Protection Law Center Attorney Thomas Austin They called me in the midst of my frustration with my bank to secure a justifiable modification to my mortgage. Mr. Young assured me their firm specialized in this type of service to seniors. Internet

I was called on January 20, 2012, after I received two notices from my bank not to contact them without an attorney--I needed someone to assist me in obtaining a justifiable modification to my home mortgage.

The next day, PLC sent me a 22 page document via UPS that I signed and expedited back to them. Mr. Young told me to have the UPS driver notarize a document in the packet.  After being told UPS does not provide such services, I went to my bank to have the document notarized.  The bank's notary said this is a type of notary that has to be performed by a 'special' notary--the bank is not authorized to notarize this document.  So, I had to pay this fee.  

Mr. Young quoted me a flat fee of $2000-$2500 and assured me their firm would 'take care of me'.  When he received their packet back, he called me to say his office manager looked at my case and decided the fee he quoted me needed to be raised to $3250.  They sent me a contract that I signed and faxed back to them within a day.  Within this parket was a payment schedule of $1250 due February 1, $1000 due March 1. and $1000 due April 1.  They also told me to continue making my $1224.48 monthly payments.

I've never heard from them since I sent my cashier's check.  I'm certain they did nothing, because I did not make the two remaining payments.  I sent them a letter explaining the reasons I had not made the payments.  I never received a response from them.  They stopped contacting me by telephone and E-mail.  Several months later while going through my junkmail bag, I discovered a handwritten envelope from their office listing three 'attempts' to contact me during March and since they were unsuccessful, I had defaulted on the contract and the fees I had paid are considered as 'earned' by them.  I am suspect to this method of communicating (a handwritten envelope instead of a professional envelope with the firm's logo on it).  

I know now I should have gone online to check these people out.  I am a minority, 73 years old and am vulnerable to 'scams' when the bait to me is a young black man.  I can tell by his voice, saying 'yes ma'm' to me.

I even sent a letter to the VA detailing my interaction with this firm.  Even the VA told me to be careful with accepting what my bank is telling me (when I called them to say they had modified my loan, even though they raised my mortgage payment instead of lowering it); they said the bank products are usually designed to 'trap' the homeowner.  I found this to be true after I took my copy of the document to a Real Estate Attorney.  Mr. Young told me their firm gets justice for seniors who are taken advantage of by the banks.  I see I am just another 'mark' for this firm.  I'd like to know who to complain to at my state's level and federal (if there is such an office). 

I want my money back.  I know this action by this firm is contrary to the chapter on Ethics that each attorney has vowed to follow upon being given the authority to act for the court (which is to be honest and not lie to his client and purposely prey upon them for his own gain and to obtain funds fraudently.