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The Home Loan Mart Mario Garcia Mortgage Fraud Newport Beach, California
I began working with Mario Garcia the CEO of The Home Loan Mart in late November 2011 to obtain a home mortgage. In December, Mr. Garia provided a pre-approval letter from Chase Bank and then an approval letter once we signed a contract with the sellers. During the mortgage process, he made a lot of statements that were untrue about the process, such as FHA has 2 underwriting steps, FHA did not provide a case # or confirmation to him. He advised on December 7th, we were approved by FHA and Chase to move forward with our closing date of Decemer 16th. On December 14th, he advised they had found a glitch in our credit report and we needed to send him $629 overnight for an issue with Chase Automotive finance. He advised his staff had talked to Chase and once they received the $629 it would be corrected on our report. We overnighted a cashier's check to his associate Jon Falconer in Colorado who was to pay Chase Automotive. The very next day after they received the cashier's check, Mr. Garcia advised our mortgage was declined, the day before our closing!! He emailed me a letter from Chase advising my loan was declined.
On Decembr 27th, Chase Automotive still had not received the $629. Mr. Garcia kept saying he mailed it or he was cancelling the check and would refund my money. During this time, we contact Chase Mortgage who advised they never reviewed a mortgage application for us, nor did they issue a pre-approval or decline letter. We advised the letters were on Chase letterhead and were signed by Mr. Garcia. We sent Chase Bank the letters Mr. Garcia sent us and they advised there were fraudulent and Chase never issued any such documentation. On Janury 13th, I contacted the Attorney General in California and Colorado. Mr. Garcia nor any of his associates are licensed in either state. We were advised in 2009 Mr. Garcia and Mr. Falconer received Cease and Desist orders from the State of Colorado. The Attorney General also determined the address listed s 5000 Birch #3000 is fake. The Home Loan Mart nor Mr. Garcia have any offices in the building and never have according to the buildings management office. The phone number's listed on his website are cell phones listed as Colorado cell numbers. Mr. Garcia and Ms. Turcin (the VP of Operations) constantly move and it has been hard to actual locate him to try to file a civil case. The VP of Operations, Michelle Turcin is actually Mr. Garcia girlfriend who works at a spa in Orange County, not his company. The Attorney General of Colorado is attempting to help us recover the $629 that was to be paid to Chase. A representative from the Attorney General has contact Mr. Garcia via email and phone. Yet all they receive are excuse after excuse as to where the money is that he was to send back. Mr. Garcia has every excuse, "the check is in the mail', "mailed it to wrong address", you name it. As of February 8, 2012 we still don't have our money back.
He provided fraudulent mortgage approval from Chase Bank and made false statements regarding FHA approval and Chase Bank approvals. After I notified Chase, Mr. Garia changed his website, but still have the false business address. They are con artists and scam men. Stay clear of this company!!
11 Updates & Rebuttals
Samir
San Jose,California,
Still cheating folks and never pays up
#12Consumer Comment
Sat, July 20, 2013
I've had Mario contact me after I filed the report and he promised that he would payback the appraisal fees. He initially said he would wire the funds and after 20 days said that the wire fee of $30 was too hight and that he would send me a check.
I was ok with the check but I know he has tried this with multiple people where the check "gets lost in the mail" or should be "coming any day".
Mario is a persistent liar and even tried doing a paypal of less than 30% of the amount owed. The paypal bounced back too after 4 days.
We have no proof that he is still licensed and I am 100% positive that he is still cheating people. I am going to take extra effort to ensure that I post everywhere possible to ensure people dont get cheated by him.
He still owes me for 2 appraisals amounting to $1000. One appraisal was $525 and the other was $475.
Samir
Sunnyvale,California,
U.S.A.
You havent paid me yet
#12Consumer Comment
Thu, December 27, 2012
Hi Mario,
This is Samir here. I can attest to the fact that you've repeatedly said that you would refund the appraisal cost (even though the refinance never happened). I never got the check in the mail like you have said you've mailed it.
If you are really telling others that you have paid them back and fees I would like to get my check for $525. I've tried contacting you several times with no luck.
I was tired to emailing you and was about to write up a complaint about you and your company and I see these reports. If you really want to come clean I would suggest you pay me back and others what they are due. I am ready to file a complaint with the attorney general of Colorado and California as well since I have the emails as proof of what you've said to me.
ford2468
Fort Worth,Texas,
United States of America
Update
#12Author of original report
Fri, October 19, 2012
As for Mario's comments, I did get approved by two other banks. After what we went through in December with The Home Loan Mart, we lost out on the home we originally wanted to purchase. We did purchase a nicer home via a traditional bank with no issues. Mr. Garcia can say anything he wishes about me, my credit. or my personal life. But my accounts are not late, my student loans are in good standing and so are my finances.
Facts are facts, I am not the only one who received fraudulent approval letters using Chase or Wells Fargo logos from The Home Loan Mart. There are several others posts like mine on this website.
I have taken this as a lesson learned and moved on and am happy with my new home and mortgage.
Mario
Newport Beach,California,
United States of America
Update From The Company
#12REBUTTAL Owner of company
Thu, October 18, 2012
The Home Loan Mart and Mario Garcia have been fully compliant with the Colorado Department of Real Estate and agreed with all terms of their ruling. Including fines and admitting to unlicensed mortgage originating in 2011. We have worked closely with DORA and The Attorney General's Office in rectifying all unlicensed activity during 2010 and 2011. Complaints made for loans that did not close because of credit or home value issues were paid back for appraisal and any other fees associated with the loan process. There were no fraud allegations made only unlicensed activity and we have agreed to a give DORA two years before applying for a new Mortgage License. We'd like to apologize to everyone and hope that if you feel you have an on-going issue that you'll contact us and we'll take care of any outstanding problem. As of now The Home Loan Mart is no longer in business and has closed down all mortgage activity nationwide.
victim as well
Littleton,Colorado,
United States of America
Proof of bad dealings
#12Consumer Comment
Thu, October 18, 2012
Mario has repeatedly combatted the claims made here about his reputation and dealings in regards to mortgage loans.
All you need to do is to look at the proof here: He was issued a Cease and Desist AND Restitution by the Colorado Department of Regulatory agencies (Dora).
Click on the link below to see for yourself!
Full link:
http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheadername1=Content-Disposition&blobheadername2=Content-Type&blobheadervalue1=inline%3B+filename%3D%22Mortgage+Loan+Originator+Disciplinary+Actions+.pdf%22&blobheadervalue2=application%2Fpdf&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1251818501057&ssbinary=true
Shortened Link:
http://tinyurl.com/dorarecord
He is not to be trusted.
He ripped me off as well, but rather than provide another article as to the specifics, I figured hard evidence is best.
He also goes by the name Gucci Wolf on Facebook.
My hope is you do your homework before choosing to work with this individual.
Jack Liang
United States of AmericaI am the previous landlord rip off by Mario Garcia
#12General Comment
Thu, July 12, 2012
It is a small world. Mario's current office landlord contact me. I reallize that Mario is still in Colorado. After I googled, I found this post. In 3/4/2012, I called Mario for the rental due. He told me that he moved out my place. He also moved to CA. He has two year lease and stay in my place only for seven month. He took my washer/Dryer. He still own me one month of rental money $2350 plus the $1000 for the washer/dryer.
Mario can not be trusted. Sooner or later he will run out of place to ripoff people.
Bob Blanco
Carlsbad,California,
United States of America
Mario Garcia's Fraudulent and Deceptive Mortgage Brokerage Practices
#12Consumer Comment
Wed, February 29, 2012
We too have been victimized by Mario Garcia and The Home Loan Mart and have a file a foot long to support our charges. Unfortrunately our experience has a striking resemblance to Sheila Ford's allegations, except that we have lost about $7000 as a result of Mr Garcia stringing us along with a written claim that our loan was approved, only to advise after the escrow closing date that our loan was not approved because of a debt to income issue that an underwriter raised at the eleventh hour.
Reaching Mr. Garcia has proven difficult. Today we received our undeliverable registered letter addressed to Mr Garcia's 5000 Birch Street address in Newport Beach. So if you moved and expanded business operations Mr. Garcia as you say you did, what is your latest address? Your Colorado area code left us initially suspicious but we trusted you and have been badly bruised financially as a result of your deceitful practices. And you verbally promised to make good for our losses when we had to pay a daily perdiem of $156.78 to the sellers of the property we were trying to purchase after missing escrow closing. Where are you now? We will email our letter to you detailing the events as we understand them in chronological that led to the situation we found ourselves in because of your shady dealings.
Our second attempt at a loan for this property was successful but and we are expecting to recover our losses from you. This is not the end of it. We will not go away until you take responsibility for the damage you have done. Shame!!
Mario
Newport Beach,California,
United States of America
Update
#12REBUTTAL Owner of company
Thu, February 16, 2012
I'm not trying to play hardball here but if Mrs. Ford was approved by two banks then why is the property still listed for sale 6412 Greenbriar Fort Worth TX 76132???? Take reviews on here with a grain of salt, I contacted ripoffreport myself and they admit to not having any proof from people posting reviews. Just be honest Mrs. Ford your mid credit score is in the lowest tier for avaiable financing, you filed bankruptcy because you were so far behind and have been late paying Chase auto since March of 210. You haven't paid your student loan since January of 2009. Your JC Penny credit card was so far behind the closed it on February of 2009.
You tried to tell me that all the lates were because your Husband was sick yet you now have a girlfriend??? I'm not saying anythings wrong with that but you seem to have a few holes in your stories. You got a full refund and still insist on being all knowing when it comes to my business which has perfect credit and has never been involved in any fraud allegations until you came along. Take some accountablitly. You were never approved, only pre-approved based out basic FHA guidelines.
ford2468
Fort Worth,Texas,
United States of America
Update
#12Author of original report
Thu, February 16, 2012
After the Attorney General of Colorado got involved, I did get my money back. It did take over 60 days to get my refund.
As for his statement that I had a ton of late payments and bad credit, its amazing the both Omni Bank and Bank of America had no problem approving my mortgage loan within a week.
Mr. Garcia still has never sent a decline letter, just emailed one on Chase Bank letterhead. Again, Chase Bank never received, approved or denied my mortgage nor did FHA have any information even though Mr. Garcia stated we were FHA approved.
There are other reviews on THLMS as a bad company to deal with, so it is not just me.
Lesson learned - only deal with a bank when dealing with mortgage finance.
Brian Wilson
California,United States of America
Be Accountable
#12Consumer Comment
Thu, February 16, 2012
I'm only writing a response because I'm a former/current client of Mario Garcia's at The Home Loan Mart and I was google'ing his company to get his email address when I came across this report. I think its awful that you can just go on a site like this and say whatever you want without any proof. I have worked with THLM and Mario since 2007 he really knows his stuff. I'm not trying to brown nose, nor do I know what happened with Shelia and his transaction but it sounds like he tried to help her couldn't then paid her back all cost???? Man he's an awful guy......I don't think a big bank would have done anything to make you feel better Sheila. Anyone that wants to know about this company can email me personally, I have closed 3 loans with them.
Mario
Newport Beach,California,
United States of America
Response to complaint
#12REBUTTAL Owner of company
Fri, February 10, 2012
I'd like to clear the air about the outrageous claims Mrs. Ford is making.
1. she was sent a refund check that she cashed on 02/09
2. she was denied for a home loan because of her poor credit score and massive late payments of her bills
3. I don't see how my personal life or who I'm dating has any relevence in her loan process, I am now married to Michelle and her job at the spa was 6 years ago.
4. The Office was our previous address leased to us by Regus, we moved our company location and have added more offices.
5. Every agent working for The Home Loan Mart is licensed.
I'm sorry it took so long to get her money back and I wish her the best.