» Consumer & Financial Fraud
What should I do if I think I was a victim of mail fraud?
What is robo-signing?
Robo-signing is a term that has been associated with signing off on foreclosure proceedings without properly verifying documents. This has occurred because of bank employees and mortgage loan servicers trying to get through their mounds of foreclosure paperwork quickly.
When bank employees are robotically and rapidly signing off on these documents without checking the accuracy of the paperwork, an illegal process has taken place.
Each Iowa foreclosure, as well as nationwide foreclosures, requires substantial paperwork, in which a bank employee is required to sign an affidavit testifying that their organization owns the note. This is sworn testimony in front of a notary. When this is not done correctly and is signed automatically as revealed, many banks across this nation have been identified as committing illegal activities.
If you have been a victim of robo-signing in Iowa, please call Cedar Rapids financial fraud attorneys for legal advice today. Contact the law office of Brady Preston Gronlund today at (319) 866-9277 for your free legal consultation.
What can I do after being a victim of consumer fraud in Iowa?
Consumer fraud and financial fraud in Iowa and throughout the rest of the nation is increasing due to this tough economy. What type of consumer or financial fraud you were a victim of will determine what steps you take. Stay vigilant during this time.
It is wise to contact several authorities to issue complaints, which include:
- Federal Trade Commission
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
- Better Business Bureau
- Iowa Attorney General
- Local police
- And others
Because most of these agencies do not seek to pursue a recovery for your damages - they simply record your complaint - you will need to speak with a skilled Cedar Rapids consumer and financial fraud attorney to find out your rights.
An Iowa consumer fraud lawyer will be able to protect your interests and go after your recovery aggressively. Call the law firm of Brady Preston Gronlund today at (319) 866-9277 for a free legal consultation.
What are my options after I've been a victim of financial fraud?
After you find out you were deceived, you are most likely working through some difficult emotions. You probably feel violated, defeated, and scared about how to function financially after just being ripped off.
We are sorry to hear that you were victimized. Although you most likely want to find these criminals and punish them, you should let the proper authorities handle them. Certain things you can do include:
- Contact your local police who can file a complaint with Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, a division of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
- Contact the Federal Trade Commission to file a complaint.
- Contact the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to file a complaint.
- Contact the attorney general and other government agencies to file a complaint.
- Contact an attorney who specializes in consumer and financial fraud in Iowa.
It will help you to talk through these feelings and find out if you have any rights. By speaking with a skilled Cedar Rapids financial fraud lawyer, you will be able to determine your options and how to pursue a legal case. Call today to schedule your free consultation at (319) 866-9277.
My elderly mom was a victim of identity theft in a nursing home. What can I do about it?
Unfortunately, identity thieves do prey on the elderly. There are many reasons why this occurs. The elderly typically are not set up with computers to monitor their checking accounts, savings accounts and credit cards closely. Most of the time seniors get all their personal information sent to them in the mail, which can be easily stolen.
Identity theft in Iowa does occur in nursing homes, as many workers in nursing homes take those positions to gain access to senior citizens in order to take their social security numbers and gain access to their bank accounts, healthcare coverage and more. Sometimes, money is not stolen and bank accounts are not even touched, as the identity thief is more interested in gaining access to the social security number for healthcare or employment needs. These other types of crimes are considered medical fraud and employment fraud, which sometimes go hand in hand with identity theft.
If your mother has been a victim of identity theft in Iowa, it is a good idea to call the Law Offices of Brady Preston Gronlund to talk with a Cedar Rapids consumer and financial fraud attorney today to find out your rights. You can reach our office at (319) 866-9277 for your free legal consultation.
I've been asked to pay an upfront fee for credit repair. Is an advance fee common for this type of work?
Beware of advance fees! An advance fee is the most common type of consumer fraud. This type of fraud occurs when you are asked to pay money upfront to secure a loan, credit card, or service performed.
Even though it is illegal for a credit repair company in Iowa to charge you an advanced fee, many of them do and will. You will want to stay away from the companies charging upfront fees for credit repair. Remember, you can do credit repair yourself.
In addition, if you are looking for a guaranteed loan, do not pay an advance fee to a loan broker. Loan broker scams typically make you pay an advance fee for processing or application fees. After you send the money, you never hear from that company again and you don't get that loan.
Most businesses are professional, but there are fraudulent people and companies out there. If you have been cheated through a credit repair scam or advance fee fraud, contact Brady Preston Gronlund today at (319) 866-9277 and learn how to protect yourself against fraudulent companies.
Is there anything seniors can do to reduce their risks of becoming victims of financial fraud?
Unfortunately con artists prey on senior citizens because they know that seniors are often trusting people, from a generation where a man's word was honorable. Cons target senior citizens often because they know that they are typically home to answer the telemarketing phone calls, the mail, or the door bell.
Cons also know that seniors generally do not use computers to check their bank accounts and financial statements, so they are more apt to get away with committing financial fraud including: credit card fraud, investment fraud, healthcare fraud, identity theft, forging checks, and even stealing money.
The best thing you can do is to talk with your senior parent and warn them of the scams that are taking place. Inform them that it is usually not a good idea to purchase anything from a solicitor or give anyone else their credit cards, checkbooks, social security cards or healthcare cards.
If your elderly parent has become a victim of financial fraud in Iowa, whether it was a few hundred dollars or much more, please call our skilled Cedar Rapids financial fraud lawyers at the Law Offices of Brady Preston Gronlund to talk with a qualified Iowa financial fraud attorney in a free legal consultation at (319) 866-9277.
I was a victim of debit card fraud and cant afford to hire an attorney now because I dont have money left in my bank account. What can I do?
Sadly, debit card fraud in Eastern Iowa and nationwide has increased since 2010. Scammers and hackers know that more and more people are watching their credit reports, making credit card fraud and identity theft more difficult to get away with. Because of this, there has been a shift from credit card fraud to debit card fraud.
Hackers have found out a way to steal debit cards, giving them access to people’s checking accounts and even savings accounts. This has left many people broke for weeks until their banks finish investigating their claims.
In the meantime, people have been left without a way to pay for their mortgages, car payments and other monthly bills. Attorneys know that in these situations you do not have money to pay up-front legal fees. There are lawyers who will take your case on a contingency fee basis, which means that you pay nothing until your case is won.
If you receive a recovery, then your attorney fees are paid at the end. If you were a victim of financial fraud in Cedar Rapids or anywhere in Iowa, please call a skilled Eastern Iowa financial fraud attorney for more information. At the Law Offices of Brady Preston Gronlund, our Cedar Rapids financial fraud attorneys will provide you with a free, no-obligation consultation when you call us at (319) 866-9277.
I purchased a used tractor on the Internet, but it turned out to be a scam. Now I'm out $19,000. What can I do about it?
Unfortunately, this situation is not rare, and cases of consumer fraud in Iowa occur from time to time. There are many thieves and scammers online looking to make some fast cash. Typically these false advertisements are posted on eBay or Craigslist, making the offer look too good to be true. For example, the advertisement might show a picture of a John Deere tractor or Kubota front-end loader with the correct specs and information, but there may be specific false signs to look out for.
Is the price too low for the age of the tractor, is the posting asking for a money wire, and does the seller refer to the currency as USD? If so, it most likely is a scam. There are honest ads on these sites too, but these fraudulent advertisements make people hesitant to even purchase anything on these auction sites ever again.
If you have been cheated out of your money, then you are a victim of consumer and financial fraud in Iowa. Please call an Iowa consumer fraud lawyer to find out about your rights and what your next steps should be. Call a skilled Cedar Rapids consumer fraud attorney at the law offices of Brady Preston Gronlund at (319) 866-9277 for a free legal consultation.
How will I know if I'm a victim of identity theft, and what are the signs to watch for?
Consumer and financial fraud in Iowa and throughout this nation occurs every day, and you need to know what to watch out for. Oftentimes, people may not know their identity has been stolen for quite some time, whereas others may immediately see some obvious signs that they have been victims of identity theft.
One of the noticeable signs that you may be a victim of identity theft is that your credit report has questionable items on it. For example, if there are certain accounts that were recently opened or accounts that have not been paid, an identity thief may have opened a new credit account in your name. It is always wise to check your credit report once a year to look for inaccuracies.
Other signs that you may be a victim of identity theft in Iowa include: receiving new credit cards in the mail that you didn't open, not getting bills in the mail that you previously received, receiving phone calls from collection agencies on a debt you didn't know you had, getting denied credit, or seeing mysterious withdrawals from your bank account.
If you are a victim of consumer fraud and identity theft, you should file a complaint with the FTC and talk to an Iowa consumer fraud lawyer about your rights. When an identity if stolen, it frequently leads to a tarnished credit report and lost money.
If you have been a victim of identity theft, credit card fraud, bank fraud, or any other type of consumer fraud in Iowa, call a skilled Cedar Rapids consumer fraud attorney at the law offices of Brady Preston Gronlund at (319) 866-9277 for a free legal consultation.
