As foreclosures increase across the US, so to do scams that promise to come to the rescue of homeowners facing foreclosure. Instead of saving your home, what foreclosure rescue scams do is steal your money, destroy your credit rating, and wipe out whatever equity you may have in your home.

Those involved in foreclosure scams prey on people who may have fallen into arrears on their mortgage payments and so are facing a foreclosure. It’s easy for these scammers to locate potential victims because before a notice of foreclosure is filed, the mortgage holder is required to publish a notice.

Once they’ve picked out a vulnerable person, the scam rescue company gets in touch with the homeowner by phone, email or even with a home visit. It’s important not to be swayed into thinking that because you’ve seen an ad in the paper or on the web, they are aboveboard. And even if they refer to themselves as a foreclosure rescue agency or a mortgage consultant, it doesn’t really prove that they are.

Be skeptical of any company that offers to negotiate with your mortgage holder on your behalf. It’s up to you to check out their credentials as well as their reputation. Contact the Better Business Bureau or your local law enforcement agency to see if they have any information about them.

The last thing you need when dealing with a possible foreclosure is to get taken by a scammer. Be cautious and very suspicious of anyone offering to represent you for a fee.

You can deal with the situation yourself. The best way to stop or delay a foreclosure is to get in touch with your lender to see if there is anything that can be done. Why spend money having someone else do that for you? A better use for that money might be to pay down arrears or hire a lawyer.

Now if you do decide to work with a third party, here are a few things to consider in order to avoid problems.

It’s important to get things in writing and be sure that you get copies of any agreements. A written document can protect your rights; verbal promises don’t and they can’t be used in a court of law.

Don’t be rushed into signing anything, even though you know that time is of the essence to resolve your problem. Read each and every document before you sign.

If you find the document confusing, don’t sign it. Bring it to a lawyer or a financial adviser you trust for interpretation and advice. There are a few things you should be especially wary of signing at all.

Do not sign over the deed to your house. By doing that you lose your rights as well as any equity you may have built up. Never, ever sign a document that has blank spaces that could be completed after you sign. And if there are errors on a document, refuse to sign it until corrections have been made.

Don’t agree to let a foreclosure rescue company make your mortgage payments. Make them yourself directly to your mortgage holder.

This really serves two purposes. First your bank can see that you are making an effort to make your payments. Second, you can be certain all of the funds are going towards your mortgage without any fees to the rescue company being taken out first.

Just remember that adage. When something sounds too good to possibly be true, it probably is. If you follow these steps, you can prevent yourself from being victimized by any foreclosure rescue scams.

If you are facing foreclosure, you need help. Don’t fall victim to a foreclosure scam. Get free foreclosure information at http://www.getforeclosurefacts.com and find out how to avoid foreclosure scams.