Overview
- The Federal Trade Commission is mailing checks on Tuesday to 1,821 identified victims, with total refunds just under $3 million and recipients asked to cash checks within 90 days.
- A federal judge in February 2024 found the defendants ran a multiyear telemarketing mortgage‑assistance scam that convinced homeowners to send payments for services that were never delivered.
- Court papers say the operation used more than a dozen business names — including Golden Home Services, Academy Home Services, and Home Matters USA — and falsely invoked COVID‑19 and federal relief programs.
- Regulators say the scheme harmed more than 3,000 people nationwide, disproportionately affecting seniors and veterans, and the 2024 order banned the operators from telemarketing and debt‑relief businesses.
- The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation led the case with the FTC, JND Legal Administration will handle refund questions, and the payments signal continued state‑federal focus on consumer restitution and enforcement.