http://chicagobreakingbusiness.com/2010/10/wells-fargo-to-modify-arms-in-illinois-7-other-states.html
At least 531 Illinois homeowners will be offered mortgage loan modifications by Wells Fargo Bank after an investigation into allegedly deceptive marketing of payment option adjustable rate mortgages.
Illinois and seven other states investigated Wachovia and Golden West’s marketing of pay-option ARMs, potentially risky loan products because they allow borrowers to pay only a minimum payment, with the rest of the funds due added to the balance of the loan, which eventually resets at much higher required payments. Wells Fargo owns Wachovia and Golden West.
Under the settlement, Illinois borrowers will be offered $39.5 million in mortgage relief in the form of loan modifications, including almost $17 million in principal forgiveness. Wells Fargo will also pay $2.2 million to the state to compensate affected borrowers who have lost their homes to foreclosure, to cover the cost of the investigation and to provide assistance to struggling Illinois mortgage borrowers.
