Hardship Center Collected fee upfront for loan modification assistance and when asked for refund disapeared Costa Mesa, California

My story is the same as report #802111. I was contacted by Daniel Keller from Hardship Center in Costa Mesa, CA. Our mortgage is a high interest rate, 8.25%, because I am unemployed and this is a stated mortgage. It was going to only be for a few months because we were selling our house but the deal fell through and we are now trying to get the interest rate reduced. Dan told me that they could get the loan modified, they wouldn't accept my case if they couldn't get the results we wanted. They sent us a loan modification proposal that he said was approved by my mortgage company, to extend the loan from 30 to 40 yrs and cut the interest rate to 4.125%. The cost was $5,295 but they would receive a Federal Grant, Home Saver Grant, of $2,400 so we would only have to make up the difference of $2,895. We would not have to make 2 monthly payments and the new terms would start in December.

Just like the previous VICTIM, Hardship Center/Daniel Keller went through all the motions. It seems they actually submitted the documents to our mortgage servicing company, Emigrant Mortgage, in September. I accepted this and did some searching about the company, saw nothing negative. But just like the other person that filed a ripoff report, I did not know it was illegal to collect money before services are provided. I went ahead, paid them the $2,895. I received a letter from my mortgage co a week later stating that the loan could not be modified. I called Dan, he informed me that they are dealing with the wholesale side on the company and I am dealing with the retail side. I asked for a contact person at my bank that Hardship Center people spoke to. I never got 1. I called the loan modification department at Emigrant and spoke to the person that sent the letter stating the loan couldn't be modified. She informed me that they also let the 3rd party know at that time the loan was not able to be modified. I called Dan back, again he assured me all was well. I told him that my October payment was due and he said not to pay it as it would just be calculated into the modified loan.

By mid October, we were beginning to worry more and made the October payment late, contacted the bank and they again said the loan was not going to be modified and that someone from the Hardship Center named Lori called and was informed the same. I called Dan and left a message, he called me a few minutes later and said that this is all normal, and that he would have the processing dept check again and he would get back to me Tuesday. Well he called me Tuesday and said that we should be receiving the loan modification papers from my bank, he couldn't give me a tracking number as they were mailed regular mail but I should receive them by Friday or Saturday. He also said that if I wanted to cancel even though they did all this work he would ask for the refund. I said I would wait until Monday to make that decision. On Monday November 7th the mail from the bank did not arrive. I called Dan, told him that now I wanted to cancel and get my fees back as per their policy. He said ok, it would take 7 business days. The 7 days came and went and now we were into the holiday week. I called him, he called me back and told me he had applied for the refund and when I asked why so long, he said that they have a 3rd party that processes the refunds.

I have not been able to reach Dan since that last call. His email dkeller@hardshipcenter.com no longer works. His extension no longer is a valid extension when I call the 800 number but I still have he direct number that I can get to his voice mail box, 949-734-4780 and have left him messages that have not been returned. So just as the other victim, since the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, I have been "scammed" out of $2,895. I've lived in this house for 26 years and love my home! We are trying to downsize as the kids have grown and have their own families and we can't afford the house any longer, I am still not earning enough as a part time worker now to stay here. However, I will do everything I can to get to the bottom of this. I would really like to have the $2,895 back ... and, to see whoever is behind this held accountable. I live in NJ and would love to sue this company but can't go to CA and even if I were to win the suit would I ever get my money? May this person Dan Keller and all that work for this Hardship Center develop some terminal illness that they suffer a long and painful life.