FCC warns of 50-state scam by fraudsters posing as mortgage lenders
Source: Aol/CBS News
Updated January 15, 2025 at 8:22 AM
Homeowners across the U.S. are being targeted in a sophisticated scam in which callers pose as mortgage lenders to defraud people out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, the Federal Communications Commission warned Tuesday in a consumer alert.
The fraud involves operatives calling homeowners, who oftentimes had previously sought relief from their mortgage lender and thus were expected to be contacted, according to the FCC. The callers frequently know details about the homeowner, including their name, address and their current or former mortgage lending institution. The fraudsters also spoof the caller ID number of the homeowner's actual lending institution, further convincing them of the call's legitimacy, the agency noted.
Given the moniker "Green Mirage," those behind the calls often threaten foreclosure, then offer relief if the victims send payments via atypical routes. That includes being directed to mail money orders to third-party "attorneys" or representatives, or to upload funds to a Walmart Green Dot Money Card account.
Green Mirage scammers have impersonated more than 400 mortgage institutions and caused hundreds of thousands of dollars of losses to deceived homeowners, many of whom only learn of the fraud when their actual lender starts foreclosure proceedings, the FCC said.
Read more: https://www.aol.com/fcc-warns-50-state-scam-221235739.html
Link to FCC ALERT - FCC EB Issues C-CIST Classification For 'Green Mirage'
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Oopsie Daisy
(5,186 posts)multigraincracker
(34,776 posts)"This number is no longer in service".
First thing I do when I get an unsolicited phone call.
Farmer-Rick
(11,629 posts)The only way to protect yourself from a well planned con is to be aware of it. Yeah, I hope I would bulk at the point where they want me to send money to another party.
I refinanced during COVID. Everything was by phone and email. I could see being conned by this one.
JoseBalow
(6,441 posts)Sounds legit
wolfie001
(4,019 posts)Seems we have as much sophistication to combat this as we had in WW2 with sonar and U-Boats. WTF. How can anyone make a call and not have it IMMEDIATELY create an electronic footprint with the legitimate origination not being visible forensically? Absolute trash system.