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"http://www.fhanewsblog.com/2012/10/fha-warns-about-home-equity-mortgage-loan-scams/ The FHA official site includes a page about reverse mortgages and Home Equity Conversion Mortgages. On that page, you'll find a warning from the FHA and HUD about scam artists who take advantage of some loan applicants who don't know enough about the FHA's free information on HECM loans and reverse mortgage loans. "Reverse mortgages are becoming popular in America" the FHA site says, "Reverse mortgages are a special type of home loan that lets a homeowner convert the equity in his/her home into cash. They can give older Americans greater financial security to supplement social security, meet unexpected medical expenses, make home improvements, and more. If you are interested in a reverse mortgage, beware of scam artists that charge thousands of dollars for information that is free from HUD!" The warning is good-but what kind of information are these scam artists charging so much money for? According to the FHA, simple details such as the nature of a HECM loan, who is eligible, even free advice about whether a borrower should us an estate planner to find a participating lender. On this topic, the FHA and HUD advise: "FHA does NOT recommend using any service that charges a fee for referring a borrower to an FHA-approved lender.  You can locate a FHA-approved lender by searching online at www.hud.gov or by contacting a HECM counselor for a listing. Services rendered by HECM counselors are free or at a low cost.  To locate a HECM counselor Search online or call (800) 569-4287 toll-free, for the name and location of a HUD-approved housing counseling agency near you". Very good advice for borrowers age 62 an older (the only people who qualify for FHA HECM loans) interested in applying for an FHA Home Equity Conversion Mortgage. Here's another fact about HECM loans you might not know-according to the FHA official site: "By law, you have three calendar da

"Springhill Group Korea : News Center - Springhill Group Home Loans - BlogSpot http://newscenter-springhillgrouphome.blogspot.com/ FHA Warns About Home Equity Mortgage Loan Scams The FHA official site includes a page about reverse mortgages and Home Equity Conversion Mortgages. On that page, you'll find a warning from the FHA and HUD about scam artists who take advantage of some loan applicants who don't know enough about the FHA's free information on HECM loans and reverse mortgage loans. "Reverse mortgages are becoming popular in America" the FHA site says, "Reverse mortgages are a special type of home loan that lets a homeowner convert the equity in his/her home into cash. They can give older Americans greater financial security to supplement social security, meet unexpected medical expenses, make home improvements, and more. If you are interested in a reverse mortgage, beware of scam artists that charge thousands of dollars for information that is free from HUD!" The warning is good-but what kind of information are these scam artists charging so much money for? According to the FHA, simple details such as the nature of a HECM loan, who is eligible, even free advice about whether a borrower should us an estate planner to find a participating lender. On this topic, the FHA and HUD advise: "FHA does NOT recommend using any service that charges a fee for referring a borrower to an FHA-approved lender. You can locate a FHA-approved lender by searching online at www.hud.gov or by contacting a HECM counselor for a listing. Services rendered by HECM counselors are free or at a low cost. To locate a HECM counselor Search online or call (800) 569-4287 toll-free, for the name and location of a HUD-approved housing counseling agency near you". Very good advice for borrowers age 62 an older (the only people who qualify for FHA HECM loans) interested in applying for an FHA Home Equity Conversion Mortgage. Here's another fact about HECM loans you might n

"Internet Marketing & SEO Forum - 12 ON YOUR SIDE: Warning about loan offer text message - Springhill Home Loans Group Discussion in 'General Chat' started by Isabella Amber, Today at 9:54 PM. Isabella Amber New Member RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - Not every text that shows up on your phone is legit. Some messages come with potential danger. 12 On Your Side investigates a text that appears to be from an international financial institution - but it's not. If you get a text directing you to a company promising cash right now, and bad credit is ok, delete the message and spare yourself the trouble. It may not be a scam, but you could wind up paying a lot for a small loan. Mary Presley had suspicions from the start that the text on her cell is a bait-and-hook fraud. It claims to come from Wells Fargo Bank - that's the bait. "Wells Fargo has approved you for a $1000 cash loan wired to your account in 24 hours!" It instructs Presley, who's been looking for a job since she got laid off in December, to apply for the fast cash advance from her mobile phone online at cashin2hrs.com. That's the hook - Presley did not grab. "People have a hard enough time now," said Presley. "If these people that do this kind of thing, would work as hard at a legitimate job, they could be millionaires." When you click on cashin2hrs.com, payday lending options pop up. A long list of short-term loan offers entice people desperate for emergency cash. Filling out the application means giving up personal and banking information. The same text that Presley reported, I forwarded to Wells Fargo Corporate Communications. "That text message is not endorsed by Wells Fargo," said Kristy Marshall. "We do not contact our customers in that form." Also, online payday loans are illegal in Virginia. It's ok to search for a lender online, and even fill out an application, that's all legal - but the deal must be closed face-to-face. These type messages are prevalent and have many different company names and numbers attac

"A personal loan scam victim warns residents to be vigilant of phone calls from fraudsters. LISA (not her real name), from West Suffolk resident, lost £110 after sending over a code for an online voucher as a fee for someone who contacted her by phone promising a loan. They agreed over the phone that she will be receiving the money within 15 minutes; the money was supposedly for Lisa's new furniture. But instead of receiving the said money, she was asked to pay an additional £295 in voucher form Good thing is that she refused.  She rather contacted the police and is now warning residents not to fall prey to such schemes.She said: "I feel absolutely gutted and stupid that I fell for it. They're very crafty and I just don't want anyone else to fall for it. "The company has been harassing me with over 20 calls a day, emptied my bank account and left me nervous of borrowing from other providers." She added. This incident isn't new to Suffolk Police.  They have been receiving details of similar occurrences from residents and are also urging people not to provide personal information to cold callers. Ukash was the code given by Lisa, which can be bought from high street shops with cash and spent online using the code rather than providing bank or credit card details. A police spokesman said: "They are never genuinely used as advance fee payment for loans or other similar products. They are simply designed for the purchase of goods from the internet or other retailers. "Anyone offering a genuine loan will not ask for a cash payment up front for the service. "Fraudsters will try anything to get you to part with your cash so if you receive any unsolicited calls from people asking you for cash or voucher details then please do not give it to them." This is a great example that anyone can be a victim of these scams.  We must be very watchful and on guard of ourselves in all time. We will never know when fraudsters will attack in any form o

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/nature_coast/crackdown-on-synthetic-marijuana-02272012 Peter Linton-SmithFOX 13 News Pasco County reporter SPRING HILL - Brightly colored packages of potpourri can be found at many convenience stores -- and most of them are illegal. Last year, Florida banned some of the ingredients found in the potpourri because it is being used like marijuana. When the synthetic marijuana is used as pot, it can be dangerous. "It has a tendency to be more likely to lead to psychosis

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/nature_coast/crackdown-on-synthetic-marijuana-02272012 Peter Linton-Smith FOX 13 News Pasco County reporter SPRING HILL - Brightly colored packages of potpourri can be found at many convenience stores -- and most of them are illegal. Last year, Florida banned some of the ingredients found in the potpourri because it is being used like marijuana. When the synthetic marijuana is used as pot, it can be dangerous. "It has a tendency to be more likely to lead to psychosis and sometimes prolonged psychosis," according to Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis. Emergency rooms are beginning to report more cases of people with bizarre side effects related to the use of fake marijuana, sometimes called K-2. "These manufacturing conditions are not up to pharmaceutical grade," Sheriff Nienhuis added. This week, deputies fanned out across the county to visit 130 convenience stores. Deputy Steve Snell is one of the deputies checking the shelves. "We're going around to all our convenience stores our retailers that might be selling this type of product and trying to inform them what law changes have taken place," Snell said. Snell will deliver a page-long warning letter. It lists the ingredients in potpourri that are now banned. "This letter is to inform you of recent changes in the Florida State Statutes which specifically address the possession of chemicals in synthetic Marijuana (commonly referred to as Spice or K-2)." The letter goes on the warn the "...chemicals are now outlawed (making) it a third degree felony for ANYONE to posses of sell items that contain these chemicals." The warning letters have been well received thus far, according to Snell. "We haven't had any resistance. They're very appreciative of what we're doing. We're trying to make sure they're in compliance." Deputies will eventually make a return visit. If the K-2 or Spice is found on the shelves, the store owner could b

New scam involving phony "forensic audits" of mortgage loans is the latest variation on loan modification scams. An article in the Sacramento Bee this week, reported that California Attorney General Jerry Brown warned California's distressed homeowner's to refrain from forensic review of their mortgage loan and lender's practices. Jerry Brown issued a press release stating that these loan audits are nothing more than loan modification scams that are taking advantage of people's desperation in the midst of the nation's persisting economic troubles. He joined with the California Department of Real Estate and the State Bar of California to warn homeowners who face the danger of foreclosure, to avoid such scams because they offer no help towards saving their home from foreclosure. The Latest among Many Loan Modification Scams Last year, the California Department of Real Estate investigated more than 2,000 cases of loan modification scam and from that number, 350 scam operations were ordered to terminate their illegal activity according to the attorney general's office. According to the article, the spokesman for the attorney general, Evan Westrup, explained that "It's the latest phony foreclosure-relief 'service' by an industry that continues to be long on promises and short on results…another way to get homeowners in distress to pay for services that ultimately aren't helping or providing the relief they need." The "Forensic Audit' Loan Modification Scam This particular scam entices homeowners through newspaper advertisements, as well as radio and television spots. The hook is to get homeowners to believe that they can find errors, improper documentation, or outright illegal activity in the way the mortgage was originated or within the loan itself. Supposedly, with such information, the homeowner will have sufficient leverage to fight the lender in the home loan-modification process with the hope of receiving assistance in keeping

New scam involving phony "forensic audits" of mortgage loans is the latest variation on loan modification scams. An article in the Sacramento Bee this week, reported that California Attorney General Jerry Brown warned California's distressed homeowner's to refrain from forensic review of their mortgage loan and lender's practices. Jerry Brown issued a press release stating that these loan audits are nothing more than loan modification scams that are taking advantage of people's desperation in the midst of the nation's persisting economic troubles. He joined with the California Department of Real Estate and the State Bar of California to warn homeowners who face the danger of foreclosure, to avoid such scams because they offer no help towards saving their home from foreclosure. The Latest among Many Loan Modification Scams Last year, the California Department of Real Estate investigated more than 2,000 cases of loan modification scam and from that number, 350 scam operations were ordered to terminate their illegal activity according to the attorney general's office. According to the article, the spokesman for the attorney general, Evan Westrup, explained that "It's the latest phony foreclosure-relief 'service' by an industry that continues to be long on promises and short on results…another way to get homeowners in distress to pay for services that ultimately aren't helping or providing the relief they need." The "Forensic Audit' Loan Modification Scam This particular scam entices homeowners through newspaper advertisements, as well as radio and television spots. The hook is to get homeowners to believe that they can find errors, improper documentation, or outright illegal activity in the way the mortgage was originated or within the loan itself. Supposedly, with such information, the homeowner will have sufficient leverage to fight the lender in the home loan-modification process with the hope of receiving assistance in keeping

"springhill group seoul korea Multiply-Korea`s largest bank reports 3,000 cases of loa... http://springhillgrouphome.multiply.com/journal/item/124/Koreas-largest-bank-reports-3000-cases-of-loan-doc-fraud-    Korea`s largest bank Kookmin has had 3,000 cases of document manipulation in applications for collective loans for intermediate payment. The bank said five people recently filed a petition to police after suffering losses from manipulation of related documents by bank staff, and has launched an investigation into similar cases. According to the Financial Supervisory Service and the bank, Kookmin probed between the end of last month and Aug. 10 manipulation cases on 200,000 collective loans for intermediate payment on 850 reconstruction and redevelopment apartment sites, and discovered more than 3,000 fraud cases. According to the bank`s findings, most cases involved employee manipulation of the expiration date of collective loans for intermediate payment. In the past, three years of maturity have typically been written for collective loans for intermediate payment regardless of when the borrower would move to the house. If the bank`s headquarters reduced the time to 26 or 27 months, however, bank employees would scrape out the number and put in three years again. If the lending period is shorter than the date written in the contract, the borrower would be pressured for repayment. Collective loans for intermediate payment are shifted to lending with home collateral. So a person can move into a house before the lending maturity expires, but failure to move in within the time frame would mean he or she must make the intermediate payment because it is not shifted to a home equity loan. Since the number of manipulation cases was bigger than expected, a massive filing of lawsuits is likely. Fraud was considerable in cases of apartments that people had signed contracts on, an area that has seen many conflicts between builders and banks. A financial regulatory source

Springhill Group: DPRK jams GPS of ROK Airlines GPS jamming signals coming from North Korea has forced South Korea to order its military and civilian air transports to switch on alternative navigational devices to avoid disruption. A statement from the ministry has confirmed that they were able to warn airlines and pilots of the 241 affected South Korean flights along with the 11 foreign airlines like Thai Airways, AirPhil, FedEx, Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airways. But even as the GPS jamming signals continued, South Korea sees no serious threat to navigational safety. Korea Communications Commission confirmed that the GPS jamming signals have been coming from a city on North Korea side of the border. "We've traced the jamming signals to the direction of Kaesong," a commission deputy director told Springhill Group. According to the transport agency, planes that suffered from GPS signal jamming were instructed to use the alternative navigation systems and were not delayed in their schedules. The signal jamming appears to be focused on air traffic at Gimpo and Incheon airports, both of which are around 30 miles from the border. Despite the GPS disruption, Springhill Group reports that there was no serious threat to flight safety as airplanes are capable of using other navigation devices like inertial navigation system and very-high-frequency omni-directional range (VOR). Meanwhile, military communications and transportation were not greatly affected as they do not primarily depend on the GPS system. North Korea did not admit anything so the reason for the GPS jamming remains unclear as fears that another nuclear test might follow is escalating. Likewise, it is not known for just how long the jamming will continue as during last year's South Korea-US military drill, the radio signal jamming from Pyongyang has lasted for ten days. At any rate, South Korea is always on the lookout for any provocation from its neighbor, especially as a nuclear speci

Springhill Group: DPRK jams GPS of ROK Airlines GPS jamming signals coming from North Korea has forced South Korea to order its military and civilian air transports to switch on alternative navigational devices to avoid disruption. A statement from the ministry has confirmed that they were able to warn airlines and pilots of the 241 affected South Korean flights along with the 11 foreign airlines like Thai Airways, AirPhil, FedEx, Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airways. But even as the GPS jamming signals continued, South Korea sees no serious threat to navigational safety. Korea Communications Commission confirmed that the GPS jamming signals have been coming from a city on North Korea side of the border. "We've traced the jamming signals to the direction of Kaesong," a commission deputy director told Springhill Group. According to the transport agency, planes that suffered from GPS signal jamming were instructed to use the alternative navigation systems and were not delayed in their schedules. The signal jamming appears to be focused on air traffic at Gimpo and Incheon airports, both of which are around 30 miles from the border. Despite the GPS disruption, Springhill Group reports that there was no serious threat to flight safety as airplanes are capable of using other navigation devices like inertial navigation system and very-high-frequency omni-directional range (VOR). Meanwhile, military communications and transportation were not greatly affected as they do not primarily depend on the GPS system. North Korea did not admit anything so the reason for the GPS jamming remains unclear as fears that another nuclear test might follow is escalating. Likewise, it is not known for just how long the jamming will continue as during last year's South Korea-US military drill, the radio signal jamming from Pyongyang has lasted for ten days. At any rate, South Korea is always on the lookout for any provocation from its neighbor, especially as a n

Springhill Group: DPRK jams GPS of ROK Airlines GPS jamming signals coming from North Korea has forced South Korea to order its military and civilian air transports to switch on alternative navigational devices to avoid disruption. A statement from the ministry has confirmed that they were able to warn airlines and pilots of the 241 affected South Korean flights along with the 11 foreign airlines like Thai Airways, AirPhil, FedEx, Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airways. But even as the GPS jamming signals continued, South Korea sees no serious threat to navigational safety. Korea Communications Commission confirmed that the GPS jamming signals have been coming from a city on North Korea side of the border. "We've traced the jamming signals to the direction of Kaesong," a commission deputy director told Springhill Group. According to the transport agency, planes that suffered from GPS signal jamming were instructed to use the alternative navigation systems and were not delayed in their schedules. The signal jamming appears to be focused on air traffic at Gimpo and Incheon airports, both of which are around 30 miles from the border. Despite the GPS disruption, Springhill Group reports that there was no serious threat to flight safety as airplanes are capable of using other navigation devices like inertial navigation system and very-high-frequency omni-directional range (VOR). Meanwhile, military communications and transportation were not greatly affected as they do not primarily depend on the GPS system. North Korea did not admit anything so the reason for the GPS jamming remains unclear as fears that another nuclear test might follow is escalating. Likewise, it is not known for just how long the jamming will continue as during last year's South Korea-US military drill, the radio signal jamming from Pyongyang has lasted for ten days. At any rate, South Korea is always on the lookout for any provocation from its neighbor, especially as a n

Springhill Group: DPRK jams GPS of ROK Airlines GPS jamming signals coming from North Korea has forced South Korea to order its military and civilian air transports to switch on alternative navigational devices to avoid disruption. A statement from the ministry has confirmed that they were able to warn airlines and pilots of the 241 affected South Korean flights along with the 11 foreign airlines like Thai Airways, AirPhil, FedEx, Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airways. But even as the GPS jamming signals continued, South Korea sees no serious threat to navigational safety. Korea Communications Commission confirmed that the GPS jamming signals have been coming from a city on North Korea side of the border. "We've traced the jamming signals to the direction of Kaesong," a commission deputy director told Springhill Group. According to the transport agency, planes that suffered from GPS signal jamming were instructed to use the alternative navigation systems and were not delayed in their schedules. The signal jamming appears to be focused on air traffic at Gimpo and Incheon airports, both of which are around 30 miles from the border. Despite the GPS disruption, Springhill Group reports that there was no serious threat to flight safety as airplanes are capable of using other navigation devices like inertial navigation system and very-high-frequency omni-directional range (VOR). Meanwhile, military communications and transportation were not greatly affected as they do not primarily depend on the GPS system. North Korea did not admit anything so the reason for the GPS jamming remains unclear as fears that another nuclear test might follow is escalating. Likewise, it is not known for just how long the jamming will continue as during last year's South Korea-US military drill, the radio signal jamming from Pyongyang has lasted for ten days. At any rate, South Korea is always on the lookout for any provocation from its neighbor, especially as a n

Springhill Group: DPRK jams GPS of ROK Airlines GPS jamming signals coming from North Korea has forced South Korea to order its military and civilian air transports to switch on alternative navigational devices to avoid disruption. A statement from the ministry has confirmed that they were able to warn airlines and pilots of the 241 affected South Korean flights along with the 11 foreign airlines like Thai Airways, AirPhil, FedEx, Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airways. But even as the GPS jamming signals continued, South Korea sees no serious threat to navigational safety. Korea Communications Commission confirmed that the GPS jamming signals have been coming from a city on North Korea side of the border. "We've traced the jamming signals to the direction of Kaesong," a commission deputy director told Springhill Group. According to the transport agency, planes that suffered from GPS signal jamming were instructed to use the alternative navigation systems and were not delayed in their schedules. The signal jamming appears to be focused on air traffic at Gimpo and Incheon airports, both of which are around 30 miles from the border. Despite the GPS disruption, Springhill Group reports that there was no serious threat to flight safety as airplanes are capable of using other navigation devices like inertial navigation system and very-high-frequency omni-directional range (VOR). Meanwhile, military communications and transportation were not greatly affected as they do not primarily depend on the GPS system. North Korea did not admit anything so the reason for the GPS jamming remains unclear as fears that another nuclear test might follow is escalating. Likewise, it is not known for just how long the jamming will continue as during last year's South Korea-US military drill, the radio signal jamming from Pyongyang has lasted for ten days. At any rate, South Korea is always on the lookout for any provocation from its neighbor, especially

Springhill Group: DPRK jams GPS of ROK Airlines GPS jamming signals coming from North Korea has forced South Korea to order its military and civilian air transports to switch on alternative navigational devices to avoid disruption. A statement from the ministry has confirmed that they were able to warn airlines and pilots of the 241 affected South Korean flights along with the 11 foreign airlines like Thai Airways, AirPhil, FedEx, Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airways. But even as the GPS jamming signals continued, South Korea sees no serious threat to navigational safety. Korea Communications Commission confirmed that the GPS jamming signals have been coming from a city on North Korea side of the border. "We've traced the jamming signals to the direction of Kaesong," a commission deputy director told Springhill Group. According to the transport agency, planes that suffered from GPS signal jamming were instructed to use the alternative navigation systems and were not delayed in their schedules. The signal jamming appears to be focused on air traffic at Gimpo and Incheon airports, both of which are around 30 miles from the border. Despite the GPS disruption, Springhill Group reports that there was no serious threat to flight safety as airplanes are capable of using other navigation devices like inertial navigation system and very-high-frequency omni-directional range (VOR). Meanwhile, military communications and transportation were not greatly affected as they do not primarily depend on the GPS system. North Korea did not admit anything so the reason for the GPS jamming remains unclear as fears that another nuclear test might follow is escalating. Likewise, it is not known for just how long the jamming will continue as during last year's South Korea-US military drill, the radio signal jamming from Pyongyang has lasted for ten days. At any rate, South Korea is always on the lookout for any provocation from its neighbor, especially as a

It was agreed by nonprofit housing counseling agencies and housing rights advocates that foreclosure rescue scams are still common in the Bay Area, and there's no need for homeowners in distress to empty their pockets paying for private attorneys. Because of the sudden death of the family's primary breadwinner, Tatakamotongas of East Palo Alto suffered from mortgage payments. They decided to seek help with obtaining a loan modification to lower their monthly payments and due to this they came into contact with a scammer rather than legal help. "The advice they gave me was 'Don't make any more payments at all. The longer you are backed up, the more we can help you.' And so of course I believed them," says Mele Tatakamotonga. The scammer was a private attorney. He told them to stop paying their mortgage so that they will qualify for a modification and charged them $3,000 for the assistance. But as expected from a scammer, after paying the fee the phone number had been disconnected. "Foreclosure rescue and mortgage modification scams are continuing and getting bolder," says Vanitha Venugopal, program director of Community Development and Investment at The San Francisco Foundation. Homeowners must pay for help with loan modifications and other housing issues because scams continue to be rampant, advocates say. The Tatakamotongas finally found Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto, a nonprofit law office, which collected the family's money from the dishonest attorney, and assisted them with obtaining a loan modification. Maeve Elise Brown, Executive Director of Housing and Economic Rights Advocates (HERA) in Oakland, another organization that offers free legal aid, warns that scams are commonly carried out by unscrupulous attorneys. Brown also says that the media needs to be wary of running scammers' advertisements. Many homeowners looking for help contact scammers that they find through television and radio ads. According to Leah Si

CONSUMER SCAM (Barry Calvagna) aka/ United Abstract Group, Inc. aka/ American Consolidebt, Inc. aka USR Group, Inc. Paystar International aka Conway and Phillips The associates group See Also LINK COMPLAINTS HERE 2387 New York Ave., #8 Huntington Station, NY 11746 Phone: (800) 344-1588 (631) 421-1397 Fax: (631) 421-1397 918 Jericho Turnpike Huntington Station, NY 11746 Phone: 631-421-1533 888-380-3516 866-509-3202 Fax: 631-421-1890 Fax: 631-755-3069 Florida: United Abstract Group, Inc.PO BOX 6812 Spring Hill, FL 34611 (352) 684-8693 (352) 666-0466 fax (866) 684-8693 USR Group, Inc. 33 Walt Whitman Rd, Ste 209 Huntington Station, NY 11746-4281 Web Address: www.unitedabstractgroup.com Quick Analysis Consumer Comments Below We thought this scam died back in the nineties, but it is alive and well, operating from Huntington Station, from New York. Debt buyers United Abstract Group, Inc., are bottom feeders who use their entity of C. Barry & Associates, LLC, who operate out of the same address to lie, intimidate and totally misrepresent their illegal debt collection practices. Owners Barry Calvagna and Anthony Picone are about to feel the wrath of the legal system for their blatant disregard for the law and consumer rights. Not to mention the fact that we could NOT locate one state where they are licensed or bonded in. Calls to their office result

"Springhill Group: warning to borrowers over interest-only mortgages - Tumblr http://springhillgrouphome.tumblr.com/day/2012/09/12/ Lenders have changed the goal posts considerably over the last few years and many borrowers are faced with being stuck on a variable rate Picture: Getty Images By Jeff Salway Published on Saturday 8 September 2012 14:10 Borrowers with interest-only mortgages have been urged to seek advice after a leading banker raised concerns over the number of people struggling to repay their loans. New Barclays chief executive Anthony Jenkins predicted this week that interest-only mortgages may be the next big mis-selling scandal. He identified the loans as a likely source of future complaints and said the bank, which has a large chunk of interest-only loans on its books, had already seen thousands of borrowers with problems repaying their capital. Industry experts have been expressing fears for some time over the number of people with interest-only mortgages but with no viable means of repaying their capital at the end of the term. Interest-only loans work by letting the borrower pay the interest first and clear the actual capital at the end of the term. They sold in massive numbers during the housing market boom, when homeowners and lenders were confident that house prices would continue soaring and enable capital to be repaid with sale proceeds. But some eight in ten people with interest-only mortgages maturing over the next decade have no adequate repayment strategy in place, according to the Financial Services Authority (FSA), which described the scenario as a "ticking time-bomb". The problem for borrowers has been exacerbated by a marked tightening of lending criteria. Where they used to offer interest-only loans to those with just 10 per cent deposits, most lenders now demand equity or a deposit of at least 50 per cent. They have also clamped down on the repayment plans they will accept. The Lloyds Banking Group brands, for

"Briefs..... - thenews.com.pk - Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/notes/bethany-rawlins/briefs-thenewscompk/270309179753391 China paper hints at anti-Japan sanctions BEIJING: The mouthpiece of China's Communist Party warned on Monday that Japan's economy could suffer for up to 20 years if Beijing chose to impose sanctions over an escalating territorial row. Anti-Japanese protests have been held across China in recent days over a dispute on a group of small islands in the East China Sea claimed by both countries but controlled by Tokyo. The row intensified last week when the Japanese government bought three of the islands, effectively nationalising them, and China responded by sending patrol ships into the waters around them. Trade sanctions between Asia's two biggest economies could cast a pall over growth on the continent, which major Western countries are counting on to drive recovery from the global slowdown. A commentary in the People's Daily newspaper said the Japanese economy has already experienced two lost decades from the 1990s and was suffering further weakness in the aftermath of the world financial crisis and 2011 earthquake. Digital news offering aims at high ground WASHINGTON: It seems like a terrible time to be launching a news operation.But there are opportunities and niches, and the new digital media launch called Quartz from Atlantic Media Company seeks to exploit them. Quartz is set to launch in the coming weeks as a "100 percent digital" news operation covering "the most important themes of the new global economy," said editor-in-chief Kevin Delaney. Quartz has been recruiting a small number of veteran journalists for an overall news staff of around 25 people. The operation will feature tablet and mobile displays as well as a desktop website, qz.com. "There is an opportunity to do great journalism on a digital platform," Delaney, a former managing editor of The Wall Street Journal Online, told AFP."It's a great

Frogs and other amphibians are among the most threatened creatures in the world today - globally, at least a third, probably 40%, of amphibian species are in urgent danger of extinction, making a total of more than 2,000 species of amphibian so far documented to be officially "threatened", "endangered" or "vulnerable", classifications used by scientists to describe the level of threat. "This is higher than any other terrestrial animal," said Jaime García-Moreno, executive director of the Amphibian Survival Alliance. The plight of frogs and other amphibians is of particular concern to scientists because many think the devastation afflicting them could be a foretaste of that in waiting for other creatures. Their physiognomy makes amphibians particularly sensitive to small changes in their environment, including temperature changes such as global warming, and to water and air pollution. This sensitivity, some scientists believe, could be behind the sudden and unexpected extinction of certain species even from well-protected areas. Waldman pointed to the golden toad of Costa Rica which "disappeared from a pristine habitat".