Junk mail posing as info on your new mortgage is a ploy marketers use to push products and services—or just scam people.

It happens every day: A homeowner receives a postcard or letter that instructs them to call a number for important information regarding their home loan. It may even mention the person’s lender by name, their loan number and claim that an immediate response is needed. In truth, the mailer has absolutely nothing to do with the lender or the homeowner’s mortgage. How does this happen?

It’s a marketing ploy.

When you finance your home or take out a home equity loan, Consumers keeps your personal information private. We never sell it to third parties. However, many records pertaining to home financing become part of the public record. This includes your:

• name and address
• lender’s name
• loan amount
• loan number

Senders of mortgage-related junk mail fall into two camps.

First, there are firms selling real products and services, such as payment plans, mortgage life insurance or security systems. They use public information to directly market to homeowners. What they’re doing is not illegal but the mailers are misleading. Especially when they use our name on the mailer. Why would you want to do business with a company that’s not upfront about who they are?

The second kind of junk mailers are scammers who want to get their hands on your personal information for purposes of fraud. They’re hoping you’ll confuse their message with one from us just to get your info.

Please remember that Consumers will never solicit your personal information by mail, email or phone. When we contact you in writing, we always use our logo and provide our phone number. If you have questions about a mailer you’ve received, give us a call at 800-991.2221 or stop by one of our offices. (During Stay Home, Stay Safe, make an appointment to stop by.)

Consumers helps more than 1,000 members finance land, first and second homes, and home improvement projects each year—even during the coronavirus outbreak. We’d love to help you with a mortgage or home equity line of credit; call us at 800-991-2221.