Date Received: 2020-12-17
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: This is a two part compliant. One ; during the shutdown, Freedom Mortgage, CEO & President sent out an email advising me that due to the pandemic any late fees incurred during said month would be waived. However, none of these have been waived. The only income my husband & I receive is from his employment & my business. Well as you know, 2020 has been a year of lack. So during the shutdown, we did not receive any income what so ever. For 6 weeks we had XXXX money coming in. Unemployment finally came but not until sometime in XXXX & we are still waiting on the remaining. And this was only to supplement my husbands income. We still had to pay our Business Bills on top of our home. We also did not receive the " Stimulus '' money like everyone else. We didn't get it until a few weeks ago. So a Hardship is defiantly an understatement. I have called many times & requested these late fees be removed as I was told they would before they were incurred. Still No One Ever Removes them. TWO- Freedom Mortgage did an escrow analysis in XX/XX/2020, using incorrect numbers. This caused a great increase in my mortgage payment. I called and argued many times. I explained they were using figures based on homeowners insurance I no longer had ( I got a cheaper rate ) & Taxes that had been appealed. Freedom Would Not budge. So I waited until after they paid my HOI & Taxes, having a very substantial amount left in my escrow, I called them again, & Requested YET another escrow analysis. I stressed that I need this money, I am struggling to keep my business going & my home. I was advised it would be available in 10 days -2 weeks. Well no one ever contacted me, and today when I called, I was advised I would not be given the analysis, " Just Because ''. Nearly {$1000.00} in my escrow account, MY MONEY, I need it & they will not give it back. There is no reason to keep OVERCHARGING me, when I am struggling. I don't want to refinance my home. I want my money, I want you to stop overcharging me. I want you to pay me interest on my money, just like you charge me. Freedom Mortgage is not honoring what they say.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: GA
Zip: 301XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-12-17
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-12-16
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: I made a payment for my XXXX payment. The bank charged me not one but four payments. I was able to cancel two of the four but unfortunately two of the payments posted to my mortgage payments. I called regarding the issue and was told I could not request a refund because they would not issue me one and had to go through my actual bank. So I did go through XXXX XXXX was able to issue me a refund for the duplicate payment. Then out of nowhere Freedom decided to issue me a refund check. I then received a letter in the mail stating I had a late charge added to my account. A late charge on a mistake the bank made. They refunded me in their own error. Then I received foreclosure notices, a delinquency was made on my account, my credit score dropped XXXX points. This bank is ridiculous, they are blaming me for a mistake that they made. I have been making on time payments every months. Ever since I purchased the home my payments were made on time every month, now one payment is late not by my own fault but because they refunded me in error and Im being threatened with foreclosure and collection agencies. This is not how you treat people, we are in the middle of a pandemic. Is this how people who cant pay are treated?? I didnt even make the mistake and Im getting attacked on all ends.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: IL
Zip: 60169
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-12-16
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-12-16
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: I recently sold my home located at XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, VA XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX that had a mortgage secured to it that was serviced by Freedom Mortgage acctXXXX. I am in the process of purchasing a new home & my lender informed me that freedom mortgage reported that I was late on this mortgage in XXXX & XXXX in XXXX. The sale of XXXX property was supposed to close on XX/XX/XXXX but the title company filed to wire the funds to payoff my mortgage at freedom until XXXX meaning that I was late in XXXX, however, I was not late in XXXX & I have documentation from Freedom showing that I made the first half of my XXXX payment on XX/XX/XXXX for XXXX & the second half of it in the amount of XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX, which is also when freedom show it was applied. I have reached out to Freedom to get this rectify with no luck & as a result of their error my credit has drop by about 100 points plus i am being told that with two 30 day mortgage lates in the last 12 months my new VA loan is likely to be denied.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: OH
Zip: 435XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-12-16
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-12-15
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Subissue: Seized or attempted to seize your property
Consumer Complaint: BACKGROUND : I own the single family residence located at XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX, CA XXXX. I have owned the property since XXXX of XXXX. I refinanced the mortgage with XXXX XXXX in XXXX, XXXX and I started my regular payment on XX/XX/XXXX. Due to the Covid pandemic, I applied for a mortgage forbearance plan in XXXX, XXXX, in accordance with the CARES ACT that was passed by Congress and signed into law in XXXX, XXXX. My mortgage forbearance request was approved by XXXX XXXX, starting XX/XX/XXXX and was extended up to XX/XX/XXXX. On XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXX informed me in writing that my mortgage was being transferred to Freedom Mortgage, XXXX, IL, on XX/XX/XXXX. I can send documentation regarding the above. XXXX XXXX account No. XXXX. DECEPTIVE BEHAVIOR BY FREEDOM MORTGAGE : Freedom Mortgage Account No. XXXX XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I initiated a contact with Freedom Mortgage. At the very beginning of the communication, I was told that the communication should be considered as an attempt to " COLLECT DEBT '' and that any information obtained would be used for that purpose. When I was asked, based on that statement ( which is usually used when a loan account is in default ) whether my mortgage account was in default, I was given an ambiguous answer ( " we have to read out such statements '' etc. ). I was also erroneously informed that my forbearance plan had ended on XX/XX/XXXX. At that time, I informed the customer service supervisor ( XXXX ) with Freedom Mortgage that I am protected until XX/XX/XXXX, by an approved forbearance plan afforded to me by the CARES ACT. However, XXXX informed me that she was going to try to give me an " extension '' of the forbearance plan until XX/XX/XXXX and that it will get " approved ''. When asked, why she needed to give me an " extension '' even though I was already protected until XX/XX/XXXX, by a forbearance plan approved by XXXX XXXX, I was again given an unambiguous answer ( " this must have been a clerical error '' etc. ). 2. I was very concerned by this suspicious behavior by Freedom Mortgage. So I called back on XXXX ( the next day ) by calling XXXX to discuss the transfer by XXXX XXXX and my account standing with Freedom Mortgage. I was responded to by a customer service representative named XXXX XXXX Teller ID XXXX XXXX at XXXX Pacific Time. At the beginning, XXXX gave me the following disclosure : 1 ) Total account balance, 2 ) Total monthly payment 3 ) interest rate. As I was explaining my previous days ' discussion with XXXX, he informed me that he had already given me an " extension '' of the forbearance plan until XX/XX/XXXX, and that my next payment due would be XXXX XXXX, XXXX. When I informed him about the forbearance plan extension already approved by XXXX XXXX until XX/XX/XXXX, and asked him why he needed to extend me again, I again received an ambiguous answer ( " must have been a clerical error, I can only tell you what I see '' etc. ). Anyway, he re-assured me repeatedly that I did not need to worry about anything at this time, as I was protected by forbearance plan. However, He appeared to be worried that XXXX XXXX may have reported me to the credit bureaus and that I should check right away with XXXX XXXX. XXXX also informed me that their mortgage company does not begin any foreclosure proceedings for 60 day after " transfer '' of mortgage ( e.g. Transfer date XX/XX/XXXX, in accordance with notice from Quicken Loans ). 3. On XX/XX/XXXX, as I registered and logged into the Freedom Mortgage website, information in my account page worried me right away. 1 ) Very worrisome is the note on the account is that " Your account is in active loss mitigation ''. As I understand, this is the precursor to foreclosure proceedings. 4. I also received at written notice from Freedom Mortgage via US Postal Service on XX/XX/XXXX. This notice was NOT an introduction and WELCOME notice to Freedom Mortgage. Instead, it appears that Freedom Mortgage is considering my account to be in default, and are providing information as to what I can do, " ... discuss additional options that may be available to assist you during this important time ''. The notice is full of cleverly written ambiguous language, and nowhere in the notice does it mention that I am protected by an approved forbearance plan and that they are not allowed to report my to credit bureaus in accordance with the CARES ACT. Instead, it includes the following language : " Please keep in mind that we will continue with regular collection efforts on your loan, which may include foreclosure proceedings. We will also continue to report your loan status accurately to the credit bureaus ''. Based on the above, I fear that Freedom Mortgage is deceptively trying to foreclose my property, as it clearly appears that their system is considering my mortgage to be in default. I am protected by an approved forbearance plan. All assurances received from Freedom Mortgage was over telephone on XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX, XXXX. They have not sent me any written notice regarding the transfer of the mortgage by XXXX XXXX, or the approved forbearance plan that protects me from foreclosure proceedings until XX/XX/XXXX.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: CA
Zip: 91311
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-12-15
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-12-14
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Freedom mortgage has misrepresented my account balance on my credit report, freedom mortgage has not updated my credit report with a paid in full and account closed status by the closing of the statement cycle for XX/XX/2020. Payment was made on XX/XX/2020. Previously, freedom mortgage inherited my account from a lender ( NJ Lender ) that paid me restitution for unethical practices during the origination of my loan. During my loan history, freedom mortgage charged me a total of {$3400.00} in miscellaneous fees for 'property inspection ' while I was applying for a forebearance and hardship deferment during the COVID pandemic ( XX/XX/2020 to present ). Also during this time the company referred my account to a third party called XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, who charged me an additional {$3100.00} in fees for " foreclosure fees ''. The {$3400.00} plus {$3100.00} totaling {$6500.00} was added onto my principal balance without a detailed description of each of the fees. This added {$6500.00} increased my payoff by $ XXXX or more between the months of XX/XX/2020 and XX/XX/2020. During this time I was advised that Freedom mortgage is a defendant in a class action suit in the State of NJ for unethically charging consumers property inspection and miscellaneous fees on their mortgage account. Which supports my claim above. From start to end, I have experienced unethical business practices by Freedom mortgage and its predecessors. As well as other mortgage consumers nationally.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: NY
Zip: XXXXX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-12-14
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-12-12
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: XXXX XXXX provides casualty insurance payment and repair verification for Freedom Mortgage ( FM ). No problem here, lots of companies use third-party contractors. What is a problem is that they fail to disclose their relationship with FM - that they are a contractor. Compounding this deception, when queried, they will not disclose that they are in fact not a department of FM, but rather a contractor. It is axiomatic in the financial world that you must know your counterparty. Here we have a company - XXXX - with annual revenue of XXXX XXXX Dollars - concealing their true identity. Quote from today 's conversation at ~XXXX XXXX. " We are the insurance claims processing department for Freedom Mortgage '' Financial fraud is insidious - particularly in my age group XXXX+. XXXX XXXX and Freedom Mortgage should both be required to disclose the entity with which the consumer is dealing with. Anything less is an invitation to fraud.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: CO
Zip: 816XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-12-30
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-12-11
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: On XX/XX/XXXX Freedom Mortgage abruptly stopped taking out automatic mortgage payments from our account with no warning or written explanation. In the following weeks when my wife noticed she immediately called to see why the payment hadnt come out. They said that she was in bankruptcy and they couldnt speak to her without her lawyers permission. This was false. She was not in bankruptcy or tied to any bankruptcy and so she doesnt have a lawyer. I, her husband who is not a borrower filed a single chapter XXXX bankruptcy and they said that somehow our previous mortgage company XXXX XXXX triggered this into their system. Anyway they said there would be no late payment because its not my wifes fault but we would have to send checks until my bankruptcy was over. My wife immediately sent the check and we continued on time ever since. They lied and were dishonest because they still reported a late payment to all credit bureaus. When we spoke to several supervisors they all acted as though they wanted to help and they were on our side because the late payment was not our fault. However, they still came back with the conclusion that they were right in reporting the late payment to the credit bureaus with no explanation. My lawyer explained that in her bankruptcy practices she has never experienced a mortgage company that froze the account due to the single bankruptcy from a no borrower and that this was crazy and absurd. My wife was planning on refinancing and now they have made that impossible in the near future because of their dishonest and immoral business practices. If we didnt have the money and/or didnt make payment on time for that reason then we would take responsibility. This is clearly not the case. We have a lawyer right now that is willing to file a suit against them but we are weighing our options because we will have to pay the legal fees if we settle and we know that they will settle because they are 100 % wrong. Freedom Mortgage should be ashamed of their selves for taking advantage of working families during a global pandemic. I will pursue this to the furthest extent of the law until it is rectified and this is only the first step.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: FL
Zip: 34638
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-12-11
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-12-10
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: I have been experiencing several issues with Freedom Mortgage, who acquired my loan when it was sold by my previous company. When I went over to Freedom Mortgage on XX/XX/2020, my COVID forbearance plan was set to start on XX/XX/XXXX as well. I was contacted by a loan advisor, XXXX XXXX, who advised that they can lower my mortgage payment by refinancing. I advised him that I was on the forbearance plan and he advised that we can still refinance as long as we continue to pay our mortgage on time ( by the XXXX ) for XXXX and XXXX and we will not have to pay XXXX as that will be the month that we close. He advised that he will remove us from the forbearance plan and proceed with the refinance. Since XXXX I have left several messages and requested several return calls, and he has yet to return my call. The whole process has been plagued with issues and I have had to contact this company several times in an effort to assist with the process. I was contacted by someone today who advised that I am still on the forbearance plan. I was advised that I was never taken off of the plan and was now two months in. This whole time I have been making my monthly mortgage payment. I was told that I had lost 2 months and they could not credit me back. I was disconnected from the initial call after being on the phone for 30 minutes with the forbearance unit. I called back and was on with a customer service representative named XXXX for and hour and twenty minutes. we had approximately 6 minutes of talk time and the rest of the time was spent on hold as she conferenced with her supervisor, who refused my escalation request. While waiting on hold, I was then transferred to another representative without warning or notification. I no longer know what to do. I can not deal with this company anymore. There business practices appear dishonest. From the time that this ordeal started in XXXX I have spoken with over 25 different representatives. I have reported their practices in the past but it seems like I continue to be brushed off. I have read similar experiences by others, but it appears that the government, although reading our experiences are not taking any actions to assist us consumers with anything. People are already out here struggling with financial issues related to COVID-19 and it appears that this company is attempting to monopolize off of the struggles of Americans, under the guise of offering relief and assistance.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: NJ
Zip: 08873
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-12-10
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-12-10
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: XXXX : Freedom Mortgage, at XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, SC XXXX Freedom Mortgage is currently my loan servicer on my primary residence. All of my payments to Freedom Mortgage per my monthly agreement have been made on time since inception of the loan. In that agreement they collect monthly money from me in an escrow account to pay my insurance company directly for Hazard/Home insurance. Freedom Mortgage is failing to make payment to my insurance company to cover my primary residence with insurance, which was due on XX/XX/XXXX. In talking to Freedom Mortgage they stated that they could not pay my insurance to the insurance company, XXXX XXXX, because of non-response from XXXX XXXX. They stated to have contacted XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX of XXXX. I have paid my insurance separately XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX, on my own accord, to keep current with insurance. Freedom Mortgage continues to collect escrow money for insurance when I have informed them to not, since they are not paying the insurance company as agreed upon in our mortgage agreement. Their service representatives have given me multiple different explanations that do not match up. On the same day, XX/XX/XXXX, they stated that nothing was paid to XXXX XXXX in the form of insurance payment, and then 10 minutes later with another representative they reported to me that overnight payment was just sent. Freedom Mortgage has not been honest or keeping to the mortgage agreement in their payments or operations regarding insurance payment for my home.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: MN
Zip: 553XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-12-10
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-12-08
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: I have 2 primary complaints. First, received a letter from my mortgage servicer, Freedom Mortgage stating that my payment was going to be increasing by {$300.00} per month because of an escrow shortage. This was a significant increase so I began working with Freedom in order to determine what caused the issue. After several weeks it was determined that my account was set up incorrectly after I refinanced. The escrow account had 2 errors, insurance was omitted and the taxes were incorrectly applied from an outdated tax bill. This led to a significant gap that was not discovered until I received my annual escrow analysis. Freedom offered to credit my escrow for the full amount of the insurance because it was an error by the account set up process. I asked that they also research how the tax account was so inaccurate because they had received an updated copy of the tax bill the previous year. I still have not received an answer as to how this occurred. I have spent hours trying to resolve this with Freedom but they are exceptionally hard to work with. I am able to afford the increased payment but I believe these sorts of systemic errors will disproportionately impact low income borrowers as they may not be able to afford such a significant increase in monthly payments. The second complaint involves the refinance marketing process. After I refinanced the first time I continued to receive marketing calls to refinance again. I requested 3 times to be added to the do not call list which was finally completed. Despite not wanting to continue to receive information, Freedom requires that you move through a phone tree on the customer service line in which they try to push you to refinance again. They also direct customer service representatives to try and sell the program as well. Customers should not be required to constantly opt out of product marketing in order to get basic customer service.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: NC
Zip: XXXXX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-12-08
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A