Consumer complaint received 2022-03-21
Company: Freedom Mortgage Company
State: LA
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Other type of mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage

Complaint:
Freedom Mortgage agreed to a loan modification program in XX/XX/XXXX. 


In XX/XX/XXXX, I called and asked why I not received paperwork. They said it was already sent and they would resend. Paperwork was resent XX/XX/XXXX. 

I paid a third party notary to notarize the paperwork and returned it to them, XXXX Tracking # XXXX and it was delivered XX/XX/XXXX. 

I continued to receive daily automated calls from them. I spoke with a representative on XX/XX/XXXX who confirmed that the paperwork was received and that I did not to take any further action, despite them repeatedly sending me duplicate paperwork. I was also advised to disregard the automated calls as they were due to my loan being behind, and that Freedom would have an agent reach out if there was an issue with my paperwork. I explained that I work in a warehouse and can not answer my phone during the day and that agents need to leave me a voicemail if I can not answer in time, and that I can't make it outside to answer their calls before they stop ringing most of the time. It's a large metal building and causes a cell phone dead zone. I was also told at this time that if I made payments as per the terms of the loan modification it would be honored, as it was dated to go into effect XX/XX/XXXX. 

I continued to receive automated calls that did not leave messages. I called Freedom again XX/XX/XXXX. The agent told me I had not sent my paperwork back. I told her I had and that one of their agents had confirmed this for me already, as did the tracking. She looked into the matter further and said that I had to resend it because the 'notary seal was not clear enough '. I asked why no one had advised me of this and she said they were very busy. I again explained my phone situation and that XXXX needed to be left. She said that their notary would reach out to me to schedule. I asked why a state approved notary seal that I paid {$80.00} for was not sufficient and she assured me that their notary would do it for free and gave me their number. She also said they would reach out to me to schedule an in home visit. I do not want strangers in my home due to Covid concerns but I am now desperate to have this done so I agreed. 

I called Freedom 's recommended/partner notary and did not receive a call back. I called them and left several messages. I spoke with Freedom again XX/XX/XXXX and explained this to the representative. I was also very frustrated as I could not make an online payment on XX/XX/XXXX unless I paid my full balance due, which is financially impossible for me. They allowed me to make a payment via phone and assured me that their notary would reach out to me by today, XX/XX/XXXX. 

I have been notified by my credit monitoring that Freedom has reported my account as delinquent as of XX/XX/XXXX despite me having returned the NOTARIZED paperwork to them and doing everything I can to work with them on this. I am now convinced that they are going to let my issue fall to the wayside as they did before when I requested a refinance. I feel like they are either targeting my husband and I due to our financial struggles caused by having XXXX twice, losing our jobs, and both being in car wrecks. We have communicated openly and done everything we can to honor our end of all agreements and Freedom has done nothing but make this process impossible.

I also am starting to question why we run into these issues with Freedom. Our original loan was 'sold ' to them so our initial application did not go through them. I noted that the ball was dropped both time after our ID 's are requested/reviewed. I appear Caucasian but my husband appears XXXX. Is it because of this? Or because we're behind like millions of other Americans during this pandemic? I don't understand why this process is so incredibly difficult and I am not sleeping as I am terrified we will lose our home and Freedom does not seem to care in the slightest. If Freedom will not honor the notarized documents sent to them, why would they offer a loan modification at all?

I have two more notarized copies of the documents they sent and offered to send those but again they are forcing me to wait on their notary who WILL NOT contact me as promised. At this point it feels like they'd rather foreclose than cooperate with us.

I do not have corresponding dates but the third party notary sent representatives to my home, completely unannounced more than once after I had returned my paperwork and before they informed me that it was not sufficient. The representative from the third party arrived maskless and with no identification other than a printout. This makes me feel like they're both obviously getting a kickback on this partnership which would explain why my notarized documents aren't sufficient.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation