Consumer complaint received 2024-02-22
Product: Mortgage — FHA mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage — Trying to communicate with the company to fix an issue related to modification, forbearance, short sale, deed-in-lieu, bankruptcy, or foreclosure
Company: Data Mortgage Inc. (MS)

I have been trying to work with Essex Mortgage to try and get some payment mitigation options since I am unemployed and have no income at the moment. The company may have the worst customer service of any company I have ever dealt with. I sent an application in for relief, after the online application would not work. 

No one ever contacted me to discuss what my options were and finally after badgering them for information and having my credit drop XXXX points I was told I had an unemployment forbearance and that I would have to pay the money back for the 3 months I owed. I have since asked to have someone from Loss Mitigation contact me. I even messaged the president of Essex Mortgage, XXXX XXXX on XXXX to get some help. All he did was turn me over to Customer Care ( which 99 percent of the time sends an email with no name on it or number to contact the person that calls ) .He did not even apologize for the issues I was having as noted below. Also he did not pass the information to the right people. 
XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX I have passed your message to the correct people. 
Give me your loan number address and phone number. 

I never received any correspondence in the mail stating that the forbearance was approved etc and what the terms were and frankly with no income or unemployment money and knowing it would destroy my credit I never would have agreed to it. 

I can not get anyone to contact me to see if there are any other options like a deferment of payments or a repayment plan over time etc. It is ridiculous that a business is run this way. It is almost like it is on purpose. I will also be complaining to the FHA and the Mississippi Attorney General 's Office. I have tried to work in good faith with them but have had to contact upper management that has not been much help honestly.

I am still paying my 2nd mortgage with them on time also with them and never missed a payment prior to XX/XX/2023. I am just asking an actual human to email or call me on the phone that can actually do something in regards to my loan instead of just telling me the same thing over and over. I will be contacting an FHA counseling service in my area as well and seeing if I can get the FHA involved and others. It should not be this difficult to get some help. I will be seeing if I can apply for a grant also although it looks like I missed the deadline for Covid money by a week. I was actually laid off 18 months ago and have been able to pay the mortgage with help from my Mom and selling personal possessions etc and working a 3 month project during that time. If I had know help was available I would have sought it out. Just looking for an amicable resolution to this for all so I can keep my home and pay the money back that I owe.

I have exhausted all avenues with trying to work with them. Thanks in advance for your help and God Bless. I was unsure of where else to go. I will need an extension on my forbearance also since I am not working an unsure of the payment parameters or other options that were never given to me.