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Boise real estate owners are trying to keep their homes and in so doing, seek loan modifications, but that is the top fraud complaint in the state right now. The Idaho attorney general has had a huge spike in the rate of loan modification fraud reports in 2009, as the rates of foreclosures also jumped by over 89% in the same time period. These types of filed complaints made up one fifth of all complaints received by the AG's office this year.

Boise real estate owners are trying to keep their homes and in so doing, seek loan modifications, but that is the top fraud complaint in the state right now. The Idaho attorney general has had a huge spike in the rate of loan modification fraud reports in 2009, as the rates of foreclosures also jumped by over 89% in the same time period. These types of filed complaints made up one fifth of all complaints received by the AG's office this year.

Many of the reports of fraud being reported are outrageous, says Lawrence Wasden, Idaho's Attorney General. Many of these home loan modification companies accept hundreds or thousands of dollars in payment, but make no sincere effort to get the homeowners mortgage changed in any way. Meanwhile, lawsuits have been filed on behalf of the consumers on 2 of the loan modification companies, and settlements have been reached with three others. Many Boise real estate holders have been left without a plan when it comes to foreclosure because of these types of behaviors.

It also hired a part-time house counselor to work with Boise real estate owners to facilitate loan modifications and to reverse, postpone or cancel foreclosures. They even went as far as publishing and handing out a foreclosure guide.

Efforts last year netted the largest amount of restitution ever recovered by the office - $7.4 million, about $12.14 for each taxpayer dollar budgeted for consumer operations, Wasden said. In addition to that, Wasden and company gathered another $5.9 million dollars in civil penalties, fees and fines for the Idaho tax payers, which is the greatest haul to date for that classification. In 2009, the office also recovered $31 million through the tobacco master settlement agreement which was agreed upon in 1998 by the two parties. With a total net to date of $254 million, this agreement has helped Idaho tremendously.

While only costing the state of Idaho $833,000 and bringing in a total of $44 million, the consumer affairs operations are a very positive force for citizens in general, but specifically for those who own Boise real estate. The department was very effective in the broad range of topics it worked in last year. It prosecuted and settled consumer protection cases with Eli Lilly & Co., other pharmaceutical manufacturers and several businesses. In topics as broad as illegal monopolies to anti-trust issues, Wasden is not one to back off or step aside. Vitamin companies who thought they could fix prices to maximize prices found themselves the object of a lot of attention.

Phone solicitors have had to adjust their tactics as well, with over 900,000 new phone numbers being added to the "do not call" list to avoid solicitations. To add to it all, the office will soon come out with an instructional DVD on how teens can avoid being trapped by online sexual predators.

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