Asking for money upfront before providing any service: One of the tell-tale signs of a possible scam is when someone makes a promise or representation, but asks you for money upfront before delivering on that promise.  If you pay a scam artist, you're unlikely to see either your money or that scam artist again.

Making unqualified promises: To lure you out of your money and home, a scam artist will often say watever it is you want to hear in a very convincing manner.  If you're facing foreclosure, the scam artist is likely to assure you that he or she can stop it, fix it, or make the problem go away.  If it sounds to good to be true, it usually is.

Lacking credentials: With certain expectations, someone who charges you a fee to negotiate with your lender on your behalf must be licensed with the California Department of Real Estate.  You can do a quick "License Status Check" at www.dre.ca.gov.  You should also conduct further investigations before doing business with someone, such as checking public records, the Better Business Bureau, and the Internet, asking for and verifying references, and going to the business address to see address to see if it actually exists.

Asking for you to do something immediately without delay: Scam artists will push you to make quick decisions, often by making up fake deadlines.  They don't want you to have a chance to mull things over, go over the paperwork, or discuss their scheme with your family, friends, lender, real estate agent, or anyone else.

Brushing aside your questions. To help smoke out scam artists, ask a lot of questions, even if you know the answers.  Be leery of doing business with someone who brushes aside your questions or gives the wrong answers.  Indeed, an excellent way to protect yourself against scams is to learn as much as you can about foreclosure-related matters.  Because scam artists prey upon ignorance, the more you know about foreclosures, the less likely you'll be duped.

FORECLOSURE AVOIDANCE TOOLS
NAR Foreclosure AvoidanceBrochure
Fannie Mae - Avoid Foreclosure
Fannie Mae - Avoiding Predatory Lending 
Freddie Mac Avoiding Foreclosure
FHA Avoiding Foreclosure
HUD Tips for Avoiding Foreclosure

CREDIT COUNSELING SERVICES & CONSUMER PROTECTION TOOLS
HUD Approved Credit Counseling Services in California
Home Loan Learning Center Foreclosure Prevention Resource Center
Home Loan Learning Center Foreclosure Prevention Contact Information
Freddie Mac's Don't Borrow Trouble