Consumer complaint received 2018-07-03
Product: Mortgage — Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Closing on a mortgage — 
Company: CBM Mortgage, Inc. (VA)

From the beginning, the mortgage process with CBM Mortgage was disorganized, chaotic and everything always seemed to be last minute and not explained well, so when we began to receive messages about sending payment towards the end of the process from a scammer in the name of our mortgage broker representative, XXXX XXXX, it didn't seem out of the ordinary. 

I was confused by all the communications, and was getting frustrated with XXXX XXXX, due to the incongruence of her communications. Conversations with XXXX XXXX and XXXX were often curt and cut short. I called both XXXX XXXX XXXX on Monday, XX/XX/XXXX, and both were rather curt and disinterested. XXXX saying she needed to get caught up and " Have a nice week. '' When I tried to speak with XXXX XXXX, trying to clarify questions, she was abrupt and cut me off from being able to continue my sentence saying, " Have a nice day. '' On XX/XX/11, XXXX sent me a document to sign via " XXXX '' and for the first time, I actually noticed that at the top of the URL, it said in big red letters " Website Not Secure. '' The first time I signed a document for them via this unsecure site was on XX/XX/XXXX. Isn't it possible that the scammer got the information through this site? 

The way CBM Mortgage worked is that they'd send a list of documents to be signed and information that was needed, and then a few days later needed more documents ... and then more. It was so disorganized and chaotic. 

Throughout the entire closing process, now that I look back, I was receiving emails from both XXXX XXXX and the scammer in her name. 

On Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX, I called XXXX XXXX from the bank as I was getting ready to send a wire transfer with the down payment, after having received an email with all the information from her ( the scammer in her name ). Now, mind you, we are first time home buyers and we had no idea as to how the process was supposed to go, and with their lack of organization or communication ... no checklists or anything, we had no clue that anything was out of order. 

This is how our conversation went : " XXXX XXXX, I'm at the bank and they are asking if there are any special instructons or notes to be added ... XXXX XXXX responded Are you getting a statement or setting up a wire. 

XXXX responded : Setting up a wire. 

XXXX : We do not have a final amount for closing yet is that what the funds are for? 

XXXX : Okay, you emailed me the amount of {$63000.00} yesterday. Was that a mistake? 

XXXX : The amount is close to what will be due but it's not final yet because we don't have the final clear to close. 

XXXX : Okay so get last details to XXXX? And then we are good to wire? Can you talk on the phone? 

XXXX : Sure. 

XXXX called XXXX : He said, " Alright, I'm at the bank. I was getting the wire ready to send to you and now you're telling me that now we're not clear to close. '' She was like ... " Yeah, we're not clear to close yet. '' And so I said I'd get all the documentation and then we should be ready tomorrow? 

XXXX said ... " Yes, you can send it tomorrow or you can send it now. The only detail would be if you did not have the right amount, you can only add up to {$1000.00} from your personal account in the event of a shortfall. 

I said ... Okay, I'll wait til tomorrow. '' It never occurred to XXXX XXXX that she had never sent over any downpayment instructions. As far as we knew, the information had come from her. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX ( my wife ) called CBM Mortgage and asked to speak with the owner, XXXX XXXX, as she had known him through a networking group. When the secretary said he was in a meeting, XXXX asked that she please have XXXX call her back as soon as possible. The lack of organization and the irresponsibility of XXXX XXXX was frustrating and we were trying to connect with someone who could help us sort it out. 

XXXX XXXX never called XXXX XXXX back. And to this date ... has not called XXXX XXXX back. 

The next day, I received the clear to close via email ( from the scammer ) and wired the money. 

XXXX finally called me after I forwarded the message from the scammers upon request. The point of his call was to verify that the money was sent to the wrong people and to tell me that I had to be careful with my email and all those phishing scammers. 

The next time I called the company, they had me on speaker phone with XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX and another partner. 

Not once did they try to help us figure out what had happened or try to help us through the process of taking next steps. It's like they put up a corporate wall. 

Now we are left trying to figure out how to get back the {$57000.00} that was stolen by the scammer. 

If XXXX XXXX had been paying attention, she would have realized that she never sent the wire transfer information. If XXXX XXXX had called XXXX XXXX back, then we would have had the conversation about how disorganized and terrible our experience had been, and more than likely, the scammer would have been discovered. 

But because CBM Mortgage is completely disorganized and careless, we lost the down payment to our first home, and are now left figuring out what to do.