It started with a promise of help. It ended with hundreds, possibly thousands, of Arizonans losing not just their homes, but the very foundation of their lives.
For nearly a decade, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes says a criminal enterprise has been preying on vulnerable homeowners, using high-pressure tactics and legal loopholes to rob them of the equity they had spent a lifetime building.
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“Here comes a company with a very nice sounding name, or a “nonprofit,” that says ‘we will help you and all you have to do is sign here,’” Mayes told Arizona’s Family News.
But what these homeowners were actually signing, Mayes says, was their future away.
A lifetime, gone in a U-Haul
For one victim, the betrayal was both financial and deeply personal.
“This was never supposed to happen,” Claire Bataille told Arizona’s Family, “I just never thought I would leave.”
She bought her home in 2004. A couple of years ago, financial hardships pushed her into foreclosure. Then came a man named Cameron Jones, claiming he was with a group called Arizona’s Helping Hands.
“I thought he was such a wonderful person at the time,” Bataille said. “It was only a loan.”
But the loan turned out to be a trap. Suddenly, she had an online court date and was being evicted.
“He’s taken far more than my home, my memories, my heart,” she says.
According to Mayes, the scam, called equity stripping, involves convincing distressed homeowners to unknowingly sign over the deeds to their homes, often in exchange for as little as $5,000 or $10,000. Meanwhile, the true value of the properties could be anywhere from $500,000 to $800,000, or more.
“They are literally stealing people’s homes,” she said. “Sometimes even with the mortgage getting paid off, they could be getting $300,000 or $200,000 and the scammers are not telling them that.”
Mayes has filed a sweeping civil lawsuit against 70 defendants for consumer fraud and racketeering, alleging that Cameron Jones and Samuel Sutton led a sophisticated network involving title companies, attorneys and so-called nonprofits.
“We don’t know exactly how many [homes are involved], but it is at least hundreds of houses in this case alone,” she said.
“But we also estimate that this fraud has grown and metastasized so badly throughout Arizona, that there could be tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of homeowners who are the victims of this kind of fraud by other bad actors.”
Carolyn Singer came terrifyingly close to losing her home due to a paperwork glitch on her reverse mortgage. That’s when Jones and his team stepped in.
“He said he could help get it out of foreclosure,” Singer told Arizona’s Family reporters. “Of course, he wanted me to sign some papers. He covered up the top part so I didn’t see what it was. But I thought it was paperwork to keep it out of foreclosure.”
Thankfully, someone from the real estate world intervened just in time. Carolyn was able to remain in her home.
But not everyone who’s had dealings with Jones and Sutton managed to keep their homes. About 30 homes involved in the lawsuit may still be recoverable, but the rest have already been sold or flipped on the open market.
When asked for comment, Cameron Jones did not respond to inquiries from Arizona’s Family. Samuel Sutton referred the news channel to his attorney, who declined an interview.
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How to protect yourself from equity-stripping scams
Homeowners who are facing foreclosure need to be vigilant and here’s how:
- Be wary of unsolicited offers to “save” your home.
- Beware of any up-front fees. The Federal Trade Commission notes that, under the Mortgage Assistance Relief Services (MARS) rules, it’s illegal for a homeowner to be charged any money until they’ve accepted a written offer for loan relief from their lender.
- Watch out for high-pressure tactics to sign documents.
- Many scammers pretend to be from “helpful” organizations with official-sounding names, use a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) official source.
- Question any sale price far below market value. Use websites, like Zillow, Redfin, or speak to a licensed real estate agent to understand your property’s true market value.
- Get everything in writing. And always consult a licensed attorney or real estate professional.
As Mayes warns, “This is not just about fraud. It’s about robbing people of the homes they’ve built their lives around. It’s about stealing memories, safety, and dignity.”
If you believe you or someone you know may have been a victim of this or a similar scheme, report it to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office online or by calling 602-542-5763.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
