I emailed the quitclaim deed to the Customer Care supervisor. Until XX/XX/XXXX, Freedom mortgage sent documents of possible default because documents were not notarized and signed and every time I called, they would say it showed that we didn't sign the documents and the end date for having the documents notarized was coming up. Every time I had to explain the situation and the Customer Care agents tried to escalate or note what I had done. Nothing seemed to be communicated and Loss Mitigation ( being an internal department I couldn't speak to ) didn't reply or communicate anything back. The end date of the documents to be signed was finally extended as they realized that I had sent all documents needed and had been waiting on their department to get the name taken off and documents sent to us with the notary. Now I have received a total of about 2 calls from Freedom Mortgage stating they are still waiting on the documents. In the meantime, I had been told that we should go ahead and pay the amount due every month that was approved with the documents so that there is no delay or an effect on us in any way. We have been paying the amount stated from them every month starting XX/XX/XXXX, on time. This month, XX/XX/XXXX, I received an alert that my credit was hit due to a derogatory payment from Freedom Mortgage. This was unreasonable since we have been doing what we can to keep on track, get the documents on time, make payments on time. We feel this hit was the last straw and we needed to send in this complaint as the hit to the credit is incorrect and we would like it removed by them immediately. With the experience so far we have had with Freedom Mortgage, we feel that speaking to them about it to get it off would not be effective. Please advise as to the next steps. Thank you in advance.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: TX
Zip: 77388
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-03-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-03-24
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: When XXXX happened in XX/XX/2020, we were offered a 3 month forbearance program where the 3 months would be added to the end of the loan term. On month number 4, i began making my regular monthly payments. I tried unsuccessfully to have them remove me from the program as I no longer needed it and they repeatedly claimed that I was not in the program and they would fix the issue once they caught up with paperwork. The original mortgage company sold my mtg to FREEDOM MORTGAGE where they continued to do the same thing, FRAUDULENTLY keeping me in a program that I did not need nor request and I continued making my monthly payments. After almost 2 yrs, they have taken me out of the program and are demanding I sign a new agreement which changes the terms of my existing mortgage or threaten to start foreclosure proceedings. I have made a payment towards the 3 month forbearance program leaving me with a total due of 2 months currently. They continue to change the original terms of the program and will not work with me after fraudulently keeping me in a program I was making monthly payments on that I did not need! Every month I have had the same conversation with the people at FREEDOM MORTGAGE, that they were keeping me hostage while taking my money. I continue to make my current payments each month, they accept them but do not apply them towards the current month due and instead hold it in an unapplied funds account. Because of their actions, they have destroyed my credit rating and has resulted in credit account cards being shut down and canceled and or lowering my credit amount. This company is a debt collector and does not own my mortgage. I demand they be investigated for fraudulently keeping me in a program I did not apply for longer than three months and the proof is in the fact that my payments have been made since month number 4 ( after the 3 month program expired ) I demand an explanation as to why they ignored my pleas to do the right thing while taking my monthly payments. I also demand they correct my credit rating. This is criminal! I have numerous recordings every month calling in demanding an explanation from Freedom Mortgage for all of the above. They can not even produce signed paperwork for a forbearance program because they have none.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: CT
Zip: 06457
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-03-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-03-23
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: A Supplemental Real Estate Tax was paid ( by us ) on XXXX ( {$1600.00} ). Surprisingly, Freedom Mortgage ( our lender ) increased the monthly payment ( from {$1700.00} to {$1800.00}, claiming escrow funds shortage ). After several unsuccessfull calls to their Customer Service Departament, we decided to contact FHA Resource Center ( RE : XXXX ), and they instructed us to send them an Error Resolution Letter, including all the payment evidence ; we mailed it on XXXX. On XX/XX/2022, we received a letter from them indicating they are maintaining their intentions not to address our claim, even when they have all the evidence to correct/amend this situation.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: VA
Zip: 23111
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-03-23
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-03-23
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: My mortgage modification was started last XXXX and set to begin in XXXX with a new payment. I provided the paperwork, signed, witness by notary public in XXXX. Freedom never acknowledged and after a few phone calls I found out they had a problem with a mark the notary made and didn't tell me. I requested another notary come out so we could resign and submit paperwork. That was done in early XXXX. I had begun making my new payment amount in XXXX ( and have in XXXX and XXXX, as well ) but the account doesn't reflect any of my modification. It shows " severely delinquent '' and I've received tons of mail communication about how much I owe and what will happen if I don't pay. I've sent over 13 messages through their system ( unanswered ) and called numerous times to get things on track and get answers as to when all of this will be corrected so I can set up recurring monthly payments and actually see where my money is going and what I still owe, and they lie every time about contacting me back to confirm. I've had several dates they promised an update and never gave it. Last week I spoke with 2 escalation agents, one set an appointment in the system for someone from XXXX to contact me and I took the time out of work and no one ever called. I called back the escalation agents and was promised another follow-up call that never came. This company seems to have no interest at all in the well-being of the customer. This has cost me in terms of money, time lost and now health issues. They also flat-out lie about there being a single point of contact working my case with familiarity on all the communications, as each time I've spoken to someone different and they've even stated that's not how the system is set up. So, every single phone call requires me to re-explain the entire history and I can't deal with this any more. They don't deserve my money in the meantime because they're clearly not providing the service they promise. Today, I discovered that they've reported me as 180+ days late on my payments- but they've had the full payment required under the modification terms each month since the modification was supposed to start! They're ruining my credit and they're the ones who can't seem to just finish their own process! I've done my part and continue to, no matter how difficult they make it!!!
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: FL
Zip: 321XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-03-23
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-03-22
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: We came out of forbearance with Freedom Mortgage and signed a new loan agreement in XXXX of XXXX. In XXXX of XXXX I went to make my first payment and noticed that the payment amount was not what was signed in the contract. I reached out to the mortgage company and was told that it was just the system updating to make my payment that was in the contract and it would update in the system. I mailed in my payment for XXXX. XXXX XXXX of XXXX I went online to make my payment and noticed it showing I was behind a payment for XXXX and was still showing the incorrect amount of XXXX. I called and spoke to someone who stated they held my XXXX payment in suspense because we had an escrow shortage in XXXX of XXXX. When I explained to the lady that we just came out of forbearance in XXXX and that the shortage should have been figured into our new payment amount I was informed not to make a payment until I got a new statement with the corrected payment amount. I never heard back from them called again two weeks later and was transferred multiple times and finally was told we were right and our payments should be XXXX per our signed contract. They said they were escalating our loan to be fixed again never asked for a payment and still had one payment held in suspense. We get into XXXX and called multiple times that month and were told the same thing they were escalating our loan they back office was busy and that our payment amount should be fixed. At this point we couldnt make payments over the system because it was showing we were delinquent for two months while they held a payment. In XXXX we got a letter stating they could take our home if we didnt pay XXXX dollars by XXXX. When we have been calling and trying to get this figured out since XXXX. Its now been reported on our credit, we have two payments sitting in suspense and still have not gotten our payments fixed in the system to the right amount. We called the second to last week in XXXX and asked for our phone records for all phone conversations the month of XXXX be pulled to prove we have been calling and were told not to make a payment until they updated our payment amounts. We have still not heard anything yet.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: LA
Zip: 707XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-03-22
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-03-22
Issue: Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: XXXX Original complaint This process is still going on with no resolution in site. Freedom Mortgage is now asking us to pay a rate extension which according to company response they were totally responsible for issues and will extend the rate. No one at Freedom can give us an answer all we get is the run around. Everyone you speak to gives a different story but no one can get this refinance closed We owe them no documents so if they respond they are missing items it is bogus. There initial response waiting on income verification was bogus as this process is still on going and now they want us to pay a rate extension. This was always about changing the rate on us.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: PA
Zip: 19067
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-03-22
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-03-22
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Paid off mortgage loan on XX/XX/2022, was due a tax refund from escrow account in the ammount of {$4100.00}. It is now XX/XX/2022 and Freedom mortgage is telling me I must wait 14-20 business days to receive the escrow refund. My loan was paid off well over 30 business days ago. I keep getting the run around from them. My local taxing authority refunded a tax overpayment on XX/XX/2022, and Freedom Mortgage finally deposited it to my escrow account on XX/XX/2022. They are now saying I have to wait another 14-20 days before they will even mail it out to me.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: TX
Zip: 760XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-04-12
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-03-21
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Freedom Mortgage agreed to a loan modification program in XX/XX/XXXX. In XX/XX/XXXX, I called and asked why I not received paperwork. They said it was already sent and they would resend. Paperwork was resent XX/XX/XXXX. I paid a third party notary to notarize the paperwork and returned it to them, XXXX Tracking # XXXX and it was delivered XX/XX/XXXX. I continued to receive daily automated calls from them. I spoke with a representative on XX/XX/XXXX who confirmed that the paperwork was received and that I did not to take any further action, despite them repeatedly sending me duplicate paperwork. I was also advised to disregard the automated calls as they were due to my loan being behind, and that Freedom would have an agent reach out if there was an issue with my paperwork. I explained that I work in a warehouse and can not answer my phone during the day and that agents need to leave me a voicemail if I can not answer in time, and that I can't make it outside to answer their calls before they stop ringing most of the time. It's a large metal building and causes a cell phone dead zone. I was also told at this time that if I made payments as per the terms of the loan modification it would be honored, as it was dated to go into effect XX/XX/XXXX. I continued to receive automated calls that did not leave messages. I called Freedom again XX/XX/XXXX. The agent told me I had not sent my paperwork back. I told her I had and that one of their agents had confirmed this for me already, as did the tracking. She looked into the matter further and said that I had to resend it because the 'notary seal was not clear enough '. I asked why no one had advised me of this and she said they were very busy. I again explained my phone situation and that XXXX needed to be left. She said that their notary would reach out to me to schedule. I asked why a state approved notary seal that I paid {$80.00} for was not sufficient and she assured me that their notary would do it for free and gave me their number. She also said they would reach out to me to schedule an in home visit. I do not want strangers in my home due to Covid concerns but I am now desperate to have this done so I agreed. I called Freedom 's recommended/partner notary and did not receive a call back. I called them and left several messages. I spoke with Freedom again XX/XX/XXXX and explained this to the representative. I was also very frustrated as I could not make an online payment on XX/XX/XXXX unless I paid my full balance due, which is financially impossible for me. They allowed me to make a payment via phone and assured me that their notary would reach out to me by today, XX/XX/XXXX. I have been notified by my credit monitoring that Freedom has reported my account as delinquent as of XX/XX/XXXX despite me having returned the NOTARIZED paperwork to them and doing everything I can to work with them on this. I am now convinced that they are going to let my issue fall to the wayside as they did before when I requested a refinance. I feel like they are either targeting my husband and I due to our financial struggles caused by having XXXX twice, losing our jobs, and both being in car wrecks. We have communicated openly and done everything we can to honor our end of all agreements and Freedom has done nothing but make this process impossible. I also am starting to question why we run into these issues with Freedom. Our original loan was 'sold ' to them so our initial application did not go through them. I noted that the ball was dropped both time after our ID 's are requested/reviewed. I appear Caucasian but my husband appears XXXX. Is it because of this? Or because we're behind like millions of other Americans during this pandemic? I don't understand why this process is so incredibly difficult and I am not sleeping as I am terrified we will lose our home and Freedom does not seem to care in the slightest. If Freedom will not honor the notarized documents sent to them, why would they offer a loan modification at all? I have two more notarized copies of the documents they sent and offered to send those but again they are forcing me to wait on their notary who WILL NOT contact me as promised. At this point it feels like they'd rather foreclose than cooperate with us. I do not have corresponding dates but the third party notary sent representatives to my home, completely unannounced more than once after I had returned my paperwork and before they informed me that it was not sufficient. The representative from the third party arrived maskless and with no identification other than a printout. This makes me feel like they're both obviously getting a kickback on this partnership which would explain why my notarized documents aren't sufficient.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: LA
Zip: 70454
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-03-21
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-03-21
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: I am submitting this complaint due to Freedom Mortgage Company refusing to do another escrow analysis on our account. Our home is a new build and for the first year our property taxes were " estimated '' which I understand is normal. We were paying about {$600.00} XXXX a month to escrow. Once the town of XXXX sent me the tax bill, I sent it to Freedom Mortgage to be paid. On XX/XX/XXXX, I noticed a message from Freedom Mortgage stating that after the taxes in the amount of {$3400.00} were paid to The Town of XXXX, we had a shortage in our escrow account of {$4100.00}. They stated that due to this shortage, an additional {$340.00} would be added to our monthly payment making our monthly payment {$2400.00} effective XX/XX/2022. At the time we had {$8100.00} in our escrow account. If we had {$8100.00} in our account and our taxes are {$3400.00}, insurance is {$710.00} and we are only required to keep 2 times our *correct* monthly escrow payment in escrow ( which equals roughly {$4800.00} for the year ), how on earth can we have a shortage? That was a red flag to me so I called Freedom Mortgage and requested an escrow analysis to be done. An escrow analysis was done and the monthly payment was adjusted accordingly and a surplus check in the amount of {$1900.00} was sent to us. We do appreciate that our monthly payment was adjusted accordingly but we would like to have the correct and full amount of surplus sent back to us. It states right in the escrow analysis that Freedom Mortgage performed that " Federal Law requires that any surplus of {$50.00} or greater must be returned to you within 30 days from the date of analysis. '' Yes, Freedom Mortgage did return SOME of the surplus but it was not the full amount and that is why I am requesting another analysis to be conducted. Currently, as of XX/XX/2022 we have {$6100.00} in our escrow account. Again, we are only required to keep roughly {$4800.00} in escrow to cover insurance, taxes and the escrow " cushion. '' And the taxes are not due until XXXX XX/XX/2022 so we still have 4 more months of payments to make before taxes will be paid which will result in even more of a surplus. Currently it looks like we have a surplus of roughly {$1300.00}. I have contacted Freedom Mortgage numerous times to try to get this sorted out and every single time I get a different answer. The last time I called which was on Friday, XX/XX/XXXX I was told that another escrow analysis request would be submitted. I called again on Monday, XX/XX/XXXX only to find out that no request was submitted. The customer service representative did tell me that she does see that we have a surplus in the account but the team that conducts the escrow analysis refuses to do another analysis until XX/XX/2022 as XXXX was already conducted in early XXXX and they do not see a reason to do another. I have received such horrible customer service from this company and I can not believe that a mortgage company would refuse to look into their mistake.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: ME
Zip: 044XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-03-21
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-03-20
Issue: Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Our home was built in 2020 and we took possession in XXXX of that year. Shortly after this Freedom Mortgage purchased our mortgage. We were with Freedom for about 4 months when they contacted me and said a refinance was available to a lower rate. We started the process for the refinance and the monthly payment was significantly lower that what we were paying at the time so we went with it. My assumption, not knowing much about it and honestly, not reading all the paper work was the interest rate reduction coupled with what we had already paid the principal amount down to had lowered our payment that much. What I didn't realize is that Freedom had estimated our annual taxes for escrow to be {$1200.00} dollars for the entire year. This was the main reason our payment had dropped so much. There isn't a house in our county that is the size ours is that pays anywhere near {$1200.00} a year in property taxes. Our actual property taxes that we owe annually is generally between XXXX dollars. This gross underestimate on the part of Freedom resulted in our owing now close to 10,000 dollars in escrow fees to bring us back up to date in our escrow account. Now admittedly, I understand that I should have asked more questions or read the fine print in all of those mortgage papers and there may not be anything you can do for my situation, but my concern is this is a common practice with Freedom or other mortgage companies. My concern is they are grossly underestimating the taxes in hopes that the buyer or refinance customer will not read all of the fine print and take the bait so to speak all in an effort to make a sale or refinance. The way that they estimated so grossly incorrect on our annual taxes is what makes me suspicious. I contacted the company to see what could be done and they said not much. They were willing to spread out the back escrow amount over 48 months so I am taking that option but nothing else could be done according to them. Thank you for your time and any help in this situation.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: TX
Zip: 78148
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-03-20
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A