Ripped off by Countrywide Mortgage -used my escrow money to pay someone elses taxes!

I called Countrywide in December to check on possibly refinancing my home and discovered that an additional payment had been made from my escrow account. The service rep. didnt know what it was for and suggested that I call customer service. I did and was told that our taxes had gone up or we had been remapped and were paying on additional propery.

I told her that wasnt possible and that I would know if my taxes went up almost $900.00 a year!. I called the assessors office and they told me that Countrywide paid for my taxes and for another persons address and PIN number. They gave me all the info and I called Countrywide. They said they would work on the problem and would call me in a few weeks. In the meantime, I am ready to close on my refinance and it is still not resolved. I had to cancel my closing on Friday. I told them I will not close until the money is put back in my Escow account. Customer service is a joke, they told me that they are doing me a "favor" by paying for my taxes and that I am not a "priority".

I cant beleive how shabbily they are treating me! They tell me they are not allowed to talk to the "tax Department" which is totally ridiculous. Now my closing is messed up, my tax statement is messed up for 2001, and I am getting no where. The people trying to close me are very nice and are trying to help but seem to not be getting any support from their own people! I am at my wits end. I called a radio show to get advise from Consumer Advocate. He said to try the local branch and I am doing that today and I am hoping to get help here too.

Lorie
Oak Lawn, IL