SANDUSKY, Ohio (Legal Newsline) - Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced a lawsuit on Wednesday against a Chicago-based mortgage rescue business that allegedly took money from consumers and made false promises about its ability to rescue homeowners from foreclosure.
Credence Law Group Inc. allegedly took upfront payments of $900 to $3,000 or more for loan modifications they never provided. Five Ohio consumers filed complaints with DeWine's office against Credence, alleging the company never refunded their money.
"Mortgage rescue schemes give false hope to homeowners who are already struggling," DeWine said. "They fail to provide any real help and often push homeowners closer to foreclosure. In this case, the business represented itself as a law firm that would provide professional services to consumers, but it didn't provide consumers with the loan modifications that it promised, and then it refused to provide refunds."
DeWine's lawsuit alleges Credence and its principal Byron Landau violated the Consumer Sales Practices Act and Debt Adjuster's Act. The suit seeks a judgment declaring Credence's practices illegal, an injunction to stop future violations, civil penalties and customer restitution.
The lawsuit was part of a nationwide sweep against allegedly fraudulent mortgage rescue services by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission and multiple states.
Ohio AG suing Chicago mortgage rescue business
