WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Trade Commission is distributing nearly $3 million in refunds to homeowners harmed by a mortgage relief scheme that federal regulators said falsely promised lower mortgage payments and foreclosure assistance.
The agency is mailing checks totaling approximately $3 million to 1,821 consumers who paid for services offered by Golden Home Services, also known as Home Matters USA, and several affiliated companies.
The refunds stem from a lawsuit brought by the FTC and the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation against operators of the mortgage relief business, which targeted financially distressed homeowners seeking help with their mortgages.
A federal court found that the operation collected millions of dollars from consumers through deceptive mortgage assistance claims. According to regulators, the companies promised to reduce mortgage payments and help homeowners avoid foreclosure but failed to deliver the advertised services.
The court permanently banned the companies and their operators from the telemarketing and debt-relief industries and ordered them to pay millions of dollars.
The businesses operated under multiple names, including Golden Home Services, Home Matters USA, Academy Home Services, Amstar Service Group, Atlantic Pacific Service Group, Home Relief Service of America and Westwood Advocates.
The FTC said recipients should cash their refund checks within 90 days of receipt.
Consumers with questions about their payment can contact the refund administrator, JND Legal Administration, at 1-833-674-0067.
Additional information about the refund program and answers to frequently asked questions are available from the Federal Trade Commission at https://www.ftc.gov/.
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