Tomorrow, February 3rd, is Call Your Attorney General Day to Get Tough on Foreclosure Fraud!
Remember the 50 state Attorneys General that announced last December that they would all be investigating servicers over mortgage abuses and foreclosure fraud?
Well, it’s been a little too quiet lately, for my tastes anyway, and apparently there are a number of national consumer groups that feel the same way and are organizing people across the country to call the offices of their State Attorneys General TOMORROW, FEBRUARY 3rd to tell them they want the AGs to get tough on this issue.
According to Yves Smith of Naked Capitalism, who always knows what’s happening with these types of things…
The AG leading the probe, Tom Miller of Iowa, made a public promise in December to put bank”¨ executives in jail for the crimes they’ve committed against the American people. Last week, he backtracked almost completely, and is now claiming the matter is inherently civil, not criminal. The laws certainly haven’t changed since last year, only the party line has.
Don’t let the AGs get away with it. Call and let them know that you are watching and are not about to be fooled by a bait and switch.
There’s a Website called Crime Shouldn’t Pay that gives you instructions, a script of what to say, and there’s a list of all the AG’s phone numbers… so this is really easy and we need you to take the time out of your day tomorrow and DO IT!
Here’s what Crime Shouldn’t Pay is all about:
Nowhere are the differing realities of Wall Street and Main Street more stark than on the issue of housing. Millions of families have lost their part of the American Dream during the last three years due to the fraudulent and abusive practices of the nation’s largest banks. Meanwhile, Wall Street is back to raking in big profits and handing out lavish bonuses.
Crime Shouldn’t Pay is a campaign to ensure that as our nation’s 50 state Attorneys General, who are currently investigating this foreclosure scandal, stand up for everyday people and hold banks fully accountable for the crisis they have created in America. Any settlement with the banks must include the following principles:
- Mandatory principal reductions as a first line loan modification tool.
- Criminal penalties for bankers who broke the law.
- Mandatory modification efforts before any foreclosure.
- Restitution for families who’ve lost their homes due to fraud and abuse.
There’s also a PETITION for you to sign on that site, so PLEASE JOIN THE MANY THOUSANDS OF HOMEOWNERS and do that as well… seriously, PLEASE DO IT!
Here’s the sample phone script…
“I am a resident of [STATE] and I am watching the foreclosure fraud investigation very closely. I want to make sure that the Attorney General reaches as strong a settlement as possible with the banks. The settlement must include principal reduction for millions of homeowners and imposes criminal penalties on those who broke the law.”
Come on, you can do that, right?
This campaign by homeowners across the country demands at least TWO THINGS:
1. DEEP PRINCIPAL REDUCTION MODIFICATIONS
2. CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS
Yves Smith suggests that you add one more to that list:
“The right to a third party appeal over suspected servicer fee errors and abuses.”
Your Attorney General needs to hear loud and clear that YOU’RE FURIOUS over what’s gone on… and that, as Yves put it:
“…we won’t settle for anything less than serious penalties for the big banks and equal protection under the law for millions of homeowners.”
So, click this link like NOW and get started:
Crime Shouldn’t Pay
And here’s the deal… I need you to do something else too. If you’re part of a company, it’s important that you pass this link along to everyone that works there and allow them the time to make the call and sign the petition.
Then email a link to this post to everyone you know… post a link to this post on your Facebook page, if you’re a Facebooker, send it out on Twitter, if you’re a Twitterer. Linkedin, if you’re linked in.
There’s not much time… TOMORROW’S THE BIG DAY, so I really need you to go the extra mile and not only make the call and sign the petition yourself, but help me spread the word so others will know to do the same.
Seriously… it’s really important that everyone get together on this… we’re all individuals when we’re alone, but together we are a powerful force that cannot be ignored.
And, here are groups throughout the country that are working on this issue and they would also love to hear from you… that link will take you to a listing of those groups by state.
This is a FULL-COURT PRESS guys… so, as the man said… LET’S ROLL!
I’m counting on all of you here… it’s time to be heard.
Mandelman out.
~~~
P.S. There’s even a way to tell the campaign how your call to your own AG’s office went: