It's about time! I doubt they will govern it as they should....

As always, I think companies that engage in deceptive practices to 'trick' consumers into buying a product or service are deplorable. But, I also think we, as consumers, have the duty to read the fine print and to educate ourselves to the point where we know exactly what we are getting. It's time for people to wake up - the people who fall for these tactics are usually people who want something for nothing, and they end up paying more in the end every time. There is no free ride! Read the fine print and pay a fair price and you'll do better than chasing after some fantasy.

WE.WANT OLDER PEPOLE.TO STAY.IN.TEASRERE HOMES.AS LONG ASPOSEBEL DO TO MODER TECNOLIGEY WE ARE LIVING,LONGER.

I think it is about time they finally cracked down on these ads. I just recently bought a house and had to do some loan shopping. Comparing real rates to these advertised rates is amazing. I would think only suckers would fall for them. I think that is what the advertisers are counting on that.

Now it is time the FTC cracks down on the fine print used by everyone else.

The parctices of inticing consumers to lower interest rates without full disclosure are common place. The fine print on the ads does not even come close to disclosing to the consumer what they are getting themselves into. Many of the loan material conceals hidden costs, balloon paymnets or other hidden requirements along with the promise of low payments and interest rates. I do not agree with their advertisement tactics or not disclosing the informaiton, but if you fail to read the documentation sent to you by the lender and sign away on the dotted line, then it is the fault of the consumer for not properly researching the lender or carefully reading the documentation.

It's about time but it's still about two years too late. These ads have been out there since 2003 and it's one of the reasons people are in the loans they are in now. It's a shame when common sense is thrown out the window so some corporate individuals and keep their shareholders happy. Are they still happy to know the companies they invested in hawked horrible loan programs that are now forcing people out of their homes? Personal responsibility is important, but in most cases the borrowers were not being told truthful payment terms and they didn't know to ask. I hope the FBI looks in to all of the mortgage brokers and lenders and go over the loan applications and fine all of the originators that LIED to get people in to loans.

The subprime and "too aggressive" mortgage lending debacle has now been going on for at least 2 years. Finally the FTC decides to look at the marketing campaigns that are at the heart of this mess. Why did it take them so long?

Greedy idiots who got mortgages they knew they couldn't afford are one thing... This is outright bait-and-switch fraud, and I hope the FTC is able to crack down on these grifters.

That's ok. These companies are changing their ads. Now I hear radio ads promising information on "homes for as low as $199 a month", later claiming these are 'previously foreclosed homes priced to sell'. "As low as $199 a month?" asks a prospective customer. "As low as $199 a month" answers the sales agent.

Again this comes back to the old "if it sounds too good to be true..." mantra. Does anyone (especially the experienced home owner mentioned in the article) really believe that you can get a $350K loan for $1,000 per month?? Obviously if that's the case there is something going on other than a loan that pays principle and interest. Do the math people!! Also, don't wait until your payment goes up $300-$400 per month to read your loan papers. There is a three day recision period with all refinance loans. This is designed as a cooling down period and an opportunity for you to review the documents. I simply don't buy the "I didn't know" excuse from homeowners. Until consumers take care of their own finances I think the government should stay out. You've made your bed now it's time to lay in it.

Why don't you do an investigation into and write an article about the tactics the pre-paid/reloadable credit card industry, with the blessing of banks, uses to exploit the poor and the seperate.

As an online marketing expert, who refuses to work with payday loan/credit card companies, I am well aware of the scummy tactics used by these companies.

For a beginners course, search, Edebitpay.com and Edpreporting.com. Read through the countless Ripoffreports.com complaints about the company and the FTC filings against the company and you'll want to weep.

I bought a house last year using a 15year Fixed, and since then I get letters in the mail offering mortgage refinancing every single day. Usually they offer some very low rates (like 1.5%), but in reality the APY was usually 6~7%. That means if I refinanced, I will owe more in mortgage every month that I pay them. This is classic deceptive practice. Even the big guys like Countrywide mortgage does this. Government should crack down on these deceptive and predatory practices.

I called these lenders and asked them how they got my mortgage information, and they said the major credit agencies sells it to them. I cannot believe the major credit bureau would do something like that. The credit bureau should get part of the blame also.

I think consumers should be able to sue for being deceptively mislead by the mortgage companies. Maybe after paying out a few huge lawsuits, the mortgage companies will be forced to walk the straight and narrow--OR--risk going out of business.

Day late and a dollar short. Why wasn't the FTC overseeing these ads two, three or five years ago? Why wasn't congress requiring stricter compliance from mortgage lenders?

I guess as long as everyone was making money, it was easy to look the other way. Unfortunately, it's too late now. Too many people have been hurt.