Date Received: 2024-02-26
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage
Subissue: An existing modification, forbearance plan, short sale, or other loss mitigation reli
Consumer Complaint: Entered and was approved for a 12 month repayment plan. Today plan was canceled with no explanation or notice
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: TX
Zip: 79932
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-02-26
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-02-26
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem
Subissue: Problem with personal statement of dispute
Consumer Complaint: On XX/XX/XXXX I logged into my mortgage account to make the payment, I saw that it said I was due for a larger amount which showed that I was due for both XXXX and XXXX. I called Freedom Mortgage and was told that my payment was returned on XX/XX/XXXX for no sufficient funds ; I was told by them to contact my bank as this is the record received from my bank. As told, I contacted my bank ( XXXX ) I spoke to the representative there who stated that I did not have any records of NSF on my account for the month. The bank also stayed on the line with Freedom Mortgage to explain this information to them as well. The company asked that I send in a copy of my bank statements which I did that showed that my balances were sufficient and there were no NSF checks on my account for the entire month. With all this information, Freedom Mortgage is unwilling to take any accountability as I have never paid 30 days late on my account. This was an error that was beyond my control. They also stated they sent a letter but I was not aware of this. If I had received the letter, I would have called sooner as again, I have never paid 30 days late. I need this information removed from my credit as it is inaccurate reporting and Freedom Mortgage investigation is for their benefit and does not take into account of the errors on their part.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: MD
Zip: 21214
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-02-26
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-02-22
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue: Escrow, taxes, or insurance
Consumer Complaint: This Mortgage company has lied to me so many times. In XXXX I applied for a forebearance due to hurricaines. Several times I contacted them and they put my mortgage on hold for XXXX months and told me it would be placed on the back end of the loan. This was a lie. So I had to double up on my mortgage payments in XXXX and XXXX otherwise I would have been in arrears and they could have taken my house. After paying my mortgage current with no penalties or late fees, I called to request my escrow surplus of {$660.00} on XX/XX/2024. I was told they would send it out. To date, I do not see any withdrawal or communications with this Mortgage company to return my money. This Mortgage company has continuously lied to me about so many things and you can not even speak to any department that has to do with this situation. All you can do is speak to a customer service rep and they lie, or do not have a clue what to tell customers.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: FL
Zip: 34759
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-02-22
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-02-20
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage
Subissue: Trying to communicate with the company to fix an issue related to modification, forbe
Consumer Complaint: During the Covid-19 crisis the VA offered a helping hand to borrowers who were affected financially by the Pandemic in the form of Covid Forbearance plan. Under the plan, service members could elect to defer their missed payments to the end of the mortgage period. The missed payments would simply be added to the end of the loan and no other terms would be changed. On XX/XX/XXXX, in the middle of the forbearance program, the VA decided to cancel the option of deferring the payments without offering any other alternative. This has left many service members at the mercy of the lenders. While some lenders acted honorably, others, like piranhas smelling the blood of a helpless victim, started tearing at their financial flesh. According to an XXXX article ( link attached at the end of letter ) many service members were forced into new terms that they could ill afford. Many veterans could only helplessly watch as their payment doubled. With the threat of pay us more or lose your home most veterans have no choice but to give in. The few that have not given in are being pushed by their lenders even though the VA strongly protested these practices. My own lender, Freedom Mortgage, tried to force me into paying {$540000.00} over the life of the loan in addition to the amount that I originally signed for. Freedom Mortgage and their law firm, XXXX XXXX XXXX resorted to duress tactics that seem more in line with loan sharks, than respectable firms. They showed no qualms using arm twisting, threats, and a campaign of misinformation for me to acquiesce to their demands. One prime example of the above is XXXX XXXX XXXX refusal to comply with the VA circular number XXXX dated XX/XX/XXXX ( see link attached below ). The VA, in acknowledgment of its poor handling of the Covid forbearance and seeing the chaos that had ensued in its wake, has issued VA circular number XXXX. In said circular, the VA implores lenders to apply a blanket moratorium on foreclosures until XX/XX/XXXX. This is done so the VA can produce a suitable rescue plan for the affected service members. Ever since XX/XX/XXXX I have repeatedly asked for written confirmation that the foreclosure on my residence will be held until XX/XX/XXXX. Although I have called and sent numerous messages. I was denied written confirmation by the lender and their law office. Furthermore, in bulletin number XXXX the VA petitions lenders not to hurt service members credit report with negative information on affected loans. However, the bank law firm has chosen to report such negative credit information contrary to the VA guidelines. On XX/XX/XXXX I sent Freedom Mortgage a secure message via their portal. In the message I advise them to remove all negative credit from my report or I will take this matter further. On XX/XX/XXXX I received a reply that the bank is investigating the matter and will get back to me on XX/XX/XXXX ( Please see response attached here as XX/XX/XXXX response ). XX/XX/XXXX came and went and I did not hear anything from the bank. When I checked the online portal I was dismayed to discover that my letter to the bank disappeared from their portal. Alarmed, I quickly called Freedom Mortgages Lost Mitigation Department and spoke with XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ). XXXX could not explain this but he let me know that he will send me a XXXX copy ( attached here as XX/XX/XXXX response ). XXXX promised me that all negative information will come off my credit report. XXXX advised me to be patient since the bank is overwhelmed with removing negative credit information on all their VA loans. XXXX assured me that eventually my turn will come. I asked XXXX if he could please provide me with a written notice that the foreclosure had been frozen until XX/XX/XXXX per the VA circular. XXXX advised me that he is unable to do so. On XX/XX/XXXX, when the negative info was not removed and there was no response to my email, I called again and spoke to XXXX ( employe number XXXX ). She had also advised me to be patient and promised me that the negative info will be removed. Again, I asked her for a written confirmation that the foreclosure is held until XX/XX/XXXX per the VA circular. Without providing an explanation, XXXX let me know she could not provide me with such a confirmation. On XX/XX/XXXX I finally received a reply from the bank. It was XXXX days after the promised response day, and a whole month after my initial letter. In the letter ( see attached below marked as decline letter ), the bank simply declined to follow the VA guidelines. They let me know that this was also the decision of their law firm XXXX XXXX XXXX. I believe the bank than a psychological war against myself and other veterans. A war of attrition, with a singular purpose of grinding down veterans to accept the banks exorbitant refinance options. In the links I have attached below, other veterans also report feeling pressure from their landers to accept their exorbitant new loans. I have exhausted all options and require your urgent assistance in the matter. Very respectfully, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Pl, XXXX XXXX XXXX NV XXXX Cell : ( XXXX ) XXXX Email : XXXX Lender : Freedom Mortgage Loan number : XXXX Please see attached links below to articles from XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX ) detailing how lenders have been taking advantage of service members misfortune. https : XXXX XXXX is one of an untold number of veterans who ended up with much higher mortgage payments because they were pushed into loan modifications. Those modifications rolled the missed payments back into the mortgage but with a new loan that had to be at current interest rates, which are about double what they were just two years ago. XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX first reported on the problem last XXXX, lawmakers wrote to the VA secretary , who quickly put a pause on all foreclosures of VA loans In the meantime, many veterans say their loan servicers are still pushing them to either pay all the missed payments immediately or accept costly loan modifications. VA circular number XXXX dated XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: NV
Zip: 89119
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-02-20
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-02-20
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue: Escrow, taxes, or insurance
Consumer Complaint: In XXXX of XXXX my Mortgage went up {$400.00}. On XX/XX/XXXX I inquired about why. Freedom mortgage tried to say that I had no insurance and they had to place GAP coverage which was {$3600.00}. My previous insurance was {$1600.00}. I tried to explain that EVEN with that, they increased my mortgage by almost {$5000.00} and none of that adds up. I also explained that I had the same insurance the entire time I have owned this home. Insurance that in the past they had paid when they purchased my loan back in XXXX. My new insurance, which I got XX/XX/XXXX, was roughly {$1000.00}, yet my mortgage is ( escrow ) is still up {$300.00} a month, so {$3600.00} a year. Even as of this morning they are claiming I have an escrow shortage. Last month, I finally got someone on the phone from Freedom who accidently admitted to me on a recorded line that they had received a cancellation notice from my insurance company, which contradicted everything they had been telling me the entire time of not having ANY proof or information that I had insurance on the house to begin with. When I called her out on that contradiction she tried to backtrack, but eventually slipped with the same information again. I filed a previous complaint with the CFPB about the credit reporting and in their response they admitted that on XX/XX/XXXX, shortly after they repurchased my mortgage, they tried to contact my insurance company a single time and did not get a response. No notices were sent to me by Freedom Mortgage regarding the GAP coverage, no phone calls, no emails, no messages on their website, nothing. As a homeowner, I did what I was required todo. I had insurance, they had the policy #, they had the company I had insurance through, they had a full month before the insurance expired, but somehow I still got penalized, charged, and in my view, defrauded. The worst part about this all though, ignoring even the credit hit because I had to take off autopay while trying to get Freedom Mortgage to acknowledge their mistake, is this is a common practice from Freedom Mortgage. Just looking at other complains online, through the XXXX, and any other forum, the same story happens over and over. Freedom Mortgage needs to be held accountable for their negligent, predatory tactics against homeowners.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: GA
Zip: 30082
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-02-20
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-02-20
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage
Subissue: Trying to communicate with the company to fix an issue related to modification, forbe
Consumer Complaint: On XX/XX/XXXX we notarized with a notary our USDA Mortgage Recovery Advance Document package. In this package which i can provide a copy showing the dates on the document that state our next payment due date is XX/XX/XXXX in the amount of {$1800.00} and the USDA Mortgage Recovery Advance amount is {$16000.00} which cover our payments from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX. Principal and interest in the amount of {$15000.00}. Escrow Advance in the amount of {$4900.00}. Suspense Funds credit to interest/and or Advances in the amount of {$3200.00}. The Mortgage company received these notarized documents on XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXXXXXX XXXX. I contacted Freedom Mortgage on XX/XX/XXXX and spoke to XXXX XXXX XXXX number XXXX to see why we are still showing past due and our modification not taking effect. She advised our paperwork was wrong, and I needed to make our XXXX payment even though it clearly states on our paperwork that our next payment us due XX/XX/XXXX. I asked several times for clarification on this only to be advised it was an error on the paperwork and we would have to start this process over again and resign our documents even though this was their error. To date my Mortgage still shows loss mitigation even though we notarized documents and made the XXXX payment of {$1800.00} which according to our paperwork was already covered in our Recovery program. I need help with this. We can not get a straight answer and we have done everything we are supposed to do to get back on track.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: WV
Zip: 254XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-02-20
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-02-21
Issue: Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage
Subissue: Fees or costs during the application process
Consumer Complaint: XX/XX/2023 I decided to do a refinance with my current mortgage holder ( Freedom Mortgage ) cash out equity to consolidate debts. XXXX XXXX {$320000.00} after 1 year of payments turned into {$320000.00}. XXXX was {$2300.00} interest rate 5.25 % changed to {$3100.00} interest rate 6.25 % both fixed. Always thought with VA use of the lower interest rate was appropriate. Home appraised for {$450000.00} XX/XX/2023 by XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) less than 1 year prior. Home appraised for less for the refinance. ( {$450000.00}. using their picked appraiser ) Started in XX/XX/2023 closing happened in XX/XX/2023 which I thought was way too long for a refinance. ( Kept saying I had a judgement in my county... and I did not ) Too many out of pocket expenses and hidden fees made this whole process really confusing and costly. If I knew it would cost me {$32000.00} of my equity I would never had done it with having a much higher payment on top of that. Also, I did not get enough to consolidate all the debts that I wanted to. I really feel like I have been taken advantage of in more ways than one.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: NC
Zip: 28590
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-02-21
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-02-20
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue: Escrow, taxes, or insurance
Consumer Complaint: Freedom Mortgage has been absolutely horrible. My loan was sold to them XXXX of XXXX, and Ive had issues since. XX/XX/XXXX. I reached out to Freedom Mortgage to ensure they knew of my property taxes ( from my escrow account ) to be paid before XX/XX/XXXX. I sent them a copy of the tax bill from the county to show payment dates. Was told that there would be no issue. Fast forward to XX/XX/XXXX, I receive a late tax bill because Freedom Mortgage did not pay my taxes on time. Was told once again that this would not happen moving forward. XX/XX/XXXX My monthly mortgage payment skyrocketed an additional {$700.00} a month for no foreseen reason. I came to find out that my escrow had been adjusted to reflect property tax payments three times the amount of what my actual taxes were. This change was made with no warning or explanation at all. To make things better, I had a tax payment due XX/XX/XXXX, and they paid that amount before the due date finally. Then, Freedom Mortgage paid the same amount on XX/XX/XXXX for no reason whatsoever. So as I am going through the property tax line adjustment period, they drained my escrow account for no reason. They could not tell me why this payment was made. Now I have an escrow analysis being performed while my account is negative because my home owners insurance has now been paid out. This is destroying my life and these people need to be held
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: WI
Zip: 546XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-02-20
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-02-19
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Subissue: Account information incorrect
Consumer Complaint: The mortgage bank reported my name to the credit bureau for late payment in XXXX. However, I had made the payment seven days before the XX/XX/XXXX bank statement to prove it. Then, on XX/XX/XXXX, my name was reported again due to insufficient funds. However, my financial institution denied that allegation. Later, on XX/XX/XXXX, my financial institution contacted them regarding the funds they took on XX/XX/XXXX. They had reversed the payment because they claimed they never received it. Despite this, my name is still reported to the credit bureau. And now, in XXXX, my name has been reported again for late payment. However, the payment was made on XX/XX/XXXX, and the bank statement and account activity letter prove it. If you need proof, I can send all of the statements from those months. statements.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: MA
Zip: 02072
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-02-19
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-02-19
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage
Subissue: Applying for or obtaining a modification, forbearance plan, short sale, or deed-in-li
Consumer Complaint: I have had a medical hardship that has cost me my career on XX/XX/2005z I contacted Freedom Mortgage & they sent a hardship packet. The 1st representative said I only needed to worry about the first few pages. I faxed the pages back to Freedom Mortgage & they said that they did not receive them on time & I would have to start the process over again. Freedom Mortgage remailed the packet & I filled it out & faxed it again. They responded that they did not receive the paperwork in full. I called them in XXXX & explained that our tax documents were destroyed in a fire. They said they would notate that to my account. I re-faxed the paperwork again, they denied it again, saying that I didnt have the included requested tax documents. I had already told them why and they said they would include that on my account, but they did not. At this time, I am moving forward with an attorney to represent me against Freedom Mortgage. I am XXXX, I have even offered to send them a copy of my medical diagnosis, they refused all of this. They have returned the paperwork or said that it was filled out in error, and it has been faxed back to them about five or six times at this point. They have left me with no choice but to contact an attorney so that I do not lose my home. Also, when I originally refinanced this house with Freedom Mortgage, they were supposed to pay off my credit card debt, and at the last minute they took my vehicle equity instead, and left me with the credit card debt. Freedom Mortgage is an evil company that needs to be shut down because they are taking advantage of people and giving them a higher interest rate while stealing their equity and then taking their houses.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: KY
Zip: 422XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-02-19
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A