Georgia widow’s household says she’s being evicted by an organization that by no means really purchased her home — the way it occurred

When Kimberly Gravitt — a widow from Gwinnett County — fell behind on her mortgage, she reached out to an organization she believed would function a lifeline: Homesaver 911. Nevertheless, signing up for this firm’s providers wound up setting off a sequence of occasions that has left her with nothing.

Gravitt is now dealing with eviction — from a home she believes she nonetheless owns — and the stress has been so extreme that she was lately hospitalized in a psychological well being facility, in response to WSB-TV [1].

“She was balled up in a ball on my sofa going, ‘They simply received all of my fairness,’” Gravitt’s daughter-in-law, Future Gravitt-Waters, informed reporter Justin Grey. When requested what Gravitt obtained in trade for her home, Gravitt-Waters didn’t mince phrases.

“Nothing. No cash. Nothing.”

Gravitt reached out to Homesaver 911 in 2024 searching for assist as she hoped to keep away from foreclosures. As a part of the rescue deal, Gravitt signed over a guaranty deed — a authorized doc transferring possession of Gravitt’s property — to Homesaver 911.

The corporate informed WSB-TV that this switch is supposed to be short-term and possession is given again to shoppers as soon as the mortgage is paid again. Nevertheless, on this occasion, the deed appears to have been transferred to a different firm referred to as Georgia Enterprise Funding Firm.

This firm then took Gravitt to court docket in 2024, claiming she agreed to promote her property for $150,000 in 2023 however did not observe by with the deal. A Fulton County decide sided with Georgia Enterprise Funding Firm in a default judgement and dominated she should promote the house to the corporate “upon plaintiff’s cost of the acquisition worth and different monies required by the contract [2].”

Though Grey couldn’t discover any documentation to show the sale or a switch of cash, an lawyer for Georgia Enterprise Funding Firm emailed an announcement to Grey.

“Georgia Enterprise has tendered the cash to Ms. Gravitt many instances, however she refuses to just accept it. She or her lawyer could receive the cash at any time,” reads the assertion. However the Gravitts say that isn’t true in any respect.

Sadly, Gravitt’s case isn’t distinctive. The Federal Deposit Insurance coverage Company (FDIC) had beforehand issued a warning about foreclosures scams that usually goal weak older Individuals [3].

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In keeping with the FDIC, there’s been a latest enhance in firms or people claiming to be “foreclosures rescue businesses” or “mortgage consultants.” These opportunistic scammers are inclined to prey on owners who’ve fallen behind on their mortgage and could possibly be prone to foreclosures.

The rip-off includes a “short-term” switch of the house deed, which finally results in the sufferer dropping management of their property.

In 2024, the Federal Commerce Fee reported 34,304 instances involving mortgage or debt aid fraud, which makes it the tenth commonest type of monetary fraud within the nation. Victims of those scams misplaced $82.9 million in mixture final yr [4].

In the event you’re financially weak and struggling to handle your mortgage, you might be a major goal for a foreclosures rip-off. To guard your self, the State of California Division of Justice provides some recommendation [5]:

• Regulate potential crimson flags: Keep away from any advisor or company that calls for an upfront payment or pushes transferring authorized documentation just like the deed or title to your own home, even when they declare the switch is “short-term”

• Talk together with your lender first: Attain out on to your financial institution or mortgage supplier to see if they’ll supply a extra versatile answer that will help you. Don’t ignore any letters or emails obtained from the financial institution. Responding on time and overtly speaking together with your lender could possibly be your best choice to save lots of your own home

• In the event you want third-party recommendation, attain out to a housing counselor authorized by the U.S. Division of Housing and City Improvement

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[1]. WSB-TV — YouTube. “Lady to be evicted by firm who by no means paid a dime for her home. Right here’s the way it occurred”

[2]. WSB-TV.com. “Lady to be evicted by firm that by no means paid a dime for her home. Right here’s the way it occurred”

[3]. Federal Deposit Insurance coverage Company. “Watch out for Mortgage Rescue Scams”

[4]. Tableau Public. “Prime 10 Fraud Classes”

[5]. State of California Division of Justice. “Foreclosures Rescue Scams”

This text offers data solely and shouldn’t be construed as recommendation. It’s offered with out guarantee of any sort.