FBI, U.S. Attorney Expand Oregon Fraud Working Group Effort

With foreclosure rescue schemes and short sales scams on the rise, the Portland office of the FBI and the U.S. attorney's office for the District of Oregon are expanding their efforts to identify and prosecute mortgage fraud in the state by establishing special Internet and phone tip lines to handle reports of mortgage fraud. The Oregon Mortgage Fraud Working Group, which has been operating since 2007, will handle the investigations. The majority of the Oregon Mortgage Fraud Working Group investigators are working major cases involving multiple suspects, multiple borrowers and millions of dollars in fraudulent loans. The Oregon Mortgage Fraud Working Group also focuses on emerging crime trends that are associated with the growing tide of foreclosures, such as foreclosure rescue schemes and short sales. People are urged to report any mortgage fraud activity or information by visiting Portland FBI's website at http://portland.fbi.gov, calling the phone tip line at (503) 273-5813, or emailing mortgagefraudtips.portland@ic.fbi.gov.