The Federal Trade Commission has resolved an action against Residential Relief Foundation, a company targeting homeowners struggling to keep their homes.

According to consumer complaints filed with Better Business Bureau, Residential Relief Foundation used clever marketing to trick consumers into believing the company was a government agency and part of a program the Obama Administration had put into effect. The company claimed it could help struggling consumers with late fees, interest rates and reduce mortgage payments.

Between March 2010 and September 2011, 156 homeowners from 33 states, including Southern Arizona, filed complaints with BBB against Residential Relief Foundation. The complaints revealed an alarming pattern of false and broken promises, and alleged losses between $250 and $1,595. Single parents, seniors and families from across the country, were left deeper in debt or even homeless.

In a complaint to BBB, one troubled homeowner wrote, “I am now behind on my mortgage payment due (more…)