OCEANSIDE, CALIFORNIA - A Southern California loan modification firm, First American Law Center was raided yesterday by FBI agents, the IRS and the State Bar of California. Armed with search warrants and firearms, agents searched two business related to the alleged mortgage rescue scam.
The first location that was searched was the First American Law Center 615 Mission Ave. in downtown Oceanside, and the second location was the Lead Source at 2101 El Camino Real who provided marketing for the law firm.
The law center was operated by California lawyer, Dean Chandler who was apparently in Arizona when agents raided his company. Chandler is currently licensed by the California Bar. He has been praticing law since 1992.
Another firm that was searched by agents is the Lead Source. This company was a national call center that furnished leads to the First American Law Center.
No arrests were made during the execution of the search warrants by law enforcement.
Source: http://www.loansafe.org/first-american-law-center
After the raid, this center was fully investigated and found to be in compliance and working hard for their clients. All agencies have allowed them to continue business and service their clients.
However, FBI will not return their files to service those clients and will not release their payroll to pay their staff. All staff is working without pay to assist their clients.
FBI, IRS, and other agencies are now the ones hurting hard working Americans by not allowing 1st American Staff to work their files….this is what happens when their “inside” person was trying to negotiate a plea bargain to stay out of jail..
I called my lender and was told that first american law center was doing an excellent job on my file. The problem is after the Raid I ave had no response from anyone at first american. t seems as if they are/ were legit, but this raid has prevented them from helping thier clients. I need to know how to get ahold of someone to get my money back now.
I spoke with them after it happened and was told business was as usual – our house was up for sale (foreclosure) on July 6th – Jennifer stopped the foreclosure and told me she would be back in touch. The number I have is 866-321-3510 – which on 7/1/2010 was being answered by a live person. Today it is back to the voicemail. I have sent an email to Jennifer at jdaigle@1stamericanlawcenter.com asking for a status today. I know that they are all in a a difficult situation right now. I also have a call into the FBI trying to find out further information. As far as a refund – I know that the assets where frozen as of 7/1/2010 – do not know if that has changed. I will let you know when I hear something from them. I also have some other contacts that I spoke with on the 1st – I just do not have that info readily available. However, it is all the same phone number. This is a very scary time….
I called and spoke with my lender. Over the 5 month period that 1st American law Center was supposedly working on my modification, the only correspondence between my lender and them was a letter asking for a 5.5% reduction in my interest rate. This was obviously turned down by my lender, but no further negotiation ever took place. I got more success with my lender in the 3 phone calls I have had with them this week then they ever did.
It seems to me that some of these postings are by individuals who have a hidden agenda to cover up the truth about this company
Hi
Does anyone have any information about law firms that 1st American used? Specifically Jupiter LLP out of Philadelphia and New York?
Thanks…:
I suggest that all do as I have done and make a formal complaint to the California Bar Assoc. against Mr. Dean Chandler and his “money scams” We will probaly never see our money but Mr. Chandler will have action taken by the California Bar either discontinuing his bogus practice or at least public reprimand with restitution. FIGHT for YOUR RIGHT to get what you paid for and not help to pay for his “lifesyle” at your expense and no benefit.
It also seems to me that some postings have been written by individuals who are trying to cover up the truth about 1st American. Also, a company that is demanding an upfront fee BEFORE doing any work ??
I lost my full time job after 20plus years and my part time job of 10years going thru ,a difficult time I explained To Mark Andrews,Elise Reed they were the ones could help me with my mortgage,high interest loans! They told me not to answer phones to bank until negotiations were over! Thses people should hang what they did to me I had to sell a life insurance,personal items etc to pay the fee&now I’m left with nothing!
I too was taken for $3500 from 1st American Law Center. I have been attempting to get a hold of someone since June 17th, and no luck. I was informed by BoA that my home is going itno fopreclosure on Sept 5th. I am a single mother with a disabled adult child living at home. To think that we are about to become homeless because of the inconsiderate nature of this scam angers me. I have already filed a claim with the BBB of San Diego, and will be filing with the Attorney General’s office for MO and CA, as well as the FBI office in SanDiego. Something must be done to stop these people from scamming others.
i have paid these people 3975.00 and have not heard anything from them.i feel all they have done is took my money.we are behind on our house pyt,and probably going to lose our home……….i hope these people get what they deserve…………i hope he never gets to practice law again ………..EVERRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I paid 1st american law center 2000.00 dollars. A week later they called and stated they needed another 1000.00
thank god we didn’t send them anymore monies.We could lose our home.We are raising 2 great- grandchildren 2 year old, 3 year old, and one grandchild that is 11years old that is m.r. I hope this man gets stopped some how.thats how people wind up homeless.
I contracted with this firm back on Dec 23, 2009, and in the beginning they seemed to act as if they were helping me…On July 28, 2010, I was not notified that they were raided, but rather a letter that stated that they were upgrading computer systems. Then when my neighbor came over and told me my house was being sold on wed, I went in and emailed the people I worked with at the firm and I got an email from Dean Chandler telling me the firm had been raided and he was withdrawing from my case…I am gonna chase this guy down as he has cost me and my kid, our parrot and a roommate to be homeless….I hope the KARMA gods rain hard upon him…
N0t to mention that they took me for $4495.00 in the process….I hope Dean Chandler and company get what they have coming to them and do some hard time…to fleece people in good times is terrible, to do it in bad times is absolutely despicable….
I was also ripped off by for 4495.00 by 1st American Law Center. I had not idea they were raided and been waiting to hear from them. Now that I decided to call them I find this.
I emailed the link on the above post only to get an reply with info to thier lawyers number that also dont excised.
What are we suppose to do to get our money back if we can at all?
These crooks took me for $5495.00. I was not behind on my payments at the time, but it was ajustable and was going up 1345.00 more a month and I new I could not pay that much more a month. I ask my lender for help and they were not interested at the time = Bank of america. 1st america law center was going to be able to have a satisfactory modification in 60 t0 90 days. Its been about a year and 3 turn downs. I had my attornney put in for my guarantee money back. Dean Chandler wrote back and said he would review it, and it would take 5 to 8 weeks before he would know,that was 10 weeks ago, and he will not return the calls back to my attotney. He needs prison time and a lot of it.
I was told that you need to contact the Sandiego FBI. When I spoke to them they put me on thier list of clients and sent me a packet which were attourney client release forms. Basically I authorized them to review my file. I was placed on thier list for refund once all legal action is completed against 1st american. I was told by the FBI that I will eventually get a refund they just couldnt promise me how much. Might only be half, might be all of it. I guess it will just be split up equally amoung all of us who were lucky enough to be ripped off by 1st american. The crappy thing too though is that they are goingto set aside some of the funds to pay the wages for the employees at 1st american who stopped recieving paychecks during thier last few months. I think that is BS. The employees had to know what was going on. As far as I am concerned they should have thier bank accounts seized as well to pay us back.
Those jerks were trying to pimp me off $3500.00. Luckily I felt it was a boiler room operation and kept those wolves at bay. They say a sucker is born every minute. I guess I was born on the half second.LOL! I feel for the helpless sheep that they gutted. Wow! Lawyers are suppose to have ethics. But the only thing they learn in law school is how to fleece the people,get rich and richer while climbing up on the backs of hard working Americans. That’s dope for real!
Everyone the same thing happened to me. They ripped me off for $3,995 and did nothing for me. Four months in I started to question thier services when they came back to me with a proposal of all most twice of what I was paying on my monthly mortgage payment. Totally different then what I was told in the beginning that they would be able to workout for me and had the nerve to state that they were working with President Obama’s stimilus plan. The people at this company are such liars, scammers and what goes around comes around. I was able to save my home from foreclosure by working with a non profit organization called NACA. It cost ABSOLUTLY NOTHING. Please everyone who still needs help go to NACA.com they will help you save your home. Good Luck to all…