Submitted by a former ML Implode Blogger and Truth Speaker/Seeker:
If you are looking for information on Green Credit on the Mortgage Lender Implode-O-Meter, don’t expect to get straight answers and don’t expect your post not to be deleted.
I’ve been posting probing questions on the site, and my posts have either been moved to Idle Chatter (which is not viewable by non members) or deleted. Here is the last entry that was deleted from Mandelman’s blog: (And yes, I did document the post by printing to pdf- so I can prove this):
“TG, you know I think you are awesome, but I don’t think you are getting the point that I am trying to make- especially how Mandelman and ML promoted a particular mod company, and now that the DRE has issued a D & R order, the company closed it’s office and reopened in a different location with a new name, phone number, and website, nobody has spoken up on the subject or is advising readers as to what they can or should do.
We are talking about a company that had thousands of modification
application in process and were working with an unknown number of affiliates which did business with the modification firm based on MLI and Andelman’s endorsements.
As the mortgage crisis continues to expand and loss mitigation evolves, more information is being made available to homeowners and professionals alike. Borrowers who wouldn’t have been considered 6-9 months ago, might now qualify for the HAMP program. However, if the borrower’s housing expense and other obligations don’t support the request or the borrower doesn’t fit the perimeters, the borrowers may have to face facts.
Also, self employed borrowers that don’t report all their income and have excessive write-offs will likely find that they won’t be able to qualify for the HAMP program. Additionally, by applying for a modification and entering the trial period, the borrowers will be authorizing the lender to verify tax returns that will enable to lender to document stated income fraud.
Another thing to consider is that if a borrower has a temporary hardship such as loss of employment, a modification request won’t work. The borrower has to request a special forbearance.
Fortunately, this is simpler than applying for a modification.
Its not easy, but empowering borrowers to help themselves rather than steer them to modification firms is a better solution. Especially since the track record here seems to be to conceal issues regarding modification sponsors rather than reporting the facts to consumers.
I would never trust the recommendation of anyone who couldn’t man up to making a mistake. But that’s just me.
Mandelman (pictured), you’ve yet to report your findings on GCS after speaking to Curt Melone. What is the scoop? Is the company still in business? Why did they suddenly change their name and address? Why did they take down all of their websites? Why does their old number merely play a message that the line is currently busy? Had it occurred to them to forward the lines to their new location? Why can’t I find licensing information on the new company?
Most importantly, how can borrowers obtain a current trust accounting and/or apply for a full refund?
Did the company implode? These are all fair questions.”
Related News
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi there… Well, let’s see. All I’ve been able to find out is that Green Credit reached an agreement with the CA Department of Real Estate to close its doors. It should be noted that the company successfully modified roughly 2,000 mortgages in the two years it was operating. As I understand it from one of the company’s executives, it simply made more sense to agree to shut down than continue an ongoing fight. The company says it had been working down its number of active files for some time and made arrangements so that not a single customer was abandoned, as it seems you are suggesting. Do you have any homeowners who are claiming to have been left in the lurch by Green Credit, or are you just imagining that to be the case?
If you do know of a client who was abandoned, I’d certainly like to speak to them. You can have them email me at mandelman@mac.com. If I don’t hear from anyone… I’ll assume that you were just making up all that stuff about clients left hanging. I’ve been assured that’s not the case, so let’s see who’s telling the truth here. I hope it’s you, but I’m starting to worry.
I would imagine they took down their Websites because they closed the company. As to your other questions about why phones play certain messages… I really have no idea.
I’m not sure what type of licensing information you’re having trouble finding for a “new company”. They closed their doors, they’re not in the loan modification business anymore. Curt says he’s working on some kind of software product and I think one of the other guys is working with some investor group looking to buy REOs, but I didn’t really ask for any details. As long as they took care of their clients, I don’t care what they do.
I think it’s important to recognize that Green Credit wasn’t shut down, wasn’t accused of scamming anyone, in fact, they successfully modified a very large number of mortgages. The FTC shut down 187 companies and Green Credit wasn’t one of them. The discrepancy between them and the DRE was administrative and procedural in nature… no one is accusing them of committing any crime, as far as I know.
I say this because there are certainly quite a few companies that have been accused of criminal acts related to loan modifications in Southern California, and it seems silly, or perhaps obsessive is a better word, to continually go after a company that’s closed its doors, wasn’t accused of any criminal wrongdoing, and that successfully modified so many loans for homeowners. I’m sure you can figure out how to reach any of the guys that were with Green Credit… aren’t they in the book… the phone book, I mean?
Also, I suppose, in the interests of some sort of moral imperative in your mind, you seem to want to spend your time continually implying that I’m somehow not honest and above board at all times. Like maybe if you imply it enough times you’ll harm me in some way? Like… Oooh… don’t read Mandelman Matters… he’s a bad guy?
Krista, I don’t even mind. I liked you the first time we ever talked and I still do. You know a thousand times more than I ever will about the mortgage industry, and I’ve learned something from you every time we’ve spoken in the past. You have my phone number and my email… you can reach me anytime you want. Or, if you want to put up a site that says I’m a Bond Villain, go ahead. I’ll even link to it.
You see, I’m 48 years old, I have a beautiful daughter and a wonderful wife. I’ve had a wonderful 20+ year career so far and if you Google me, there are like 9,500 pages about that career. You can find me on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Friendfeed, YouTube, and God only knows what else. I think that’s enough information for most people to be able to draw their own conclusions about a person.
I love to write and I do my best to inform and entertain my readers. I care about every single one and I’m sure I’ve talked to many hundreds by now. When they have questions, they call or email me and I answer honestly and to the best of my ability.
Go to my blog at http://mandelman.ml-implode.com, scroll down to Personal Matters and you’ll find that I’ve written about myself and shared my innermost thoughts and feelings because I trust my readers and they trust me. I give out my email and my cell phone online. And when I travel out of town, I meet readers and we have dinner.
So, reach out anytime… or try to make me look like Al Capone… As a nerdy, overweight, argumentative middle-age Jew, I’m kind of liking the “bad boy” image anyway.
Martin Andelman
Mandelman Matters… or not.
The Most Sensible Man in the World.
P.S. And while I’m here… I’m starting my very own radio show later this month on KOCI – Newport Beach, Costa Mesa… but you can listen in online too. It’s called “30 Minutes of Talking”… tune in… it’s going to be a hoot! Email me for the schedule… or just to say “hi”.
Thanks for sharing Martin. Now I have to barf.
Okay Martin, let me get this straight, GCS is not in the modification business anymore, yet they are on top of every file?
They settled with the CA DRE by shutting down, but they did nothing wrong?
And you had no idea that there were compliance issues at any time?
Martin, please- you are killing me here. It took me 15 minutes just to stop laughing in order to respond to your comment.
Perhaps you should venture beyond the D & R Order and actually read the Accusation that was filed by the DRE which outright accused GCS of making false statements and willfully violating real estate law. Its not posted online, but you could probably get a copy from the DRE like I did.
Now, who should I believe- you and ML Implode or my own eyes and ears? Even now, you are simply unwilling to believe that GCS isn’t blameless.
Had it ever occurred to you to make a public service announcement about the closure considering that you personally recommended the firm? Had it occurred to ML Implode to also make a public service announcement considering ML Implodes and Randalls personal assurances that they checked everything out, and that the company “did it right”? All the while, Captain Obvious here was pointing out the compliance problems. I have extensive email correspondence and posts which evidence this fact.
You pride yourself on being a smart guy, an expert, and an investigative reporter. Yet when the subject of GCS comes up, your IQ drops 40 points and you are suddenly rendered unable to understand compliance issues.
I have nothing personal against you and am not out to destroy your world. However, you’ve lost a substantial amount of credibility as to how you have handled the GCS compliance issues and closures. You can’t simply remove their name as a trusted modification firm without telling borrowers WHY after you pumped them.
Speaking of pumping- this is not supposed to be an opportunity for you to promote your blog and radio program. This is an opportunity to man up. Hopefully, Moe will remove the links you provided as a means of shameless self-promotion.
Now that you admit that GCS is closed, you have a duty to inform the public and admit your mistake. A man with integrity, that can trusted, admits his mistakes and owns them.
Is GCS still processing mods or did they simply transfer the files to another company with the same address as their new company? If this is the case, what is the name of the company, who are the officers, and what is their license or Bar registration number?
If you really do care about homeowners like you say you do, report the implosion and advise the public of who is responsible for handling their file, where they can reach the company, what the companies licensing is, and where to request an accounting of their trust funds or apply for a refund.
If you can’t do that, don’t expect to have any credibility with the public and/or my respect.
As to customer complaints, I suggest you utilize Google to do some research. You can also write a blog story about the closure and ask your readers if they had issues. Hopefully, disgruntled homeowners that worked with GCS will find this site and post their issues here and save you the research.
Here is some food for thought. Why didn’t GCS include in their settlement that information regarding the closure be posted on their site? Why didn’t they make arrangements to forward their phone lines to the new company that is handling the mods or debt settlement? Why didn’t they issue a press release?
You ever clean out your fridge, open a container and just know by the smell that it wasn’t right? I’ll leave you with that analogy.
OH! You’re my new favorite blogger fyi
Great post Martin. =)
Okay Martin, let me get this straight, GCS is not in the modification business anymore, yet they are on top of every file?
They settled with the CA DRE by shutting down, but they did nothing wrong?
And you had no idea that there were compliance issues at any time?
Martin, please- you are killing me here. It took me 15 minutes just to stop laughing in order to respond to your comment.
Perhaps you should venture beyond the D & R Order and actually read the Accusation that was filed by the DRE which outright accused GCS of making false statements and willfully violating real estate law. Its not posted online, but you could probably get a copy from the DRE like I did.
Now, who should I believe- you and ML Implode or my own eyes and ears? Even now, you are simply unwilling to believe that GCS isn’t blameless.
Had it ever occurred to you to make a public service announcement about the closure considering that you personally recommended the firm? Had it occurred to ML Implode to also make a public service announcement considering ML Implodes and Randalls personal assurances that they checked everything out, and that the company “did it right”? All the while, Captain Obvious here was pointing out the compliance problems. I have extensive email correspondence and posts which evidence this fact.
You pride yourself on being a smart guy, an expert, and an investigative reporter. Yet when the subject of GCS comes up, your IQ drops 40 points and you are suddenly rendered unable to understand compliance issues.
I have nothing personal against you and am not out to destroy your world. However, you’ve lost a substantial amount of credibility as to how you have handled the GCS compliance issues and closures. You can’t simply remove their name as a trusted modification firm without telling borrowers WHY after you pumped them.
Speaking of pumping- this is not supposed to be an opportunity for you to promote your blog and radio program. This is an opportunity to man up. Hopefully, Moe will remove the links you provided as a means of shameless self-promotion.
Now that you admit that GCS is closed, you have a duty to inform the public and admit your mistake. A man with integrity, that can trusted, admits his mistakes and owns them.
Is GCS still processing mods or did they simply transfer the files to another company with the same address as their new company? If this is the case, what is the name of the company, who are the officers, and what is their license or Bar registration number?
If you really do care about homeowners like you say you do, report the implosion and advise the public of who is responsible for handling their file, where they can reach the company, what the companies licensing is, and where to request an accounting of their trust funds or apply for a refund.
If you can’t do that, don’t expect to have any credibility with the public and/or my respect.
As to customer complaints, I suggest you utilize Google to do some research. You can also write a blog story about the closure and ask your readers if they had issues. Hopefully, disgruntled homeowners that worked with GCS will find this site and post their issues here and save you the research.
Here is some food for thought. Why didn’t GCS include in their settlement that information regarding the closure be posted on their site? Why didn’t they make arrangements to forward their phone lines to the new company that is handling the mods or debt settlement? Why didn’t they issue a press release?
You ever clean out your fridge, open a container and just know by the smell that it wasn’t right? I’ll leave you with that analogy.
OH! You’re my new favorite blogger fyi
Great work Krista! I have been following your threads about Green Credit over at ML Implode and knew that they were censoring you. I am sure law enforcemnt and the State Bar are also looking at these online posts with great interest.
Let’s call martin what he is, “A Paid Loan Modification Pupet!” He operates his business based on the Seth Godin book called, “All Marketers are Liars.”
These ARE the facts:
Martin Adlemen gets paid to recommend lawyers and call them “trusted” on his blog. Call it like it is Martin because you are violating FTC rules in a field that should place people like you in prison for steering consumers into possible scams for your monetary benefit. You are lying to the public and vilolating FTC laws.
How do I know this?
I got a call from him over two months ago and he asked for me to call him back. I then called him to find out that in order for my law firm to be “trusted”, I would have to pay $2,500!! I said I would get back to him and decided that this guy is just as bad as the loan mod cons who are stealing money from homeowners by the millions.
Martin Andleman is the poster child for everything that is wrong with the mortgage and loan modification business. Basically what we have here is a man that came from what he calls the business consulting world to be the “Guru of loan modifications” and preach what he thinks is the consumer gospel.
So when did this guy jump on the consumer advocate bandwagon? Oh, when your consulting business failed , you had no other ideas and decided to start a blog and become a self proclaimed, ‘Sensible guy.” One has to only to a Google search as you suggest to investigate the fact that this blog and your gig as a consumer advocate was “created” just a few months ago. OK, maybe 4 or 5 months and he absolutely no background that should allow him to market himself in the manner he does.
It is just pathetic that this guy is probally making more money than me a month and I went to law school for 8 years! Welcome to America!
The facts are that when we spoke Martin, you told me that you have not ever performed a loan modification, never were in the mortgage business and you have no idea what this business is about. Yet, you have a blog and claim you are here to save homeowners and lawyers.
Martin Adlemam, the Muppet’s should really be ashamed of you and demand that you give back your puppet union card! Kermit, Ms. Piggy what’s going on here with this rogue puppet? Please get your union goons in here and take his card away or at least his blog!
Okay, first of all… oh boy, where to begin… I don’t think I have time… well… to be be quick and then I’ll come back later:
1. Whoever it is that claims that I offered to list him or her as a trusted loan modification firm is LYING. It is not true and it has NEVER happened. You want to call me directly on this or perhaps say it to my face, you sniveling nameless coward, my number is 714-904-2288 and that’s my cell… so call away. I will meet you anywhere and anytime. You continue to make accusations such as this and I will take whatever action I can think of… count on it.
It’s funny that people make such accusations without using their real name. No one has ever paid me to be a trusted loan modification firm and many have tried. Got it? Am I being clear enough.
On the Green Credit issue. Again… I’ve been assured that they’re closed and that not one client has been left in the lurch. I asked you if you actually knew of a client left in the lurch and you apparently do not. So, what’s the deal? Are you just making that stuff up about clients abandoned?
Listen guys… I’m not playing in the dirt. I call one person and they tell me about Moe and his criminal record… and apparently that his was the first modification company shut down… and I don’t care about any of that one way or the other. I was reading Moe a year ago and thought he was good and very informative. I still do. I thought Krista, what you do and know is good. And yet all you guys seem to want to do is make unfounded attacks on one person or another.
What’s wrong with you guys? Why don’t you do something productive with your knowledge of mortgages… people need help, not idiots making stupid baseless claims about things they know nothing about. I’m embarrassed to even be responding. I don’t even want to have a trusted listing. I wish the state would do a better job and I wouldn’t have to have such a thing. But the state isn’t and you guys aren’t helping either.
Listen… Moe, Krista… and whoever the liar is that claimed I offered to charge him to be a trusted firm… if you want to communicate with me about something, why don’t you gather up the courage to pick up the phone like adults do. I’m happy to talk, happy to help… happy to do anything productive.
But enough wasting time with this kind of crap…
Martin, I have talked to you and emailed you on my issues. Do I really need to post the emails and your responses to make a point?
And if you tell me one more time to do something productive in regard to the modification, I think I’ll have to barf. I’ve told you repeatedly that when borrowers have questions, I answer them. In fact, I received word from one borrower today that they can begin the trial period for HAMP program on October 1st. My charge- nada.
From reading Moe’s site and forums, I see that Moe provides free assistance too. Lets be clear on this, I don’t care about the past mistakes of people who provide free help and advice to borrowers that need it. I’d rather deal with someone who had a past, turned over a new leaf and then moved on to help people rather than a shill with a spotless past who merely steers borrowers to modification firms and does nothing to truly help borrowers.
In regard to complaints, I told you to do some research. But since you haven’t figured out how to use Google yet, you can start here:
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/finance/green_credit.html
http://www.loanmodcons.com/2009/05/green-credit-solutions-cons-another.html
http://www.ripoffreport.com/Bait-and-Switch/Green-Credit-Solutio/green-credit-solutions-green-c-ff5m6.html
http://greenprofs.com/is-green-credit-solutions-a-reputable-company-for-loan-mods/
http://www.trulia.com/voices/Foreclosure/I_m_looking_for_information_about_a_company_called-67334
http://debtsettlementfraud.org/debt-relief-scam-complaints/2009/8/26/green-credit-solutions.html
http://implode-explode.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16074&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30
http://loanworkout.org/2009/07/green-credit-solutions
As to the person who posted their comment anonymously, why do you think they would possibly want to reveal their identity? Hmm… maybe the person fears that you might retaliate? Maybe the conversation was verbal, and it can’t be proven? I know I would personally appreciate if the poster would contact me through Moe and provide an affidavit privately.
Nonetheless, you did admit on MLI that you do collect a fee for out of state companies because your compliance attorney charges almost $1000 to do a background check. Also, Aaron of ML Implode wrote this:
“But I can tell you from my conversations with Martin, revolving around how to help people and raise money for the site at the same time, the idea was to charge firms to be screened, at which point they MAY be listed at our option. That is, payment would be for the screening process primarily, and listing would only happen should we approve them. They would have to agree that there is no guarantee of being listed.
It is of course very easy to make this sound bad, but that can be done with anything that involves us actually earning revenue.”
… and you said:
“What Aaron is referring to is related to approving firms as Trusted Firms when they are outside the state of California. I met with a compliance attorney who advises the State Bar as to how I might do this. She felt that she could help me approve out of state firms through a process, but that it would include background checks and other compliance reviews that would cost me close to $1,000. It is NOT a profit center and no one can pay to be on the list. But I can’t afford to spend $1,000 to have a firm listed. And I can’t check out a firm in another state for free.
Regardless, this is not something that won’t be disclosed, so I’m not sure why it’s even being questioned at this point.”
So, now that we know what you are, the only question that remains is price. But as you say, its not something that will be disclosed. : )
I do find it interesting that Aaron is planning to convert the Iamfacingforeclosure site to a paid referral site. Surprisingly, I do have emails from one of the organizers regarding this fact. I’ll keep the emails private, but this ML thread confirms it:
http://forum.ml-implode.com/viewtopic.php?t=111212
Here is an excerpt:
“Aaron and I are looking for bloggers. We are revamping the “I am Facing Foreclosure” site to become the mothership of ALL THINGS FORECLOSURE.
WE will be offering FREE foreclosure assistance information, attorney networks for ATTORNEYS WHO GET IT, resource info, consumer mall, blogs, forums, whistleblower info, and news archives. We want this site to be the IMPLODE-O-METER for foreclosure.
The case law is coming in and so is the discovery. Let the games begin.”
Hmmm… let’s rewind and examine this statement:
“Let the games begin.”
Sounds familiar, where could I have possibly heard it before?
Oh, here!
http://mandelman.ml-implode.com/
“Mandelman Matters. I am here… let the games begin”
Just for information purposes, a ML Forum member posted this response to the thread which was immediately moved to Idle Chatter under the topic “Off Topic”:
“Can I volunteer to tell you to accept responsiblity for your actions?”
http://forum.ml-implode.com/viewtopic.php?t=111397
Martin, you can scream and yell and get righteously indignant all you want, but it won’t change facts. You can also jump up and down and threaten to sue me all you want, but you better believe that I save everything, and I have a whole lot of documentation and information to back me up. I documented files for 20 years, and you better believe that I have a few CDs worth of content that includes emails, threads, websites and documentation from a variety of sources on this issue and a back bone that you can’t even imagine. So chose your threats wisely. I’ve been amazing kind thus far, and I encourage you to fight nice.
Better yet, you can just man up and save face. Decide.
Actually, after reading your last post I am mostly embarrased about having responded thus far. I guess I was having a hectic week and your posts got me to respond out of anger at your arrogance and obnoxious and uninformed accusuations.
Now, having read your last comment with a clearer head, I’m just sorry to have paid any attention at all.
Hope everyone had a lovely holiday weekend…
Martin, you still aren’t getting the point of what I am saying and why I am saying it.
I have nothing against you personally. My issue is entirely with how both you and ML Implode handled the GCS situation. You promoted the company. You can’t deny this. Its an established, documented fact. You did this despite me providing you with details as to my compliance concerns. ML Implode did so as well.
But when the chips were down, and the DRE issued a D & R order and filed a complaint, both you and ML Implode remained mute on the issue. To make matters worse, MLI deleted unfavorable posts, and moved discussion threads on GCS to Idle Chatter and General Discussion- areas of the board that have little traffic or are not accessible to non registered readers.
Why you don’t find this deplorable is beyond me. I have provided you with links to websites where GCS customers have complained, and stated they were not advised of the closure. But what I can’t understand is why you need a large number of complaints to justify releasing the facts on the company. Do people really need to be outraged enough to complain before you think its appropriate to notify the public of the closure?
ML Implode prides itself on being a “watch dog” site. You maintain a Trusted Firms page on your site. That puts you in the position of being a “Watch Dog” too.
The closure of GCS is a huge issue not just in regard to homeowners, but as a message to the modification industry. Other companies duplicated the GCS business model, and people need to armed with information in order to protect themselves.
Knowing how long I have been discussing my concerns regarding the company with you and ML Implode, the inaction up to this point sends a very loud message which does not bode well for “watch dogs” who look the other way.
I kept being told by ML Implode that GCS was compliant. Yet legal codes for the exclusions were not provided. Information was not only not forthcoming, I was told it proprietary. I was assured by ML Implode that they had checked out everything, and the company was compliant. I did not deem their statements reliable, and I stopped writing my blog because of the issue.
All the while, GCS had clear communication from the DRE regarding their marketing, advertising, and advance fee agreements. Yet during this time, GCS was advertising on ML Implode and Randall was openly soliciting GCS. In January 2009, I was shown a letter from the CA DRE to GCS regarding concerns with their advance fee agreement. I read the letter, and told Curt and Randall in Curt’s office that the DRE’s concerns were reasonable. Therefore, ML Implode, knowingly, allowed GCS to advertise and promoted GCS at a time they could not legally operate (according to the CA DRE).
Now, please forgive me for being blunt, but don’t you think the DRE D & R order and Accusation weigh the facts a little more toward my side of the argument?
You know I write this at great personal risk considering a pending legal matter. But, what is right and equitable has to outweigh selfish interests.
Now MLI wants to create a foreclosure resource, referral, and watch dog site. And you want to build a “Trusted Firm” lists. Good luck with that.
Both of these endeavors include taking money from potential sponsors for some purpose or another. They even quoted your famous line “Let the games begin” when they announced the new site on an ML Implode discussion thread.
I say let the games stop.
It is now time for me to chime in. But I am going to be brief because I feel Krista and everyone who knows anything about this industry and life in general can clearly see who is BS, who has something to gain from what they write and who has the track record to even intelligently speak and debate on this topic.
Obviously Martin, Krista has handed you your head on a loan mod scam platter and you are here to save face for your “new found” career as a consumer advocate for attorney ran loan mod firms. This is as clear as the day and as dark as the night.
It is what it is.
I am not here for personal reasons, just to do my job, blog the truth and protect consumers against lies. You might want to try it someday dude……
As far as you getting paid to say these firms “are trusted loan modification firms” is EXACTLY what I have heard on the loan modification street from some VERY CREDIBLE SOURCES. Actually, one of my advertisers who happens to be a friend, Nathan Fransen ESQ. with the Fransen and Molinaro Law Firm told me this information. So, with that said, please sue me because I did just write that. I would love to subpoena Mr. Fransen and your financial records, along with the shams that you call trusted law firms. (well at least until they get busted right Martin?) I am sure we could prove without a reasonable doubt that you are a “paid puppet” and your speaking thrown is ML Implode.
I am sure Nathan will be pissed at me for dragging him into this, but I am not here to lie or protect anyone. I may even lose his firm as an advertiser over this. Oh well…..
We can see the strings moving your mouth and guiding your typing fingers now Martin. They are no longer invisible dude..OOPS!
Just look at IamfacingForelcosure.com that Aarown Krowne operates and you are working with at ML Implode. Him and I were partners for a brief period of time in 2008 and I thought he was a stand up guy and his interests align with Main Street. Oh how I was sooooo wrong and you and this Green Credit scandal just proves it. That was until I got sick of him just doing nothing and getting credit for all that I did. To this day, he has MY CONTENT on his website with no mention of me being the author for his financial gain. The first 30-40 posts on that website are my words.
This shows the kind of clowns that run ML Implode and they were ALL involved in steering brokers and consumers to one LOAN MOD COMPANY, GREEN CREDIT!!!! Now that they are shut down and it is time for the new snake oil.
Ever hear of Mr. Mortgage? Well Krista and anyone reading this, Mr Mortgage left in 2008 for some of the same reasons. I heard this from some credible sources.
The links that Kritsa has provided and any consumer worth their salt would only have to check these links, the government documentation, complaints and obvious shell game is for everyone to see with their own two eyes.
What has Martin provided for us or consumers to research? Not crap! Just calling Krista and myself names and grasping at loan mod straws is all that he can do.
My company was NOT shut down, but I closed the doors because I saw back in 2008 (YES 2008) that this business was on its way down hill and that state and federal regulators were going to make sure that no one could process or offer loan modifications. I saw the writing on the wall long ago and decided to do what I do best and help homeowners online.
Sorry, but you’re a bit late to the business.
I have written on the subject since 2007 more than anyone in the world, I give away fee loan modification books, worked with NACA and Bruce Marks, marched in the Senate House -2008 in Washington DC, helped thousands in Connecticut, helped hundreds save their homes online for free since 2007, write helpful articles all day with my son and operate a free online forum with 19,000 homeowners.
I have been in the New York Times, LA Times Fox Business, BusiessWeek and quoted all over the world for my expertise in loan modifications and I can go on and on. What have you done or where have you been featured? I’m still looking on that one…..
And what have you done?
Promoted “trusted law firms” for cash. You are PATHETIC Martin for even trying to debate Krista and myself. So please stop while your SO NOT ahead.
As far as my criminal record goes. Yes, I do have one and have paid my dues long ago. I did my time for my stupidity with drinking, drugs and a terrible relationship. I did a year and a half in a drug rehabilitation center in Norco, Ca. and successfully graduated from the drug treatment program, and completed another 52 weeks once I got out in 2005. Since then I have not even so much got a ticket and have remarried with a beautiful wife and I have two new beautiful children.
Many people have done things or even committed crimes in their past and have never got caught. Whether that be smoking pot, fudging to the IRS or on your loan application. ALL these unseen and unheard crimes can land people in jail. I got caught for breaking the law and you know what?
IT WAS THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME AND MADE ME THE MAN I AM TODAY!
I promised God, myself and my family when I was in prison that I would never break the law, cheat or lie again to get ahead in life. I have stood by that promise and God has rewarded me and my family immensely for doing what is right.
You might want to try it some day Martin Andleman.
Moe, seriously man, respect.
Martin, you asked for complaints, and here are some fresh ones for you straight off of Trulia:
From Victor, Homebuyer, Patterson, CA:
“Hi, yes I too paid GCS for some help with my mortgage and got nowhere. I paid a total of $3499.00 up front and got nowhere. They are not what they say they are……they are a scam. But why are they still in business? I’m going to file a suit with the small claims dept. in my area in hopes of gaining a full refund. Stay away from these SHARKS!” Yesterday, 12:48
And from Sweetliljilly, Gresham, OR:
“I didn’t receive any type of notification that Green Credit was going down and changing to Guardian nor did I receive any call after it happened. I tried their website as I typically had to do to get in contact with someone and it was no longer operating. I then tried the phone numbers and they no longer worked. It wasn’t until I happend on this blog that I found out they hand changed. I did contact an attorney here in Oregon and was told to try and get into a class action lawsuite because it was going to cost me a bit of out of pocket expense which I don’t have. Small claims would cost me too since I would have to go to California to file and appear. I’ll contact the website you listed for all the good that will do. I have sent out all my documentation regarding the whole process I’ve been through to the Department of Real Estate Enforcement as directed by the California Attorney General.” Yesterday, 17:31
And from Manabouttown, CA:
“krista et al, green did shut down, but the same owners curt melone and chris fox simply reopened under a new name and location with the same employees. your files are still there. they want to primarily do debt settlement now. if i were you i would call 100 times a day and demand a refund. take control of your life. go to http://www.getmycreditgrade.com and get the number. the squeaky wheel gets the grease. ” Yesterday, 22:23
http://www.trulia.com/voices/Foreclosure/Is_Green_Credit_Solutions_a_scam_I_have_worked_w-123286-p_1-recent?answerId=525597#left_content
You say the company is closed and Green Credit made arrangements on all files. Seems not everyone concurs.
Is the company closed and out of the mod business, or did they simply reopen under a new name? Can borrowers obtain an accounting of their trust funds and/or refund?
If it costs $2500 to be considered for placement on your “Trusted Firm” list, how much does it cost to stay off your $h#t list?
All fair questions
Ok, well I just came across this blog post, which is a bit strange because I try and read most/all of the posts on this site… Anyways, since my name is mentioned I feel the need to say a couple things that relate.
First, I know Moe and Martin (and many others in this field), and I have respect for both of them and their accomplishments. Now, with that out of the way…
Martin Andelman is providing an invaluable service to lawyers practicing in the area of loan modifications. I do not believe he is motivated by profit, and frankly I don’t believe he is making a profit, on anything related to loan modifications. For the record, I do not think Martin charges firms to be listed on his trusted loan mod section. Frankly, I am not sure I would see anything wrong with him doing so, but as far as I know he doesn’t. I have never been told that if I pay any amount of money I too would be listed. Martin has started a commission which involves lawyers grouping together to protect the field, for their benefit, and that of homeowners. Lawyers can contribute to this commission and their contribution is used directly to further the commission. Personally and professionally I think Martin is one of the good guys.
As to Moe, he has been a pioneer in the loan modification and real estate crisis. He was one of the first on the scenes and has written a ton about it. Homeowners follow Moe and he provides valuable resources and information for them. And yes, my firm does pay to advertise on his sites. That being said, I don’t know enough to agree or disagree with respect to GCS or ml-implode, but I think he’s got the wrong idea on Martin.
I hope both Moe and Martin keep doing what they are doing as we need more, not less information on these topics. Frankly, I think both should have a link to one another, but I’ll leave online promotion to them as clearly they know what they are doing.
Nathan
Krista… How do I chase down the three complaints you’ve provided? I also received one from a guy named Scott and I was able to get him to Curt and he just sent me a thank you note. I asked him to let me know how things go, so we’ll see, and I’d be happy to do the same thing for the three people here.
Moe… I’ve spoken with Nathan Francen and he denies having said the things you claim he did. In fact, he’s posted here to that effect and suggested that you speak with me about your baseless claims. I’ve been trying to think of how I could prove to you that I have never been paid 10¢ for listing anyone on my trusted firm list, but in thinking about it, I’m not sure which of my financial records would establish what did not happen. If you have any ideas as to what I could show you in that regard, let me know and I’d be happy to share them with you or anyone else for that matter.
I’ll state it again: No one has ever paid me or anyone else to be included on the listing of firms I would trust to handle my own loan modification.
Now, perhaps a little background would be helpful…
When you say that I don’t know as much as you or Krista does about the loan modification field, you are absolutely correct. The only thing I know about mortgages is how to get one without reading it. I have never been in the real estate or mortgage industries, or any related industries for that matter.
I also am quite familiar with your writings on the subject, because it was your writings that got me interested in the subject in the first place.
I started writing about the financial sector meltdown in early 2006, but not having anything to do with loan modifications. My focus was the accounting behind what would become the demise of Wall St. and the economic impact that was all but certain to result.
Then, I think in late 2006, I read something about FDIC Chair Sheila Bair, and how she favored loan modifications as being part of the solutions. It sounded like a reasonable solution, so I looked them up, found your writings, and thought them to be very good.
I didn’t really know anything about blogging until Election Night, 2008, or rather the day after. I was listening to NPR on my way to work and someone was talking about how Barack Obama had mastered the power of “Web 2.0 technologies”. Although I’ve earned my living as a writer, strategist, and creative director for the past 20 years, I was still a put-pen-to-paper guy, for the most part.
I started blogging on Christmas Eve, 2008, and built up quite a following on MSNBC’s Newsvine. Then sometime around April, I believe, someone from ML-Implode called me and asked me if I’d be interested in having a blog that was linked to them, and I said I would if I would be featured on their site apart from any other bloggers… they agreed. I told them I knew nothing about mortgages and they said they understood and that it was fine.
I started filming a documentary in the fall of 2008, and had interviewed homeowners on camera who had told me stories about how they had been unable to get their loan modified themselves, but had hired a firm who had been successful.
So, after talking with perhaps 100 homeowners who all said the same things, I was shocked to hear President Obama tell the country that all firms who charged a fee were scams. The news magazines were quick to start running stories about fly-by-night operators who had charged homeowners and skipped town.
I had just started going around interviewing various loan modification firms and, although there were some that seemed like they were being run by sleazy mortgage types, there were others that were law firms and they certainly didn’t appear to be fly-by-night scams. They had large investments in their offices, numerous attorneys on staff, and hundreds of happy clients I could speak to. They didn’t meet my definition of “scam”.
I started listing the firms that didn’t fit my definition of scam because homeowners who had found my blog started calling me to ask for my advice on where they might go without fear of being scammed, and when the number of calls overwhelmed me, I decided to offer a listing of firms I would trust if it were me.
And that’s an important point… “if it were me”. As everyone knows that’s read my column, I’m not by any means an expert in loan modifications, I’ve never done a modification, and thank God, have not yet needed a loan modification. Am I capable of being scammed… absolutely. Everyone is capable of being scammed. To this day, when someone asks me my opinion, I always tell them that if it were me, I’d choose a firm near to where they live so they can visit and meet with the attorney who will be handling their case. In today’s mess of an environment, I think it’s the best one can do.
In my view, the state and federal government have failed us at every turn throughout this free fall in the housing markets. It is not a cyclical downturn, it is the result of bankers who essentially robbed their own banks as they defrauded investors around the world… all while any sort of government intervention was asleep at the switch.
All the government needed to do was regulate an industry so people that wanted to could hire a private sector firm to help them get their loan modified. They manage to do that in every other industry, why should this one be so different? There were 188,000 securities scams last year, according to the SEC, but no one is telling me not to pay my financial advisor. There were 33,000 cases of credit card fraud as a result of identity theft in one month of this year, but no one is telling me not to use credit cards.
I personally tried calling banks and the government hotline so many times I couldn’t tell you, and found it to be very near impossible to even get a simple question answered. People need help getting their bank to modify their mortgage, and they should be able to hire a firm that’s regulated in some way for their protection.
Paying a fee up front, especially if to a law firm’s trust account seemed like the safest alternative. I know, as does every other homeowner, that there are nonprofit housing counselors out there, but there are nowhere near the number that would be needed to address the growing problem. And I’m not someone who wants a “counselor”. If it were me, I’d prefer to pay an attorney. And that’s just me. Our free market system generally provides options, and I think that’s a good thing.
As to Green Credit… I met them and was shown proof that they were modifying hundreds of loans each month. They had started in 2007 and had been operating roughly 18 months before the DRE imposed their advance fee agreement. When a state agency does something like that, it’s always a problem, because firms who have existing business models that can’t conform to the new restrictions, are faced with the decision of either closing their doors, or trying to find a way around the new rules.
Green Credit had never operated under the DRE’s jurisdiction before, and now looked to find a way to operate in a complaint manner. That’s where the “attorney-backed” nonsense came from, and it was never something I thought was right.
The overriding point, in my mind, has always been that Green Credit was in fact modifying hundreds of mortgages each month. They weren’t scamming anyone, they were trying to operate a business in a compliant manner during a time when the state wasn’t providing a clear path to such an objective. I attended a DRE audit of the firm, and was told that the issues were administrative and did not allege fraud.
With that in mind, I continued to list Green Credit until I was told that they had received a Desist & Refrain and then closed their doors. I contacted them and they assured me that they had started to slow down several months before receiving the desist order from the DRE and that they were paying a compliant law firm to take over their “pipeline” and that no one was being left in the lurch.
When I received an email from someone who said that they were feeling left in the lurch, I did what I could to correct that situation by contacting Curt to in essence demand that he address the situation and as of today, that homeowner has thanked me for doing so.
Wrapping up… As we sit here today, I am unsure as to how to proceed with any sort of trusted firm listing. I’m not sure how to determine whether a firm is good or bad. I can only determine whether a firm is a scam or is not. And if they’re getting loans modified, they’re not a scam. Does that mean that they won’t be closed or otherwise attacked by one regulatory agency or another… unfortunately, no, it does not.
One thing I am going to do is begin listing individual attorneys that I’ve come to know and trust, as I think it will be easier to check into individual attorneys than firms. But, I still don’t know how to ascertain, as you seem to think I should, whether a given firm is “good” or “bad,” other than to say that a firm is not “scamming” people by taking money and delivering nothing in return. You’ve been in this business and are still in this business, so surely you recognize that it’s very often the lender or servicer, and not the firm, that is the core problem.
The regulatory agencies, as I’m almost certain you would agree, are not handling the situation in a rational and well-informed way. Loan modifications have become a political target and, with the evidence against lender and servicer misconduct now abundant, to put it mildly, I am afraid of a world in which homeowners find themselves without the ability to retain an attorney to represent them.
And regardless, with all of that being said… I again assure you that no one has ever paid money to me or any related party for being listed as a trusted firm. Blogging costs me a lot of money. I am not paid by ML-Implode. And I don’t offer advertising. I do what I do because I want to do it and because I see a bright and important future.
I hope this has helped you to understand me and Mandelman Matters.
Martin,
Thank you for speaking your piece and once again participating in the discussion. I also appreciate you following up on a specific complaint. I hope the matter gets resolved quickly, and that you can help.
In regard to the 3 recent complaints, wasn’t it you who told me that for each person that gets angry enough to write a letter that there are many more people who feel the same way that never act? If I recall correctly, you said 1 letter represents 100 people (at least in the eyes of Congressmen). Going off what you told me, the 3 complaints should equate to 300.
You and I will always differ in our opinion on how to best help homeowners. I say provide borrowers free direct support and information, you say steer to an attorney or mod firm. You say you do not get paid, yet you were a paid consultant to GCS.
You say you screen companies, yet GCS still went on your “trusted” list despite me providing you with a laundry list of concerns. You also know that I did same with MLI and that MLI continued to promote them.
You state that you believe I am an expert. You state that I am one of the most knowledgeable people you know in my field. Why then, did you disregard my information and concerns? It couldn’t have been that my concerns weren’t supported, because I know I inundated you with links and information.
The reality is that the CA Bar released of companies and attorneys they are investigating. 2 of your trusted attorneys/firms are on the CA Bar’s list. Add back GCS to the list and there are 3 firms with regulatory issues and/or open investigations out of 12. That is 25% or 1 out of every 4. These are peoples lives and homes, and 1 out of 4 doesn’t cut the mustard.
I don’t care about your motivations or justifications. I care about the net effect. The net effect is that you don’t seem to be very adept at screening businesses. If you don’t have the specific knowledge or experience to properly screen companies, you shouldn’t be doing it whether or not you receive compensation.
As to whether you make money at what you do, I will take you at your word. However, I do have a few questions for Mr. Fransen:
1. Were you or were you not advised of a fee that was required to cover the cost of screening your company?
2. If so, how much was the fee?
You stated that you did not believe that Martin was motivated by profit and that you didn’t believe Martin would charge companies to be on the list. However, you did not indicate whether a screen fee was required to be considered for inclusion on the list.
You also indirectly indicated that Martin was valuable to your cause which helps you remain in business. You also said that you contributed to his commission and encouraged other modification attorneys to do so. So, technically, money is involved.
Mr. Fransen, if the loan mod scams would stop, and attorneys would stop aiding and abetting those who circumvent laws, good attorneys would not be in jeopardy.
Going back to Green Credit and ML Implode, GCS was ML Implode’s biggest sponsor. Anyone who has been on the ML Implode over the last year knows that. And ML Implode even went so far as to get involved in GCS business- according to public statements made by Randall. Randall made it sound like ML Implode and GCS were actually partners several times in the discussion forum. Randall contacted people and actively promoted GCS. Its clearly documented on the ML Forums.
As I said before, I’m not out to get you Martin. I’ve just dealt with this nonsense long enough. Its just so flagrant and in my face.
Why haven’t you wrote about the GCS closure??? Why hasn’t ML Implode disclosed it? You put the company on your list, please tell your readers why you took them off. If you really want to help- start there.
Thank you.
Krista,
First, just to set the record straight, I have not been quoted any fee for a screening of my firm my Martin Andleman or anyone he is affiliated with, or anyone for that matter. I have not paid any money to Martin or the Crisis Commission or anyone related with either entity.
Now, with that out of the way, I should, and likely will contribute to the Crisis Commission. I feel it is an organization that represents my interests. Although it is a new entity, I like what I have seen in their efforts and I do believe there is a need for ethical attorneys to articulate a clear and focused message with respect to some of the anti-lawyer discourse that is becoming more and more prevelant.
Krista, I do agree that we (lawyers) are at least partially to blame for the challenges we now face. Some among us have acted in a manner inconsistent with the high ethical standards we should uphold. Lawyers should not allow themselves to be used as a way for non-lawyers to circumvent laws. Lawyers should provide legal services, which means being involved in a meaningful way with clients. Still, we need to be careful not to cast to wide of a net. Lawyers can, and should be a valuable component of providing relief to those affected by the mortgage crisis.
Additionally, I would like to use this opportunity to defend capatalism. Martin has done a good job defending himself, so I won’t belabor the point of his compensation, or lack their of, for his writings and efforts in this area. But, truthfully, it bothers me a defense is needed. I am listed on lawyers.com as well as several other prominent websites (this one included). I pay for this. Its advertising and thats part of business. I hope those I advertise with (this site included) profit from me. They should. I know for example that Moe works tirelessly on his websites and has been able to generate a ton of traffic. I should pay him to be listed and no one should have a problem with that. Martin does not, but even if he did, so what? The Crisis Commission is new and I understand the members are contributing to further their joint efforts. I don’t know much beyond that, but none of that should bother anyone.
By the way, I also donate to the Red Cross now and then. I generally like what they do and don’t feel that my donating in any way hampers their efforts, in fact just the opposite.
Here’s yet another complaint posted on Trulia:
“Green credit, Guardian and getmycreditgrade are all the same however GCS is no longer the name they use as i am a very dissapointed client represented by a company that can no longer represent me according to the state of california. I have a Calhfa loan of which they organized a modification unit in april five months after i notified them that i was unable to make payment. GCS made no attempt to fulfill their obligation until two weeks ago when i got my sale date attached to my door. I now am consulting with a R.E. atty in hopes of keeping my home. I now believe that i was scammed by GCS and fully intend to sue them in small claims to reclaim the nearly $5000.00 i have spent and so far and achieved nothing. My home is due to be sold in two weeks. Eight months of wasted time now i may not have enough time to save my home. DONT DO ANY BUSINESS WITH ANY ONE OF THE NAMES ABOVE it will only bring you pain! A real client Dave Wolff” A few hours ago
http://www.trulia.com/voices/Foreclosure/Is_Green_Credit_Solutions_a_scam_I_have_worked_w-123286
So, Nathan, you know I speak my mind and I am ALWAYS prepared to back up and stand by my words. With that said, I am really disappointed in you and your views. I feel as if Martin called you and begged you to step in and save his loan modification face…… That is fine, but I feel as for someone that markets for you, that this is a BIG PR mistake.
OK, Nathan, you want to be associated with a so called “crisis commission” where 1 in 4 attorneys on his list is under investigation by the State BAR for scamming homeowners? They have not been charged as of yet, but you and I know that many of the firms on Martins Andlemans list are well known to be operating illegally. Some of the firms have hundreds of complaints online and this appears to be no coincidence.
That is like being a politician and voting to keep funding ACORN so they can continue committing fraud after it has been systematically shown where a 2nd grader can figure out and make an “educated” decision on who is a sham and who is the real deal.
All we are missing is a video with pimps and hookers getting coached on how to get a loan modification, right Krista?
So, with that said, this is not a witch hunt and I am NOT saying that Martin is a scam. We are questioning his morals and ethics here. I didnt chime in until Martin brought me in the debate that Krista was successfully winning without my help.(error)
This blog post is the reality of me doing the job I have done diligently for 2 1/2 years and standing by my morals and ethics. By me placing the people before the money. Looks like Krista (who I have never met) also holds the same morals and ethics as I.
You either have them or you don’t.
You cant buy it for $2k dollars, you cant start a blog 2 years in the game and act like your the Holy Moses (Holey Martin?) of loan modifications with the 10 commandments that are going to save all lawyers from damnation by a banking industry hell bent on making you all appear to be devils.
Nathan,
My issue has never been with advertising or good old capitalism. My issue has been entirely with journalism that is influenced by advertising and marketing. I am going to be frank and tell you outright that I have serious concerns as to how Andelman and MLI have balanced journalism, their duty as a “watch dog” website, and the interests of their sponsors.
In the interests of the public and regulators, I am throwing this right out there.
1. Both Andelman and the Mortgage Implode-O-Meter promoted GCS while they knew there were compliance issues.
2. Randall at MLI gave MLI’s personal assurances regarding GCS and referred to GCS as more than a sponsor- but a partner.
3. When I brought my concerns to MLI’s and Andelman’s attention, my concerns were disregarded.
4. MLI responded to my concerns by defending GCS without providing any type of proof as to why.
5. A Desist and Refrain Order was issued against GCS by the CA Department of Real Estate, and an Accusation was filed June 2009.
6. MLI and Andelman state GCS closed as the result of a settlement with DRE.
7. GCS closed its office, website and phones and moved to a new location under a new name. The new website is http://www.getmycreditgrade.com. GCS was listed on the website registration.
8. I contacted Getmycreditgrade.com on Friday, September 25th because live chat was down and borrowers were being diverted to full mailboxes. I spoke to Angela. She said they were having problems with live chat and the internet, and that the problem should be resolved by Monday. I asked her if they were still accepting new mods, and she kinda laughed and said, “of course”.
9. Borrowers have written on public forums that GCS is still doing mods at the new company as well.
10. Both Andelman and ML Implode refused to report the closure.
Randall at ML also made this comment a few months ago:
“Yes Syd… we ARE doing Loan Modifications, and Debt Settlement also. With a
staff of 40 and growing fast… in-house counsel and a network of hundreds of
Attorneys nationwide.
We are working on Retail, Wholesale (Brokers) and Institutional levels. Advertising on the Internet, Radio and Newspapers is working.
The tremendous infrastructure costs to do it RIGHT, and LEGALLY should move Brokers over to a system they can trust. Gov’t oversight and audits and the threat of going to jail (should you screw up) should not be taken lightly. Get in touch with GCS if you want to do it right, with the full confidence of the
Team at the Implode-O-Meter.
Whether you are a Broker looking to expand your product lines, or even need a ‘Mod’ yourself, visit:
1. http://getgreencredit.ml-implode.com/landing.html”
That is not advertising. Notice the word “we”? I filed that under BS.
Randall also made this comment a few months ago as well:
“I can tell you that Green Credit Solutions does everything they say it does.
The Mortgage Lender Implode-O-Meter feels strongly that modifying the terms of homeowner loans should be of the HIGHEST priority, AND a way to re-employ many of us in the mortgage industry.
We searched… we investigated… we participated in the design, marketing, and ‘quality’ of Green Credit Solutions. We made them a sub-domain of ml-implode.com. We have weekly meetings with Management, and daily conversations on progress. I personally make trips to their offices often.
Green Credit Solutions is a credible, valuable component of the economic correction we are all living with today, and the coming years.
Until we say otherwise, you can put the same trust in GCS that you put in the Implode-O-Meter.”
Since GCS has been issued a D & R Order then closed, does this mean people shouldn’t put their trust in the Implode-O-Meter?
Now Andelman has two firms that are on the CA Bar’s list of attorneys/firms under investigation. And Aaron wants to kick start Iamfacingforeclosure.com.
If MLI can’t come clean about Green, they have no business posing as watchdogs. You can’t let business determine what gets printed and what doesn’t.
Nathan, my argument is not with you. I apologize if I spoke out of line and didn’t give you the benefit of the doubt. However, there remains conflicting stories, and I do not have first hand knowledge to make a determination either way. Nonetheless, Martin has admitted to charging out of state companies $1000 to cover the compliance and background check. Both Andelman and Aaron discussed screening fees on an ML thread that has since been deleted (guess who saved a copy).
Aaron said:
“But I can tell you from my conversations with Martin, revolving around how to help people and raise money for the site at the same time, the idea was to charge firms to be screened, at which point they MAY be listed at our option. That is, payment would be for the screening process primarily, and listing would only happen should we approve them. They would have to agree that there is no guarantee of being listed.”
Aaron says right out the screening fee is to raise money for the site. He didn’t say to complete background and compliance reviews at cost. He says specifically that it is to raise money for the site.
And Andelman said:
“What Aaron is referring to is related to approving firms as Trusted Firms when they are outside the state of California. I met with a compliance attorney who advises the State Bar as to how I might do this. She felt that she could help me approve out of state firms through a process, but that it would include background checks and other compliance reviews that would cost me close to $1,000. It is NOT a profit center and no one can pay to be on the list. But I can’t afford to spend $1,000 to have a firm listed. And I can’t check out a firm in another state for free.”
So Moe’s claim of a $2500 fee isn’t an unreasonable stretch.
You can claim that Moe is mistaken and that Andelman never discussed fees or costs with you, and that your background and compliance review would be completed at no charge in order to be considered for placement on the list. However, you can’t know for a fact that Andelman never charges modification companies or attorneys upfront screening fees to be considered for the privilege of being put on the “trusted firm” list.
I’m just sayin’.
Mr. Andelman,
You stated in the responses above that you wanted to hear from anyone who thought they were abandoned by GCS. I was and I emailed you directly at the link you provided but you never responded. My email address was included and I’ve not yet heard back from you. You then stated you’d like to know how to get in touch with me, here is my number 503-663-7412, my name is Annette. In my email I asked you for a refund of the $3,495 dollars I paid and a copy of what that money I paid to you went towards. I would still like the information and could really use the refund. Yesterday I received a call from Guardian Credit, they told me they closed my file, and they would not be providing me a refund because I didn’t sign anything with them that obligated them to refund me my money.
Hey Martin,
Can we get a comment out of you on all these new developments with Green Credits, Curtis Melone and Christopher Fox? Your silence implies guilt and complicity in what may appear to be a now, “criminal matter.”
Acting as a pitch man, conduit and internet ring leader for an organization that commits crimes and preys on consumers would indicate to me that your hands are as dirty as Melones and Fox. Meaning, that you too should be named a conspirator in these cases. The reason being is that you knew, were warned and failed to alert the public. Yet, you still sit on your self appointed loan modification throne pitching scams for whoever will throw some money your way. If I were an FTC, AG or DA investigator, your a$$ would be named also for your complicit involvement in misleading consumers and steering them as the mouth piece for what looks like multi-million dollar scam. Who’s next, the Feldman Law Center? I’ll bet money on that one….
This is not legal rocket science dude. If I were you, I would shut down your blog and go underground selling that insurance gig you are now peddling. Maybe next week it will be human organs in China. I dunno…..
What do you guys want him to do take out a full page in the Wall Street Journal ? He answered you and your accusations I just read it in this thread. I think he pissed you off with the take up house painting as new career article in The Niche Report. Get over it.
Martin Andleman is the biggest loan modification blogging clown I have ever seen. He will implode just like every other wanna be blogger out there due to internet Karma. No need to respond to a blog post that makes him look like the flaming idiot he is. I hope the FTC takes his scam promoting ass down and he continues to be a broke has been like every other person in our economy right now who provides no value to our society.
The facts are that Martin Andleman doesn’t matter.