When you’re behind on your mortgage, help can seem to come out of nowhere. A flyer on the door, a text from an unknown number, or a caller who already knows your lender’s name. Some of these offers are legitimate. Others are foreclosure rescue scams designed to take your money, your equity, or your house.
The Ohio Attorney General’s Office has warned homeowners about these schemes for years. Here are five warning signs to watch for, plus what a legitimate local cash buyer like Comfort Living does differently.
Key Takeaways
- Never pay upfront fees for foreclosure help. Federal rules generally ban mortgage relief companies from charging before they deliver results.
- Anyone who tells you to ignore your lender, your court case, or an attorney is a red flag.
- Never sign over your deed unless you’re actually selling the house through a title company or attorney.
- Free foreclosure counseling is available in Ohio through Save the Dream Ohio and HUD-approved counselors.
- A legitimate cash buyer puts offers in writing, charges no fees, and encourages you to get advice.
What Is a Foreclosure Rescue Scam?
A foreclosure rescue scam is any offer that promises to save your home but is really designed to profit from your situation. Scammers may collect fees for help they never provide, or trick you into signing over your deed. Homeowners can lose thousands of dollars, and sometimes the house itself, before they realize what happened.
The Ohio Attorney General’s foreclosure rescue scam page lists the tactics it sees most. Here are the five biggest warning signs.
1. They Want Money Upfront
A company asks for a fee to “negotiate” with your lender, review your file, or get you a loan modification. Some charge around $1,000 and hand back a document that looks official but was never filed anywhere.
The Ohio Attorney General’s advice is simple: never pay a fee for help with foreclosure. Federal rules generally prohibit companies that sell mortgage relief services from collecting fees until you’ve received and accepted a written offer from your lender.
2. They Tell You to Stop Talking to Your Lender or Lawyer
Scammers want to control the conversation. They may tell you to ignore your lender’s calls, skip your court hearing, or avoid talking to an attorney. That advice can cost you deadlines and options in your foreclosure case. Anyone legitimate will want you to stay in contact with your lender and get independent advice.
3. They Ask You to Sign Over Your Deed and Rent It Back
This is one of the most damaging schemes. The scammer promises to pay off your mortgage if you deed the house to them, and says you can stay as a renter and buy it back later. Often the mortgage never gets paid, the rent goes up, and the homeowner is evicted, losing both the home and its equity.
Never sign your deed over unless you’re actually selling the house, at a fair price, through a title company or attorney.
4. They Promise Access to Government Programs for a Fee
Some scammers claim they can get you government “bailout” money if you pay them. Government foreclosure assistance doesn’t work that way. According to the Ohio Attorney General, government funds go only to nonprofit housing counseling agencies, and counseling is free.
5. They Pressure You and Won’t Put Anything in Writing
High-pressure tactics are a warning sign on their own: “Sign today or lose the deal.” So are vague verbal promises, blank documents, or requests for your Social Security number before you’ve seen a real offer. Get every promise in writing, and never sign anything you don’t understand.
How Comfort Living Is Different
Comfort Living is a family-owned cash home buyer based in Springfield, and we’ve bought more than 200 houses in the Miami Valley since 2013. We don’t offer loan modifications or “rescue” services. We buy houses, openly and on paper. Here’s what that looks like:
| Foreclosure rescue scam | Comfort Living |
|---|---|
| Charges fees upfront | No fees, commissions, or closing costs for you |
| Verbal promises only | A written cash offer with the price and closing date |
| Asks you to deed over the house and rent it back | A real sale through a local title company |
| Tells you to avoid lawyers and your lender | Encourages you to talk to an attorney or housing counselor |
| Pressures you to sign right away | No-obligation offers with time to decide |
At closing, your mortgage and any liens are paid from the proceeds, and any remaining money goes to you. You can see how we buy houses, including how our offers are calculated, and read what past sellers say on our reviews page.
Where to Get Free, Trustworthy Help
Before you make any decision, talk to someone who isn’t selling you anything:
- Save the Dream Ohio: (888) 404-4674, the free help line recommended by the Ohio Attorney General
- A HUD-approved housing counselor, who can review options like loan modification or a short sale at no cost
- An Ohio real estate or foreclosure attorney, especially if a lawsuit has been filed
For more on your options, see our stop foreclosure page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if a foreclosure help offer is a scam? Watch for upfront fees, pressure to sign quickly, advice to ignore your lender, or requests to sign over your deed. Any of these is a serious red flag.
Is it legal to charge for foreclosure help in Ohio? Federal rules generally ban mortgage relief companies from charging fees before you’ve received and accepted a written offer from your lender.
Is selling to a cash buyer the same as a rescue program? No. A legitimate cash buyer simply purchases your house at an agreed price through a title company. You aren’t promised a loan modification or a buyback.
Where can I report a foreclosure rescue scam? Contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, which handles consumer complaints.
Get Honest Answers From a Local Buyer
If you’re facing foreclosure anywhere in the Miami Valley, you deserve straight answers. Comfort Living will explain your options, give you a written, no-obligation cash offer, and never ask you for a dime.
Contact Comfort Living Buys Houses today to talk with a local team you can trust.