Mortgage Fraud and Scams Targeting Homeowners: How to Stay Safe

A homeowner gets a call offering to lower their mortgage payment. It sounds official and urgent.

The only problem? Their lender never made the call.

Scammers regularly contact homeowners pretending to represent mortgage companies or assistance programs. Their goal is simple: steal personal information or redirect mortgage payments.

Most scams fall apart when homeowners pause and verify before acting. The key is knowing what to look for. Here are five common tactics and how to shut them down.

Scam #1: Loan Modification & Relief Scams

Many mortgage scams begin with someone pretending to represent a mortgage company and offering payment relief or foreclosure help.

Once trust is established, scammers ask for fees or personal information, claiming they can lower payments or stop foreclosure.

They may promise guaranteed results, claim to represent government or lender programs, create urgent deadlines or discourage borrowers from contacting their lender directly.

Red flags

• Payment requested before help begins
• Asked to send payments somewhere new
• Told not to contact your lender
• Threats or urgent pressure

Before you send money or share information

Contact Frontwave at the number on your statement or in your loan portal. Legitimate help never requires upfront fees. If something feels off, give us a call or stop by a branch so we can help confirm what’s real.

Scam #2: Mortgage Company Impersonation

Fraud Some scams involve criminals posing as mortgage companies via email, phone calls, or letters to steal account credentials or redirect payments.

Homeowners may receive messages that appear to be payment alerts, account verification requests, or notices claiming payment instructions have changed. Sender names often look legitimate, but email addresses or website links differ slightly.

Scammers rely on messages that look routine, so homeowners respond without questioning the request.

Red flags

• Slight email or website misspellings
• Unexpected account change requests
• Requests for passwords or banking details
• Links to unfamiliar websites

Before you click links or share information

Use the contact information in your statement, or log in through your normal portal. If something doesn’t look right, contact Frontwave so we can help verify the communication.

Scam #3: Payment Diversion Attempts

Payment diversion scams try to reroute mortgage payments by sending fake notices claiming that payment addresses or portals have changed.

These messages often create urgency, warning that payments must be redirected immediately to avoid penalties or delays.

Red flags

• Sudden payment instruction changes
• Requests for wire, gift card or cryptocurrency payments
• Urgent payment demands

Before you change payment instructions

Never change payment methods without verifying directly through Frontwave using trusted contact information. Call or visit a branch if anything looks unusual before sending payment.

Scam #4: Account Change or Takeover Attempts

Some fraud attempts involve changing contact information or intercepting communications to gain access to mortgage accounts.

This can result in missing statements, unexpected contact changes or account alerts suddenly stopping.

Red flags

• Account contact information changes unexpectedly
• Statements or alerts stop arriving
• Account updates you didn’t request appear

If account details change unexpectedly

Review contact information regularly and enable alerts so changes don’t go unnoticed. Contact Frontwave immediately if something looks wrong so the issue can be corrected quickly.

Quick Mortgage Fraud Red Flag Checklist

Pause and verify if you see:

• Unexpected payment changes
• Urgent pressure to act
• Requests for passwords or banking details
• Messages from unfamiliar senders
• Requests to send payments somewhere new

When in doubt, contact Frontwave or visit a branch so we can confirm what’s legitimate.

What To Do If You Suspect Mortgage Fraud

Stop communicating with the sender and contact Frontwave using official contact information so we can review the situation with you. Then review your account for unusual activity and report the incident if needed.

Acting quickly helps prevent losses and protect your information. Mortgage fraud relies on urgency and confusion, so taking a moment to verify instructions before sending money or sharing information stops most scams.

If anything about a mortgage communication feels suspicious, give us a call or stop by a branch so we can confirm what’s real before you act. Protecting your home starts with knowing when to pause and double-check.

Dream big. We got you.