My True Story with Wells Fargo and Mom

     Around the world, people learned of many vampire-like travesties performed by Wells Fargo Bank; the news stories and investigations are endless.  The situation is indicative of America's growing corruption fed by unbridled greed and uncaring authorities... which caused global financial panic.

Here's my true story.  Please use this link to "My Life Story", which tells the events leading up to it...

http://halfwindsorfullthrottle.blogspot.com/2012/12/part-xiv.html

If you already read that part, skip down to the ***** marks.

May 1999 – The year after my father sought a divorce from my mother, I graduated from Alfred University.  Just before my graduation, my sister ran away from home, stole $3,000 cash from my father, and maxed out both of my mother's credit cards.  She moved to Florida with her boyfriend.  My parents did not press charges against my sister; my mother let it ruin her credit.

November 1999 – I started working at my first corporate job.

April 3, 2001 – An elderly man at my church, named Rolf (who cared for me like a grandson), died.  Soon after, his bachelor son committed suicide.  Rolf's wife, Edith, began losing her mind. (She becomes important soon).  

June 2003 - My father physically abused me for the last time.  Bloody from his beating, I defended myself and called the police.  I pressed charges.  At the court hearing, my mother pleaded with me to drop the charges, lying to me that she found a lawyer who would make things better.  My father got away with his illegal behavior.  Peculiar that my mother avoided punishing my sister and father, yet she intended to punish me (as you'll learn soon).

November 2004 – In the middle of my work day, my parents suddenly summoned me to the office of my father's divorce lawyer.  Their collaborative intent was to coerce me to apply for a mortgage on our home, since my mother couldn't.  The idea was to pay my father his portion of its value, so he'd leave, and my (scheming) mother and I would fix-up and sell the house--each beginning our lives anew.  Mom’s attorney, Robert “Bob” Cohen of Tabat, Cohen, Blum & Yovino, snuck in papers that waived my rights to sell the home without mom's approval.  

December 21, 2004 – the Good Faith Estimate of Settlement Costs from CTX Mortgage Company cost us $6,592 in fees.  The $200,000 mortgage was solely in my name.

December 30, 2004 – Dad signed the final divorce papers and moved into his "dream home" in upstate New York.

January 5, 2005 – Mom had the mortgage transferred and began a new co-signed $200k mortgage with Option One Mortgage Corp.  

October 2005 – I transferred to a better-paying job (mom remained a receptionist), and I oversaw our home improvements--often resisting my mother's urge to make grand changes.  My efforts went into new paint, carpeting, kitchen, appliances, bathroom, closets, gardens, and a restored fireplace.  I also became "Cinderella" for the home.

December 9, 2005 – Mom transferred our mortgage to Wells Fargo.  WF was federally investigated because its agents falsified income and credit scores of applicants to push them into mortgages that they shouldn't have—unbeknownst to applicants.  WF agents also pushed applicants into sub-prime mortgages, which are more costly/dangerous.  Such tactics were the build-up to the 2007-2008 housing market collapse (featured in the movie “The Big Short”).  By that time, my mother began blatantly refusing the sell our home.  Long Island has some of the highest living costs in America, and they began to pull us under.  Annual School taxes $9,393; Library taxes $511; County taxes $1,708; Town taxes $1,827; Fire District taxes $312.  I started working seven days a week at two jobs; she remained a receptionist.  I cashed in my 401K plan to make payments.  She irrationally refused to sell the house, as previously agreed!  I was at a loss to extricate myself and slavishly tried to keep things going until I could persuade her to change her mind.

Summer 2007 – My conniving mother got cozy with Edith, became her Power of Attorney, got her to sell her home and move into a luxury gated community (which my mother had a guest room and parking place at), and liquidated Rolf's stock portfolio.  I'm not sure where that money went.  Mom coerced Edith to entirely pay for my sister’s wedding in Florida: round-trip flights, hotel, dress, flowers, et cetera.  My sister moved into her "dream home".

November 2007 – I discover that Edith had been an authorized payer for our mortgage!  As Power of Attorney, my mother acted illegally via Elder-care Abuse.  Edith also paid for my mother's new Mercedes!  Mom spent weekends at casinos, and money given to her to pay our taxes and mortgage vanished.

2008’s financial crisis and housing market collapse was the darkest chapter in American economy since the Great Depression.  Wells Fargo received $25 billion in taxpayer largesse (a.k.a. federal bailout money), while it drained its customers.

March 2008 – A friend of mine, Chris, temporarily rented a bedroom in my home and discovered postal mail that Mom hid from me: foreclosure was eminent, and a lien existed against our house due to unpaid taxes!  Mom tried to scare Chris away, claiming that I was actually a wickedly terrible son.  (I discovered that she used those evil tactics for years on any potential boyfriend or apartment-mate whom I sought)!  A broken pipe on our furnace provided the final crisis.  While I was at work, Mom had Chris impersonate me--and give false receipts--to inflate our Home Owner’s Insurance check to $3,000 (while the actual needed amount was only $700) to repair the pipe.  That's illegal!  The check arrived in the mail, Chris saved it for me, and since I was afraid that Mom would squander it, I brought it to my bank.  Following the teller's instructions, I only added my signature, and HSBC Bank deposited the check into my account (for safe-keeping).  I told my mother that I would use it to pay our taxes.  Furious, Mom headed for Edith's home.  The next day, she had me arrested on phony Mail Fraud and Insurance Fraud charges.  HSBC denied everything and censured the teller who assisted me.  Chris paid my expensive bail.  Mom obtained an Order of Protection against me, so I couldn't go near her.  Then, she kicked me out of the house (with only the items that I had receipts for) giving me seven days to vacate.  My HSBC accounts remained frozen.  The court case began with my attorney Brendan Twomey (who worked for my church but turned out to be sleazy & money-hungry).  He advised me to move out immediately and surrender all of my intentions. 

April 2008 – Hurriedly, I moved to Bayside, Queens, getting a crappy apartment where the money-hungry landlord didn't check credit, arrest record, or bank balances.  Chris moved in with me, but never actually paid his share of our rent.

Sept. 2008 – Chris abandoned Bayside.  Through online ads, I got a new roommate.  In lieu of payment--while my attorney "milked" me monthly for money and dragged out my case for an entire year--my landlord made me do his household chores, heavy-lifting, and installing appliances & construction work on his other apartments.  I also sold my belongings on Craigslist.  Meanwhile, my mother occupied our home, as well as the amenities at Edith's complex: pool, clubhouse, and theme parties.  My lawyer and the court tried asking my mother to drop the charges--or explain it as a family misunderstanding--but she remained silent.  Their efforts to reach my sister and father also went unanswered.

March 1, 2009 – A new roommate moved in, since the prior one disliked our apartment (which didn't have heat).  

April 2009 – My court case finally ended.  (Felony reduced to misdemeanor, pled down to disorderly conduct, which is not a crime).  My lawyer told me that Mom cashed a re-issued Homeowner’s Insurance check--AND DEPOSITED IT--without MY signature.  Equally unlawful.  I asked other lawyers for legal help, but they all said that a retainer to pursue the issue (and get me off the mortgage) would be $10,000... which I couldn't afford.  I figured that eventually my mother wouldn't be able to pay the mortgage and would have to sell.  But, thanks to Fate, that didn't happen.

September 2009 – NYC officially discovered that my Bayside apartment was an illegal dwelling.  Frantically, I sought apartments.  My new boyfriend, Corey, got me one in Flushing--the dirty overpopulated Chinatown of Queens.  The location was still along the public bus route that I took to work (I gave up my car years ago).  The living costs were much less, so I saved money (the prior year's legal fees absorbed all my annual income).

Oct. 31, 2009 – Corey didn't renew the lease on his Astoria apartment and moved in with me, supposedly to help me save money, but he never got a job or paid any expenses.

January 2010 – I broke up with Corey, but I couldn't afford to move out yet.

Sept. 1, 2010 – I moved to another apartment in Flushing, infested with moths and mice.  More of my belongings got ruined.

Jan 20, 2011 – Edith died (survived by four grandkids who never investigated why my mother spent all their inheritance money!)  However, my mother's "free cash" ended, yet she simply didn't pay Wells Fargo!  Unbelievably (and terrible for me), they let that happen for five years!  It was a huge debacle.

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     Since 2010, Wells Fargo never got a mortgage payment from my mother.  In my opinion, they should've proceeded with foreclosure, because it's the right thing to do.  It's their fiduciary responsibility.  In total, my mother didn't pay them for 5 years!  Wells Fargo was probably afraid to foreclose on a mortgage that they falsified information for, in the first place.  But meanwhile, I was negatively impacted: a bad credit score prevents you from getting new jobs, new homes, and new credit cards.  
     The credit score system in America is ridiculous.  Despite 7 years of me making timely payments for monthly rent, cell phone, utilities, cable TV, internet service, and debit card purchases... none of that was reflected in my credit score.  None of it!  It apparently didn't count!  All of my past debts were paid on time, but that didn't count.  Only the overdue mortgage was reported to my credit score, ruining it.  Such a slanted system seems unfair.  The mortgage was beyond my control, and all my prudent behavior was ignored.  Meanwhile, my swindling mother lived in the house for free.

     I couldn't find a lawyer interested in helping me discover my options against Wells Fargo.  Yes, lawyers lined up to sue Volkswagen because it lied about its diesel cars' emissions; the lawyers smelled blood.  But nobody wanted to stand up against big banks... maybe because they knew the federal government rescued/backed the banks (even though they scammed the public). 

     When I incredulously asked WF why they didn't take action against my mother, they said that their files “went dormant” for the account, thus allowing Mom to live there for 5 years without payment!  In addition to damaging my hard-earned credit report, WF happily added up late fees and interest fees on missed payments!  Twice, as I tried calling them, the Customer Service agents read about my account and hung up on me to avoid me.  Only when I contacted the Nassau County Attorney General did WF resume interactions with me.  The Attorney General assigned someone to oversee my plea that WF take action.  

May 2011 – I was hired at a better job, finally in NYC.

September 2011 – I moved to wonderful Astoria, Queens.  

2014 – WF finally began foreclosure proceedings.  However, New York State is one of the few that still has "Judicial Foreclosure", which goes through the backlogged court system--taking as long as 986 days!  NYS has the second-longest foreclosure timeline.  That allowed more time for my mother to live for free--and my credit to be ruined.  My efforts to urge her to sell the house--while its value still outweighed the mortgage debt--went unanswered.

June 2015 – My credit report told me that “Wells Fargo account closed due to transfer” (WF said that the foreclosure proceedings were suspended due to a federal audit).  WF's lawyer, Gross Polowy LLC, said that they hadn’t proceeded to foreclosure/sale because they were “waiting for the process to continue”.   I asked for a copy of my mortgage and was told to fax my request to their Archives.   I sought help from Debt Protection Lawyers, but none touched my case or deigned to help me.

October 2015 – After another request for a copy of my mortgage, WF told me to fax a second request to their Archives.  

November 2015 - WF called in response to my inquiry through Nassau County Attorney General Office.  Apparently, a Federal Consent program included my mortgage, so that’s why my mother wasn’t foreclosed sooner.  WF finally began foreclosure and awaited a judge ruling to proceed.  

February 2016 - In response to pressure from Nassau County Attorney General, WF told me that if I wrote letter saying that (at this time) I wasn't seeking financial restitution from WF, they would proceed with foreclosure.  I did.  WF advised me that my mother could not stall foreclosure anymore, and the only options were either a full payment (to satisfy the mortgage) or a short-sell of the property.  I enlisted the help of my greedy sister to convince Mom to sell (since WF was unable to reach Mom).  I told her that she and Mom could keep all the money from the sale of the home (and its furnishings, such as my grandparents' sterling silver flatware = $30,000).  Sometimes, you have to surrender things so you can tempt a greedy person and motivate them.  My sister wanted Mom to sell the house and move in with her in Florida, so she could get Mom's Social Security and retirement money.  I told her that I wasn’t interested in any personal relationship with them.  I was only there to talk/sign things to resolve the mortgage/house issue.  

April 2016 – Wells Fargo assigned one of their mediators in Foreclosure/Home Preservation Department.  The woman was unable to reach my mother, until my frantic message to my sister got my mother to reply.  The court hearing for foreclosure was May 11.  My mother and I were interested in a "Short-Sell" option.

May 13, 2016– WF got legal approval to remove our mortgage from Suspension and to move ahead with foreclosure.  The “settlement conference” was released from “mediations”, since my mother failed to appear.  Thus, the mortgage went through the foreclosure action and would eventually go to sale.  WF said I would be notified when it went for sale/eviction.  I told my sister, who told our mother, advising her to sell the house while still possible!  Foreclosure is even worse on a credit score, and as an innocent party (under duress to not sell the house when I wanted to), I wanted to protect myself.

June 2016– I got letters from Caliber Home Loans (formally Veraquest Financial), who bought our mortgage from Wells Fargo.  Speaking with WF, they were unable to confirm it, citing how information doesn’t reach all of their departments.  I never heard back from them with any update/confirmation.  I called Caliber who confirmed that my home was in foreclosure, but they offered a $25,000 incentive to my mother and I to do a "short sell".  Caliber would pay for a realtor (of our choosing).   I told my sister, who was delighted, and she told our Mom (who didn't want to talk with me).

July 1, 2016– I was alerted that an appraiser would call Mom within next few days (due to holiday weekend).  

August 28, 2016  – 2 days ago, after getting a call from Caliber that they were unable to reach my mother and still had no replies about the deal, I texted the urgency to my sister, who emailed Mom, who finally chose a realtor and supplied the needed documents to Caliber.  I confirmed with Caliber that we were in communication with the realtor to get the listing price, which "locked in" the cash incentive at $21,000 (it reduced because it was time-sensitive).
 

October 28, 2016– The realtor, named Charles, decided to become the buyer (he flips houses professionally) and had dealt with Caliber before.  After 3 weeks of cancelations by my mother, he met with her and coerced her to sell and live with my sister in Florida.  Today, Charles sent an associate to meet me at NYC's Pennsylvania Station to sign documents (Mom already did).  I called Caliber, who "locked in" our remaining incentive of $16,000 (thanks to my unmotivated mother, it was $9,000 lower than it began!). 

November 10, 2016– Contracts were sent to Caliber.

November 23, 2016 – Charles asked me to sign a Sale agreement, a Letter of Hardship (that we can’t afford the property), and other papers, and include copies of my last tax returns & paychecks, which I scanned/emailed back to him during the same day.  He complimented me as the quickest person that he ever dealt with; he wished all of his clients were so prompt and efficient.

November 30, 2016 – We still awaited Mom to sign and submit her documents.

December 10, 2016 – Charles finally got the documents from my mother (thanks to urging from my sister).  Caliber arranged to inspect the property.

December 20, 2016 – Charles emailed me a Sale Contract & Rider to sign, which I scanned/emailed back during the same day.  His offer was $200,000--far below market value--and the sale date was set for February 7, 2017.  

January 4, 2017 – Caliber notified me that hazard insurance would expire in 2 weeks and they’d automatically bill $2,600 to the account!  I told them that their other division was working with our realtor/buyer on an offer.  I was told that upon acceptance of the offer, they’ll give another 60 days grace period.  I texted Charles who said, “Just ignore them.  We’ve been in contact with them about the short sale.  One hand doesn’t know what the other is doing.”  

February 1, 2017 – I texted Charles for an update (knowing that the sale date in his contract was 2/7/17), and he replied, “We’ve been pushing them daily to finalize the file.  Still waiting.”  According to Zillow.com, it was a good time to be a seller.  However, Caliber declined Charles' low offer and awaited a counter-offer of higher value.

March 1, 2017 – Charles texted me, “Caliber sent a second appraiser, who is an asshole and shouldn’t be allowed in a house again.  It’s being fixed.  The sunshine could break through at any moment.”  Callously, Caliber suddenly raised their price.  Charles almost abandoned us, but the property value rose, so he agreed to pay Caliber what they asked.  

April 12, 2017 – Charles emailed me a final document to sign: a revised Offer for Purchase Price for the property.  He texted me, “This is the final step with the bank.”  I emailed back a scanned signed copy within the same day.

April 27, 2017 – I texted Charles 3 days ago, without reply.  Today I called Caliber was was directed to the Hardship Claim Office.  I called back to reach the Short Sale Dept., telling them that there shouldn’t be any Hardship Claim because nobody is trying to save the house.  I reiterated all our efforts to sell as quick as possible.  The woman had the wrong phone # for Charles.  She didn’t have any record of an offer from him, and I told her that I was told the same thing when he submitted his previous offer, too.  She asked me to call back tomorrow for status, and she’d call Charles ASAP.

May 3, 2017 – At 3:30pm, Charles emailed me another revised purchase price for the property.  My mother’s signature was already on it.  I emailed my signed/scanned copy 30 minutes later.

May 26, 2017 – Charles texted me to say that the bank approved everything and the closing date for the property sale was June 15 on Long Island.  I called and confirmed it with Caliber; their deadline for the incentive money was June 19.  Their remaining cash incentive was now only $10,000, which they could split into 2 checks for my mother and I, but I had to tell the closing attorney to instruct them to do so.

June 15, 2017 – After flying home from a business trip to Dallas at midnight, I took two subways and the 11am Long Island Railroad (1.5-hour ride) and a taxi to arrive at Charles' office on time.  He wasn't what I expected; he was my age, running his own businesses with his dad's money (from his dad's beer distribution company).  That's him below...

     Charles and his finance/jock buddies wrote themselves checks for buying our home: $3,000 to the lawyer; $1,000 to the accountant; $1,506 to the realty firm that Charles owns; $2,668 to a company that Charles owns; $1,506 to another realty that Charles owns; $10,125 to Assured Abstract Services; $996 to Assured Abstract Services; $500 to the title attorney.  They gave themselves money for doing nothing.   

     Looking at me after so many years, my unapologetic mother restated that she “had to do what she did” to me.  Charles’ group gave her a check for $10,000--listed as “relocation money”.  In reality, THAT was the incentive money from Caliber!  She then “graciously” wrote me a check for $3,000, instead of my fair half.  I asserted that I expected to get half of the incentive.  After all, if it hadn't been for me, the whole thing wouldn't've happened.  She replied that I should be grateful and move on.  I wasn't surprised at her lack of remorse.  My swindling mother gave me the house keys to hand to Charles.  She and I said “Goodbye”, and Charles drove her to her job (she crashed her downgraded car the previous day).  His 2-seat car couldn’t fit me, so I walked 20 blocks back to the train station.  Because the uncaring title attorney arrived 20-minutes late, my 3pm train departed, just as I left Charles' office.  I waited an hour for the next LIRR, then took both subways, and arrived home by 6pm.  A full day was used for that 30-minute episode, but I was happy that it was finally over!

June 16, 2017 - The next day, I confirmed with Caliber that the closing paperwork was submitted, and our account was closed.  

     The saga is over, and that’s my reward.  I know that my mother and sister will get their bad karma--while living un-restfully together amidst all their emotional problems, treachery, and immaturity.  I know that the extra $2,000 which my mother took from me will karmically leave her pockets.  I know that a larger amount will come to me--perhaps from unexpected sources.  I earned it.