Breaking News as of June 4:  Parsa’s “Crisis on Main Street” TV Ad is Now Parman – No Wait, Just In – It’s Privest Financial —-  See post just published!

Do you know what really infuriates us? Companies like Parsa Law Group / National Loan Modification Center who run loan modification ruses and their so-called corporate attorneys that are trying to shield them (Burkhalter, Kessler, Goodman & George LLP). Our mission is to inform you of your rights when it comes to loan modifications.

PLEASE read all our posts about this questionable company before signing anything with them. They are now running an ad on television called “Crisis on Main Street” and encouraging you to call a NEW 800 number — 800-610-2396. Please be careful!

AND PLEASE READ THIS IMPORTANT POST “Can a Lawyer Charge Fees in Advance for a Loan Modification?”:

We’re here to help.

We are currently investigating Parsa Law Group / National Loan Modification Center along with several other firms operating in the same manner.

Please contact us if we can help you. Isn’t it bad enough that we are all scraping to get by? Do we really have to be subjected to predatory and fraudulent business practices?

Knowledge is power and if you are thinking about doing a loan modification, please read all our blogs first so you know all about The California Foreclosure Consultant Act (California Civil Code Section 2945-2945.11).

Many law firms are attempting to circumvent this Act by claiming they are not held to that law because they are a law firm. They will tell you they are collecting “legal retainer fees” not “advanced fees for loan modifications.”

We encourage you to ask your foreclosure consultant at Parsa Law Group or any other “law firm” if you could please speak with a California licensed attorney on their staff. If you actually get through to one, use the following list of questions to make sure that you are actually speaking with an attorney:

Do not give out any information to anyone about you or your loan until you have confirmed the following information:

1. Are you the attorney that will be handling my case at the law firm of ____________? If no, ask to speak with the attorney that will be handling your case. If they say “No one is available right now but why don’t I just take down some preliminary information,” respond, “No, thank you. May I please leave a message for the attorney who will be handling my case?”

2. If the answer to #1 above is yes (or when “the attorney” calls you back), ask these questions and collect this information:

• What is your full name? (Always ask them to spell it out for you and include middle names or middle initials.)

• What is your California State Bar number? Is it in an active status?

• Where did you graduate from law school?

• What year did you graduate from law school? (This won’t be on the record, but it’s good to have so you can call the law school and confirm it later.)

• What year were you admitted to practice law in the state of California?

• Do you have any public records of disciplinary or administrative actions?

• What is your experience in real estate law? If they say “none,” ask to speak to another attorney that has at least 5 years of experience.

• At what law firms did you gain this experience? (Ask for the name and telephone number of the firm(s) with whom they worked on real estate matters.)

3. Then say, “Thank you, I will call you back after I have confirmed that all these facts are true. What is your direct dial telephone number?” Then go to the State Bar of California at:

http://www.calbar.ca.gov/state/calbar/calbar_home.jsp and click on “Attorney Search” on the top of the right-hand column. Then click on “Attorney / Member Search.”

4. Type in the name of the attorney (don’t type in the Bar No. even though you have it because the entire “pretend law firm” could be giving out the same Bar No.) All of the names matching your attorney’s name will pop up. This is why (a) above is important as there may be multiple listings for the same name and you want to make sure you are pulling the correct record.

5. Click on the name of the attorney that matches the name you were given. Then, most of the information you previously gathered from the attorney will appear. Make sure the information is accurate and if it isn’t, make a note of the discrepancies on the license after you have printed it out and ask the attorney about them when you call back.

6. Then call the firms that the “attorney” has worked for to gain the requisite knowledge to help you save your house and negotiate on your behalf with a lender. Ask to speak with the law firm administrator, office manager or human resource manager as they are the people that maintain this kind of information. Confirm that the attorney worked there and for how long and the firm’s legal specialty.

7. If you want to be safe, you can call the law school and confirm that they graduated with a Juris Doctorate (JD) degree on the year you have written down.

8. If everything checks out, call the attorney back and make sure that he or she will be handling your case from start to finish and that you won’t be put off on to a foreclosure consultant. If the facts don’t check out, ask him or her about the discrepancies until you are satisfied with the answers.

9. Ask the attorney to describe the legal process of a loan modification and why it is necessary to use an attorney. (This will stump them but the good guys and gals will answer promptly and with good humor.)

10. Then insist on coming into the law firm, meeting the attorney and conducting your business in person from beginning to end.

Email us with any questions you may have. You’re going to have to be gutsy and persistent because most of these attorneys have very big egos and don’t like to be questioned.

They will try to derail you or avoid your questions. Print this off before you call so you have a checklist in front of you and won’t get flustered.

Stand firm and get the answers you need to feel confident that your foreclosure matter will be handled by a professional.

Be safe out there folks!

Consumers in Crisis