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To report suspected mortgage fraud in Pennsylvania, choose the agency that fits the property, conduct, and company involved; you may need to report to more than one. Philadelphia property-record concerns have a city reporting process, while the Pennsylvania Attorney General takes consumer and scam complaints, and the Department of Banking and Securities may handle concerns involving financial firms within its scope. Federal channels may also apply, especially for internet-enabled schemes or possible mortgage-related fraud. Preserve a dated account and copies of relevant documents and messages as you report. A complaint is not a finding that a crime occurred, legal representation, or a guarantee of an investigation or recovery.
Which agency should I contact about suspected mortgage fraud in Pennsylvania?
Start with the nature of the suspected conduct and where the property or financial firm is located. Pennsylvania does not have one reporting form that covers every kind of mortgage fraud. Philadelphia’s Department of Records has a local process for suspected deed or mortgage fraud involving Philadelphia property; other consumer scams may be reported to the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, while complaints about certain financial firms may fit the Department of Banking and Securities (DoBS). Federal reporting channels can be relevant too.
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| Situation | Possible reporting route | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Suspected unauthorized deed or mortgage activity involving property in Philadelphia | Philadelphia Department of Records | This is a city process, not a statewide filing route. The city’s form may direct an owner to contact police and other local or state offices. |
| Suspected scam or unfair consumer-business conduct in Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General scam complaint | The office accepts consumer and scam complaints and may share a complaint with the business or refer it elsewhere. |
| Concern involving a state-chartered or licensed financial firm | Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities | Check whether the firm and issue fall within DoBS’s scope. The department also points consumers to CFPB resources. |
| Internet-related conduct, suspected federal mortgage scheme, or financial-institution issue | IC3, FTC, lender or institution, and potentially FHFA OIG | These are distinct channels. A report to one does not automatically go to another. |
“Mortgage fraud” can refer to different events. Philadelphia describes deed fraud as an unauthorized sale or removal of an owner’s name from a deed, and describes mortgage fraud on its service page as someone placing a mortgage against property they do not own without the owner’s knowledge or informed consent. Broader housing-finance guidance also discusses borrower-side application fraud, title fraud, and schemes targeting distressed homeowners. Report the observable facts rather than trying to decide which legal label applies.
What should I do first if the property or money is at immediate risk?
If a deed transfer, foreclosure, payment demand, or suspected unauthorized loan creates an immediate risk, act on the property or loan problem while making fraud reports. Reporting alone may not stop a transaction, resolve a foreclosure, or change a loan obligation.
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- Contact the legitimate lender or servicer. Use contact information from a statement, official account portal, or another source you independently trust—not a phone number or link sent by the suspected scammer. Ask what account or property activity the company can verify, and keep a record of the date, person, and response.
- Get legal advice promptly when title or ownership is threatened. The Philadelphia Department of Records specifically tells people using its relevant form to contact a real-estate lawyer immediately. A lawyer can advise about your circumstances; an agency complaint is not a substitute for an attorney representing you.
- If foreclosure or payment relief is involved, seek housing counseling too. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) points borrowers facing foreclosure to HUD-approved housing counseling. Counseling about mortgage options addresses a different need from reporting suspected fraud.
- Preserve what you have before submitting it. Save messages and documents in their original form where possible, then use copies or photos for complaint uploads. Do not delay urgent contact with the lender or a lawyer while trying to assemble a perfect file.
Do not send money to a third party merely because someone promises to stop a foreclosure, modify a loan, or protect your home. Verify any proposed payment or instruction directly with the legitimate servicer using independently confirmed contact details.
How do I report suspected deed or mortgage fraud in Philadelphia?
For a property in Philadelphia, use the city’s Department of Records service for suspected deed or mortgage fraud. The city manages deeds, mortgages, and other land-title documents for Philadelphia; this reporting route should not be treated as the process for property elsewhere in Pennsylvania.
Open the City of Philadelphia’s report suspected deed or mortgage fraud page and follow the linked Department of Records form instructions. The form asks whether a police report was made and requests the police report’s district control number. Its Philadelphia-specific workflow can include contacting police, notifying the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Economic and Cyber Crime Unit, and notifying the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. Follow the current form’s instructions for your situation; this sequence is not a universal requirement for every Pennsylvania complaint.
The Department of Records lists [email protected] and (215) 686-2290 as contact details. Check the city page for current instructions before filing. Keep a copy of what you submit and any intake or report number.
How do I file a Pennsylvania Attorney General complaint?
The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General accepts complaints about scams and consumer issues through its online forms. This route may fit a suspected mortgage-related scam or deceptive business practice, including one that is not a Philadelphia land-record matter.
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Use the office’s scam complaint form or its complaint portal. The scam form asks for a clear account of what happened, when and where it happened, how often it occurred, and details about statements and people or businesses involved. It also asks whether you contacted a payment processor or bank and whether you reported the matter to another law-enforcement agency. Answer accurately; if you do not know something, do not guess.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallThe form accepts relevant supporting records such as contracts, proof of payment, emails, and screenshots of text messages. If you do not have a scanner, it says you may upload a photo of a document. Retain copies of the files and your submitted complaint for your records.
The Office of Attorney General says, “The Attorney General cannot act as your private attorney.” The office enforces laws against unfair or deceptive practices, may offer mediation for eligible matters, and may share a complaint with the party complained about or refer it to another agency. Filing does not mean the office will represent you personally, open a specific investigation, recover your money, or determine that fraud occurred.
When should I contact Pennsylvania’s Department of Banking and Securities?
DoBS may be a relevant route when the concern involves a financial firm within its jurisdiction, including certain state-chartered or licensed banks and credit unions, consumer lenders, and other financial-services firms. Its listed regulated non-depository registrants include mortgage brokers, lenders, servicers, discount companies, and originators.
Review the DoBS Consumer Help Center instructions and confirm that the entity and issue fit the department’s current scope before filing. DoBS also directs consumers to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) for suspected financial-industry misconduct. The CFPB’s complaint page lists 855-411-2372. A company’s name or the word “mortgage” alone does not establish which regulator handles a particular complaint; check the agency’s current guidance.
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Which federal reporting channels may apply?
Federal channels can be used alongside appropriate state or local reports when the suspected conduct fits their purpose. They are not interchangeable, and submitting a complaint to one does not automatically notify the others.
- Internet-related activity: The OCC identifies the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) as a route for complaints involving internet-related crimes. This may be relevant when a suspected scheme used online messages, websites, or other internet-enabled means.
- Consumer scam: The OCC also recommends reporting to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Its mortgage-fraud guidance lists 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).
- Possible mortgage or cyber-enabled scheme: The Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Office of Inspector General (FHFA OIG) accepts reports about possible mortgage fraud or cyber-enabled schemes targeting a borrower or mortgage company. Its fraud-prevention page lists 800-793-7724.
- Involved lender or financial institution: Notify the legitimate lender or institution involved, using independently verified contact information. The OCC recommends doing this as well as reporting to relevant agencies.
Use the agencies’ current official pages to confirm the right intake channel and contact details. Reports can be relevant in parallel when, for example, an online foreclosure-rescue pitch is also tied to a threatened property transfer or a financial firm. No single filing should be assumed to cover all of those issues.
What evidence should I preserve?
Build a factual timeline and a folder of relevant records. The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s form requests the kind of detail that makes a complaint easier to understand: what happened, when, where, how often, what was said, and who was involved.
Write a dated chronology
For each event, note the date and approximate time, location or communication channel, people or businesses involved, and what happened. Include names, other names used, phone numbers, addresses, email addresses, and the property address when relevant. Record exact statements that influenced a transaction, but distinguish a direct quote from your summary or recollection. Note whether you contacted a bank, payment processor, lender, police department, or agency, and what response you received.
Save records tied to the suspected conduct
- Mortgage, loan, or other transaction documents, contracts, notices, and letters
- Proof of payment, receipts, and relevant bank or payment records
- Emails and text messages, including screenshots that show dates and sender details where available
- Communications with the lender, servicer, broker, alleged actor, or agency
- Relevant property or title documents and any report, complaint, or confirmation number
The Pennsylvania Attorney General form expressly identifies contracts, proof of payment, emails, and text screenshots as useful supporting uploads. It also allows a photo of a document if you do not have a scanner.
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Keep originals intact and submissions organized
Where possible, preserve original messages and files rather than editing them. Make working copies for uploads, label them clearly, and keep a separate record of where and when you filed each report. Save the confirmation page, email, intake number, or police report number. These are practical recordkeeping steps; the reviewed agency guidance does not prescribe one universal chain-of-custody procedure or retention period for consumers.
Do not alter a message to make it easier to read or remove context from a screenshot. If you need to explain an item, add a separate note rather than changing the original. Share only records relevant to the complaint, and use the official agency’s current submission instructions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What warning signs should I include in a report?
You do not need to prove that a crime has occurred before reporting a reasonable suspicion. Describe what you observed and preserve supporting details; let the appropriate authority assess the facts.
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These signs do not by themselves establish fraud. In a report, explain who made the promise or request, what was said, when it happened, what you were asked to sign or pay, and whether you acted on it. Verify unexpected communications with the lender or agency through contact information you locate independently.
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Does one report go to every agency?
No. City, state, and federal reporting systems serve different functions, and the available data sources do not say that filing with one automatically forwards a complaint to all the others. When more than one route fits, submit separate reports and keep each confirmation or reference number.
For example, a Philadelphia title concern may call for the Department of Records’ local process, while an internet-enabled scam or a complaint about a covered financial firm may also fit a separate channel. A report is not a deadline extension, a guarantee of investigation, or a substitute for addressing a pending loan or title issue directly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I report suspected mortgage fraud if the person or company is outside Pennsylvania?
You can still describe the conduct to an agency whose complaint route fits the suspected activity, but a Pennsylvania connection alone does not establish which office has authority over an out-of-state person or firm. Include where the property, communications, payments, and company are located, and ask the receiving agency whether another regulator or law-enforcement office is more appropriate.
Do I need to know whether it is deed fraud, mortgage fraud, or a scam before I file?
No. You can report the facts you observed without settling on a legal classification. Explain what changed or was requested, who was involved, and why it concerns you; the receiving agency can assess whether the issue belongs in its process.
Should I respond to a caller who says they can fix my mortgage problem?
Do not rely on contact details or payment instructions supplied by an unexpected caller. Verify the claim with your servicer using information from an independently trusted statement or account portal, and be especially cautious of upfront-fee promises or pressure to transfer a deed.
