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TALLAHASSEE, FL - March 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a first-of-its-kind settlement against attorney Marshall C. Watson and his law firm, one of the largest foreclosure firms in Florida, for alleged improprieties in the prosecution of foreclosure cases throughout Florida. This settlement, which calls for a $2 million payment and imposition of certain requirements to conduct business, is the first stemming from numerous investigations into Florida foreclosure law firms.

Destin, FL - March 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Nearly three years after the financial crisis erupted on Wall Street, in an over-whelming show of support a new opinion poll shows that Americans want those responsible for sending the U.S. economy into a tail-spin prosecuted by federal authorities.

WASHINGTON, DC - March 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A new study this week says Florida continues to have a dismal-performing housing market, but the state’s governor is stalling federal emergency assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure, according to two recent letters by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - October 13, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced an on-going effort to rein in mortgage servicers and protect Floridians from purported deceptive and unfair practices. Attorney General McCollum, along with 48 other Attorneys General, are part of a multistate effort to stop mortgage loan servicers from allegedly submitting affidavits or signing notices that appear to have procedural defects of either a judicial or non-judicial foreclosure.

ORLANDO, FL - September 17, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Florida CFO Alex Sink’s Department of Financial Services will offer a Florida Housing Help workshop tomorrow in Orlando. Struggling homeowners will be able talk to lenders and certified HUD counselors about foreclosure issues and options. Representatives of various banks including SunTrust, Chase, Bank of America, Fifth Third, Freddie Mac, HSBC, Wachovia/Wells Fargo will be available, along with counselors from In Charge, HANDS, Consumer Credit Counseling Services, the Internal Revenue Service and Community Legal Services.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - August 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced his office has launched three new investigations into allegations of unfair and deceptive actions by Florida law firms handling foreclosure cases. The Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Division is investigating whether improper documentation may have been created and filed with Florida courts to speed up foreclosure processes, potentially without the knowledge or consent of the homeowners involved

MIAMI, FL - July 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- More than 700 Miami-Dade metro area mortgage borrowers seeking to avoid foreclosure have received assistance from the Fannie Mae Mortgage Help Center in the first three months of operation. The Mortgage Help Center is a partnership between Fannie Mae (FNMA/OTC) and Neighborhood Housing Services of South Florida (NHSSF), and offers free mortgage and financial counseling to homeowners who may be in default or struggling to make monthly payments

Washington, DC - June 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) --Congressmen Jeff Miller (R-FL) and Adam Putnam (R-FL) today introduced legislation to provide mortgage forbearance to homeowners in the areas affected by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.

PALM HARBOR, FL - May 13, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-Fla.), representing Florida’s 9th Congressional District including portions of Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, will be hosting a home foreclosure assistance workshop on Saturday, May 22, 2010.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - April 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Florida Realtors® has announced the findings of its unique Face of Foreclosure research project, designed to study the impact of foreclosures on both the Florida housing market and on individual Florida homeowners facing foreclosure. The project’s goal was to develop in-depth information on the causes of foreclosures in Florida, which in turn will help lawmakers as they work on crafting legislation on this complex issue.

TAVARES, FL - March 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Lake County Department of Community Services and its partner Homes in Partnership are advertising several homes for sale online that were purchased through the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP)

March 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General McCollum today sent letters to the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate President regarding the impact commercial real estate foreclosures could have on Florida's economy and encouraging the legislature to be proactive in addressing the pending crisis

TALLAHASSEE, FL - March 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- As part of National Consumer Protection Week, Attorney General Bill McCollum today issued a consumer advisory on foreclosure rescue services and foreclosure-related loan modification offers, one of the most frequent subjects of complaints to the Attorney General’s Office during 2009. With a second wave of mortgage fraud and foreclosure rescue fraud predicted for 2010, the Attorney General warned homeowners that disreputable companies and individuals will likely continue trying to capitalize on the current economic climate and consumers’ credit and mortgage concerns.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - February 4, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that his office has filed a lawsuit against a California company providing loan modification services to homeowners facing foreclosure. According to the lawsuit filed today in Orange County, 21st Century Legal Services, Inc. allegedly charges consumers up-front fees in violation of Florida’s Foreclosure Rescue Fraud Prevention Act.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - December 29, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Florida CFO Alex Sink today commended the Florida Supreme Court order recommending a statewide managed mediation program for Florida’s homeowners. Given her previous work to aid Floridians struggling with foreclosure, CFO Sink was tapped by Chief Justice Peggy Quince to provide a delegate on the Task Force that developed these recommendations.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - December 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced he has filed a lawsuit against three businesses operating in Miami-Dade County, their principles and affiliated attorneys on allegations of deceptive and unfair trade practices regarding their involvement in a foreclosure rescue scam affecting homeowners nationwide. The Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Division began investigating Kirkland Young LLC, in July after receiving numerous consumer complaints against the company. During the course of the investigation it was discovered that Attorney Aid LLC and ABK Consultants were affiliated with Kirkland Young LLC.

Washington, DC - December 3, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Vern Buchanan (FL-13) voted for legislation today to help Florida homeowners suffering from toxic Chinese drywall avoid foreclosure. Buchanan is an original cosponsor of H. Con. Res. 197, which l passed the House 419 to 1. The bill would encourage banks and mortgage servicers to provide impacted homeowners with temporary forbearance on their mortgage payments.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - December 2, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Florida Housing Finance Corporation (Florida Housing) recently received a report stating the funds from the NeighborWorks® America’s National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program (NFMC) is a success with helping Floridians facing foreclosure in the state

Washington, DC - December 1, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Representative Kathy Castor released the following statement today. "Tampa Bay area families will benefit under the improved mortgage modification campaign announced by the Obama Administration today. Qualified families must be proactive and loan servicers must be held accountable for results.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - November 25, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today commended Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum for his proactive efforts to combat mortgage foreclosure rescue and loan modification scams in Florida. Yesterday, the FTC unveiled “Operation Stolen Hope,” a national sweep targeting these types of scams, and announced the filing of just over 100 state and federal legal actions throughout the country. These filings are in addition to the continuing efforts by Attorney General McCollum's office, which has filed 17 civil actions in the past year with more expected in the coming months.