Consumer Affairs Project of Inland Countries (CAPIC) Reports New Marketing Campaign for PATHS Program

The Consumer Affairs Project of Inland Counties (CAPIC), a non-profit collaboration of Inland Fair Housing and Mediation Board (IFHMB), Inland Counties Legal Services (ICLS), and Fair Housing Council of Riverside County (FHCRC), announces new marketing campaign based upon real life stories. The PATHS program is a FREE program intended to assist consumers by providing access to free legal assistance, foreclosure intervention aid, homeowner education and financial literacy clinics. These services are intended to assist consumers within San Bernardino, Riverside and Imperial Counties. The program is in high gear and assisting hundreds of consumers with a variety of issues. CAPIC has seen a huge increase in Foreclosure Fraud Scams. Many of these companies say they can get a change to your loan that will reduce your monthly mortgage payment or take other steps to save your home. Some claim that nearly all their customers get successful results and even offer a money-back guarantee. Many people have lost thousands of dollars through these scams. The scam artists tell you that if you pay them a fee, they'll negotiate a deal with your lender to reduce your mortgage payments or to save your home. They may claim to be attorneys or represent a law firm. They may tell you not to contact your lender, lawyer, or credit counselor. They promise to handle all the details once you pay them a fee. Then they stop returning your calls and take off with your money. Sometimes phony counselors insist you make your mortgage payments directly to them while they negotiate with the lender. They may collect a few months of payments – and then disappear. Lynne Anderson, Executive Director Inland Fair Housing and Mediation Board, said, “We have heard of several new scams, perpetuating real hardships so we wanted to warn people through our new marketing campaign that really speaks to people”. The PATHS program hopes to be running Public Service Announcements on several radio stations and will be producing two 60-second commercials based on a family with similar issues as the consumers. “We are hopeful that if consumers hear real life stories they will be compelled to give us call, because all of our services are free”. All of the CAPIC members are non-profit HUD approved. To contact CAPIC immediately through their website www.iepaths.org or call 1-800-321-0811 ext. 189. CAPIC received an $850,000 grant award from Attorney General Kamala D. Harris through the National Mortgage Settlement Grant Program to help families affected by the foreclosure crisis as renters, homeownership seekers and/or current and past homeowners. “The foreclosure crisis has inflicted wide-ranging and deep harm to California homeowners and communities,” said Attorney General Harris. “These grants will give homeowners and families the financial and legal tools they need to recover.”