Mortgage foreclosure uproar sweeps up Northeast Ohioans

[Joanne98]

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Michael and Pamella Negrea have never been late on a mortgage payment in the 15 years they've owned their home in Eastlake. But they've been foreclosed on three times.

Martin and Kirsten Davis, meanwhile, lost their home in Cleveland to foreclosure two years ago. The reason: a mess that started when they accidentally paid 14 cents too little on their monthly payment.

And Michael Rendes of Berea had his mortgage sold last year to Bank of America. The bank foreclosed on him in November, after insisting for months that it didn't hold his loan and wouldn't accept his payments.

Tales like these portray the ugly side of the world of mortgage finance, a world embroiled in controversy amid claims of fraudulently signed foreclosure documents. As a result, many major banks have suspended foreclosures; state and federal officials are launching investigations; and experts everywhere fear this could wallop the limping economy again.

Indeed, the possibility that bank employees illegally "robo-signed" thousands of foreclosures without even reading the information shows the production-line mentality not just of foreclosures, but of the entire mortgage process. It's as simple as this: Many banks during the last decade or so have approved, closed, bought, sold and traded mortgages like baseball cards at a pace so dizzying that they couldn't keep up with their customers, payments or foreclosures.

Now, it's possible that thousands or even millions could have lost their homes in error.

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2010/10/mortgage_foreclosure_uproar_sw.html

[Frustratedlady]

1. My son had the same problems with BOA when he SOLD his house

and tried to pay off his mortgage. BOA said he was behind 1 year in payments, which was not true. They had always paid on time. BOA said, "Prove it!" It was one hurdle after another. I told him I bet they couldn't locate his deed/paperwork...that it was lost in the mortgage mess.

How do these mega-banks balance their books?

[Joanne98]

2. That's an outrage!

[northernlights]

3. there are times when it pays off to be a pack rat

Hope your son had all the cancelled checks -- or was able to easily get copies of them!

What despicable scum.

My most recent boss came directly from BOA to the transaction agent that I just left. I watched her *force* the service rep sitting next to me flat out *lie* to an irate customer.

She was an absolute royal bitch to work for -- lied through her teeth about so much and harrassed us to no end. My exit interview was fun because I very nicely filled in the HR rep, who turned white.

Apparently BOA is a bunch of rat-bastards from top to bottom.