The following agencies provide reliable information on a variety of subjects related to foreclosure prevention, mortgage modification,choosing a housing counselor, avoiding scams and other important topics.

Finding a Legitimate Housing or Financial Counselor

• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) – (800) 569-4287 or (877) 483-1515 or go to www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hccprof14.cfm.

• The Homeowner’s HOPE Hotline will direct you to a non-profit HUD-approved counselor through HOPE NOW, a cooperative effort of mortgage counselors and lenders to assist homeowners – (888) 995-HOPE or go to www.hopenow.com.

• Consumer Credit Counseling Services provides personal financial counseling and debt management. Go to www.creditcounseling.org.

• You can search by zip code for a housing counselor on the NeighborWorks’ website: www.nw.org/network/home.asp.

Finding Information on Foreclosure Prevention or Mortgage Modification

•  This website provides information that will be helpful to consumers, financial institutions, and the community groups working with them on foreclosure-related issues: www.fdic.gov/consumers/loans/prevention/index.html or call (877) ASK-FDIC.

• For helpful consumers facts about mortgages, foreclosure and default, go to the Federal Trade Commission’s website at www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/homes/rea04.shtm.

• The website of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) provides Consumer News on Foreclosure Prevention: http://www.occ.gov/consumernews_foreclosure.htm.

• The U. S. Government has developed a major loan modification and refinancing program to help homeowners find affordable loans and save their homes. For more information, go to: www.makinghomeaffordable.gov.

• Information on mortgage refinancing can be found on the following website: www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/refinancings/default.htm.

• For more information on mortgage modification and refinancing, go to http://portal.hud.gov.

• A brochure published by the FDIC, titled “If It’s Too Good to be True, It Probably Is,” provides information to help consumers avoid mortgage foreclosure scams. It can be downloaded at: www.fdic.gov/consumers/loans/prevention/rescue/images/rescue.pdf.

Other Banking-Related Issues

• An OCC website provides consumer information on banking-related issues: www.HelpWithMyBank.gov.

To Report Foreclosure Scams

• Go to the Federal Trade Commission’s website at: www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/credit/mortgage.shtm or call (877) FTC-HELP

• At www.naag.org/attorneys_general.php you can find the website and the phone number for your state’s Attorney General

• www.consumeraction.gov/state.shtml will give you the contact information for your state’s Consumer Protection Department. It also contains useful information such as how to file a complaint, sample complaint letter and other consumer topics.