THIS BUSINESS IS NOT BBB ACCREDITED

Advocates For Fair Lending, LLC

(562) 494-8473 3750 East Anaheim Street Suite 201, Long Beach, CA 90804

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Description

This company's business is evaluating and auditing real estate loans.

BBB Accreditation

This business is not BBB Accredited.

Businesses are under no obligation to seek BBB accreditation, and some businesses are not accredited because they have not sought BBB accreditation.

To be accredited by BBB, a business must apply for accreditation and BBB must determine that the business meets BBB accreditation standards, which include a commitment to make a good faith effort to resolve any consumer complaints. BBB Accredited Businesses must pay a fee for accreditation review/monitoring and for support of BBB services to the public.

Reason for Rating

BBB rating is based on 16 factors. Get the details about the factors considered.

Factors that lowered this business's rating include:

Length of time business has been operating40 complaint(s) filed against businessFailure to respond to 16 complaint(s) filed against business5 complaint(s) filed against business that were not resolved19 serious complaint(s) filed against businessOverall complaint history with BBBGovernment action(s) against businessAdvertising issue(s) found by BBB

Customer Complaints Summary

40 complaints closed with BBB in last 3 years | 2 closed in last 12 months
Complaint Type Total Closed Complaints
Advertising / Sales Issues 8
Billing / Collection Issues 0
Problems with Product / Service 31
Delivery Issues 1
Guarantee / Warranty Issues 0
Total Closed Complaints 40

Additional Complaint Information

Our complaint history for this company shows that the company responded to and gave proper consideration to most complaints. However, one or more complaints are unresolved meaning the company failed to properly address the complaint allegations or their response was inadequate.

Complaint Details | Definitions | BBB Complaint Process | File a Complaint

  • Government Actions

    Agency:
    Description: On June 2, 2010 the State Bar prosecutor’s office secured an order of involuntary inactive enrollment for Mr. Mark Shoemaker. Shoemakers' case was investigated and prosecuted by the State Bar Association with assistance by the California Department of Real Estate. Mr. Shoemaker, owned and operated a loan modification business called Advocate for Fair Lending since 2008. Shoemaker “used Advocate and his status as an attorney to convince cash-strapped homeowners to pay him thousands of dollars in hopes of saving their homes from foreclosure. According to the BAR, Shoemaker, however, did little to nothing to help the clients, and many of these homeowners were worse off after retaining his services.

    The order referred to 18 examples in which Advocate clients, who signed power of attorney when they contracted with Advocate, were not helped and asked for refunds. A few did get refunds; many others did not. Some clients reported that their lenders said they had never been contacted by Advocate on their behalf. Shoemaker argued that he was merely the president of Advocate and did not represent any Advocate clients in a legal capacity. The BAR prosecutor determined that Advocate’s clients were also Shoemaker’s clients, and an attorney cannot use a power of attorney form to absolve themselves of the ethical mandates they have sworn to uphold.


    Date of Action: 6/2/2010

    What government actions does BBB report on?

  • Advertising Review

    We believe that the company’s website and advertising are misleading. The company is acting as a foreclosure consultant yet their ads and website suggest that they provide attorney services. The company advertises that they can reduce mortgage payments, interest and the principal balance without refinancing. They purport to do this by demanding that the lender capitulate to a modification or rescission of the loan based on threats of legal action. Although the company claims that it will initiate legal action, it is not acting in the capacity of law firm and their agreement is not a contract for legal services. In fact, the agreement specifically states that they are not acting as a law firm. We asked the company to provide us with client examples where revision or rescissions of clients’ mortgages were performed successfully. The company failed to substantiate their claims.

    What is BBB Advertising Review?

Additional Information

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BBB file opened: 3/24/2008 Business started: 1/28/2008
Licensing

On September 21, 2009 the California Bar Association announced that this law firm and its principal Mark Shoemaker, are under investigation in connection with "misconduct related to loan modification businesses." Although Bar investigations are generally confidential until formal charges are filed, confidentiality may be waived when warranted for protection of the public. The investigation is currently pending.

Contact Information
Mark Shoemaker - Chairman and President
    Walter Lossi (Van Nuys Branch Manager)Angela Johns (Public Relations)Leticia Beltran (Brach Administrator)Hanh Nguyen (Operations Manager)Marcelo Griffonetti (Sales & Administration Supervisor)
Number of Employees

7

Business Category

Foreclosure Law Attorney

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