Consumer complaint received 2023-07-25
Company: NEW YORK COMMUNITY BANCORP INC
State: MI
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Home equity loan or line of credit (HELOC)
Issue: Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage

Complaint:
On Tue, XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX PM XXXX XXXX XXXX wrote : XX/XX/XXXX Detailed Explanation I am writing due to learning that my ex-husband ( XXXX XXXX ) requested a Housing Equity Line of Credit ( HELOC ) loan on the house we lived in during the marriage, which we also agreed I would take full ownership of, XXXX months after our divorce was finalized. I asked XXXX for a divorce in XXXX of XXXX and we signed the above-mentioned agreement on XX/XX/XXXX. The home had a balance of $ XXXX at this time. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, working with XXXX Michigan Mortgage, I began the process to gain ownership of the XXXX home. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I asked XXXX if I could be given the gift of equity because it is technically apart of the home, he agreed that I could have it all, as long as I began paying mortgage on XX/XX/XXXX and any future repairs. I agreed and have been paying faithfully. ( See attached ) On XX/XX/XXXX, I learned there was a second mortgage for $ XXXX on the home, I was working to refinance, which caused the estimated mortgage payment to increase. Before this date, I was not aware of what a second mortgage really meant or how it could and/or would affect me. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I asked my mortgage company, why there was a {$230.00} increase of the estimated mortgage payment and he informed me that this was due to the XXXX loan. ( See attached ) On XX/XX/XXXX, I proceeded to ask XXXX when he received the XXXX loan and he reported he could not recall when he received the loan. ( See attached ) On XX/XX/XXXX, I made some phone calls and learned that XXXX received the XXXX loan on XX/XX/XXXX. I immediately scheduled a consultation with Attorney XXXX XXXX for XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, per the instruction during my consultation, I gathered the mortgage note, which displays myself as the Co-borrower. After reviewing the document with my consulting attorney, I discovered the following : 1. The document was notarized by XXXX XXXX. XXXX. The document includes my ex-husbands signature XXXX. The document includes a fraudulent signature of my name. At no time did I authorize this loan, or sign my name to this document. ( See attached ) On XX/XX/XXXX, I visited Flagstar Bank at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, MI XXXX and was told, although my name was on the account, no loan was attached. The representative informed me that they could give me no more information and gave me the number to the corporate office. I contacted corporate and was told, the preparer of said XXXX XXXX no longer worked for Flagstar Bank XXXX 

On XX/XX/XXXX, per the instruction of my consulting lawyer, I filed a police report for forgery with the XXXX. ( Incident report completed by XXXX XXXX ) On XX/XX/XXXX, I visited the XXXX police department and was given a copy of my police report and told that my case had been closed. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I went to Flagstar Bank to file a complaint. I took all pertinent information to the same XXXX location and after explaining my concerns, submitted the paperwork to the XXXX. ( Submitted to XXXX XXXX ) On XX/XX/XXXX, I filed a claim with the FDIC. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, Flagstar Bank fraud department contacted me to gather information and informed me that they would begin investigating. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted the FDIC to check on the status of my claim. They told me to file a claim with the XXXX, as Flagstar Bank was a national bank. I filed a claim with the XXXX immediately. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, Legal Assistance Center told me I could file a motion to either : amend, clarify or enforce my judgement of divorce. Motion and all documents were submitted on XX/XX/XXXX. 

On XXXX, I asked XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX  ) if we could pause the refinancing process, as I had learned my signature was forged and did not want to attach my name to this loan. 


Dates/Monies Home Equity Line of Credit ( HELOC ) loan requested by XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX. 

HELOC loan ( Mortgage note : {$110000.00} ) approved by FLAGSTAR  bank with Grantors named-Dominic XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX. Preparer : XXXX XXXX. 

Signed HELCO loan displays the following : Signature and stamp of XXXX XXXX ( Notary ), signature of XXXX XXXX ( ex-husband ) and forged signature of XXXX XXXX ( ex-wife ). XXXX was not present during this acknowledgement and was unaware HELOC loan was being requested. ( Pg XXXX, XXXX of Mortgage Note ) HELOC loan from Flagstar Bank for XXXX XXXX disbursed on XX/XX/XXXX. 

XXXX placed $ XXXX on a new home on XX/XX/XXXX. ( Note the document states married man ) Respectfully, XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief