03/29/2024
I still do not know whether this is a scam or just our government being inept. Clients received a demand notice from HUD, stating that the mortgage loan that they paid off (we did the closing) had a remaining balance of over $21,000.00 that had to be paid immediately to HUD or it would go to collections. The letterhead looked real, the address in New York looked real, but when you called the phone number, you got voicemail. Trying to call HUD off a phone number obtained on-line - less than useless.
We called the lender to whom we paid off the loan, and they confirmed that part of the payoff amount we sent them included that $21,000.00 that HUD is supposedly trying to obtain. Another call to HUD got us a recording about these letters and that we should not send them any money.
Then we got a phone call from the person in New York (we left a message on her phone originally) stating that HUD did not get the money from the Lender and that my client still owed the money.
I am waiting for a reply to a snail mail letter (the only way I could be sure that we were in contact with the real HUD) with copies of the Demand Letter, our payoff proof and a request for instructions.
The only thing I can say is that if this is a scam, they are VERY GOOD. If this is not a scam, then HUD needs to get its act together FAST.
