A 2004 survey by the Federal Trade Commission showed that nearly 25 million adults—11% of the adult population—were victims of fraud during the year studied. With increasing access to personal information over the Internet and through electronic databases, the issue is growing in importance.

Since 1992, Bet Tzedek has successfully combated consumer fraud in many forms, including:

• Litigation against home equity fraud scam artists who literally steal seniors’ homes;
• Representation of clients who fall prey to the sales and marketing techniques of unregistered paralegal agencies;
• Challenges to the most misleading and aggressive tactics used by telemarketing organizations and door-to-door salespeople; and

• Protection of families from the improper marketing practices of some health maintenance organizations.

Home equity fraud is a particular focus of Bet Tzedek’s work. The Consumer Protection Unit has three full-time attorneys—Anna Burns, Derek Li, and Debra Zimmerman--with a combined 33 years of expertise in home equity fraud matters. In the last year alone, Bet Tzedek’s attorneys have saved homes and obtained settlements worth more than $2 million from home equity scams.

• Throughout the 1990s, the Consumer Law Unit targeted several home improvement companies and related lenders who were in the business of gobbling up home equity in poor communities by unlawful practices. These companies were forced out of business due to the volume and substance of our litigation against them. As a result, today we rarely see any home improvement fraud cases at Bet Tzedek.

The Consumer Protection Unit provides educational programs throughout L.A. County to help residents recognize and avoid fraud. Bet Tzedek also collaborates with various law enforcement agencies and legal services providers to target the most egregious perpetrators.