BasePoint: Bulk of EPDs Linked to Fraud

Up to 70% of mortgage early payment defaults can be linked to fraud, according to a new study by BasePoint Analytics, a Carlsbad, Calif.-based provider of fraud scoring software.The study, aimed at probing the link between fraud and payment trends in the early life of a loan, found that loans with "egregious misrepresentations" on the loan application were up to five times more likely to default in the first six months than other loans. "Many lenders are facing increases in repurchase requests and early payment defaults," said Tim Grace, president and chief executive of BasePoint. "We can demonstrate for lenders and investment banks how they can substantially reduce their EPD losses, and often within a short period of time." The company can be found online at http://www.basepointanalytics.com.