In short: Florida’s foreclosure-rescue fraud law, § 501.1377, bars anyone from collecting a fee for foreclosure-related rescue services before completing all the promised services, requires a written contract in large type, and gives homeowners three business days to cancel. A violation is an unfair and deceptive trade practice, with penalties up to $15,000 per violation. The simplest test: if they’re not your licensed Florida lawyer, don’t sign anything.
Matt’s warning in these videos is stronger than anything else on the channel: the moment your foreclosure is filed, you become a target. He has spent 25 years cleaning up after people who trusted the wrong caller.
Why the Calls Start the Day You’re Filed
A foreclosure is a public court case. The lis pendens is recorded in the official records. Data companies scrape those filings, cross-reference names with phone numbers, cell numbers, emails, and even work numbers, and sell the leads. Matt describes people at the door within an hour of filing, with scripts written by AI.
What Florida Law Prohibits
The Florida Legislature passed the foreclosure-rescue fraud law after the last crash. Section 501.1377 regulates anyone offering “foreclosure-related rescue services.” Among other things:
- No written contract, no services. Rescue services can’t be provided without a written agreement meeting the statute’s requirements (§ 501.1377(3)(a)).
- No upfront fees. No one may charge or collect “for foreclosure-related rescue services before completing or performing all services contained in the agreement” (§ 501.1377(3)(b)).
- Large type and a right to cancel. The contract must be in 12-point uppercase type, and the homeowner has three business days to cancel.
- Teeth. A violation is an unfair and deceptive trade practice under FDUTPA, “including a monetary penalty not to exceed $15,000 per violation” (§ 501.1377(7)).
The attorney exemption is narrow: it covers a licensed Florida attorney providing these services “as an ancillary matter to the attorney’s representation of a homeowner as a client.”
The Red Flags
- They aren’t a licensed Florida attorney, but they talk about “your case.”
- They want money before doing the work.
- They tell you to stop paying your mortgage and pay them instead.
- They tell you to ignore the court papers or not to talk to a lawyer.
- They claim to work with your lender or the court.
- They want you to sign a deed, a quitclaim deed, a lease-back, or a power of attorney.
- They are “guaranteed” to save your house.
The Deed Trap
The most damaging scam Matt sees: a homeowner signs a deed to a “rescuer” who promises to fix everything. Now someone else owns the equity, and the homeowner still owes the mortgage. With remote online notarization, a homeowner can sign away a house on a phone in minutes.
The Auction Trap Works on Buyers, Too
Matt also gets calls from people who bid at a foreclosure auction, paid the full price, and then learned that a senior mortgage survived the sale. If you’re buying, get a title search and a lawyer first.
The Only Safe Rule
A foreclosure is a lawsuit, and only a licensed Florida attorney can represent you in it. Look up any lawyer on The Florida Bar’s website. Don’t return the call; make the call yourself, to someone you chose.
Watch: the videos behind this article
Warning: Foreclosure Rescue Fraud Act —
FORECLOSURE SCAMS IN FLORIDA — READ EXACTLY
Foreclosure Sharks Are Watching: Lis Pendens Warning in Florida
Foreclosure2026 : BEWARE OF SCAMS
More Short Videos on This Issue
Go Deeper
- Florida Foreclosure 2026: Beware of Scams
- Florida Real Estate Fraud Is on the Rise in 2026
- Served With a Foreclosure Lawsuit in Florida? The 20-Day Answer, the Lis Pendens, and Missed Dates
- The Florida Foreclosure Sale: Timing, Redemption, Surplus Funds, and When You Have to Move
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal to charge an upfront fee to stop a foreclosure in Florida?
Generally no. Section 501.1377(3)(b) prohibits charging or collecting for foreclosure-related rescue services before completing or performing all services in the agreement. A licensed Florida attorney representing the homeowner is exempt for services ancillary to that representation.
How do scammers find homeowners in foreclosure?
The lis pendens and the court filing are public. Data services scrape the dockets the day a case is filed, match names to phone numbers and emails, and the calls, texts, mail, and door knocks start within hours.
What should I never sign if I’m in foreclosure?
A deed (including a quitclaim deed) to anyone other than your lender as part of a negotiated deal, a lease-back or “rescue” agreement, a power of attorney, or any document you don’t understand. Have your own lawyer review it first.
What can I do if I already paid a foreclosure rescue company?
Keep the contract and payment records. Violations of § 501.1377 are enforceable under Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. You can also report the company to the Florida Attorney General.
Talk to a Florida foreclosure defense lawyer
Weidner Law, P.A. has defended Florida homeowners in foreclosure for more than 25 years, from St. Petersburg. If you need a foreclosure defense lawyer in St. Petersburg or anywhere in Florida, call (727) 954-8752 or email weidner@mattweidnerlaw.com.
Read the law yourself, free: Chapter 702, Florida Statutes (Foreclosure of Mortgages and Liens) and Chapter 45 (Judicial Sales).
This article is general information about Florida law, not legal advice about your situation. Reading it, watching the videos, or contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case turns on its own facts, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements.
