The Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation has shut down a Southfield business that posed as a mortgage company in order to get people to leave their private financial data while applying online for home loans. A press release from the agency says:
 

The Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation (OFIR) has ordered an entity claiming to be a Southfield-based mortgage company called “Capita Management Group” to cease and desist from doing business. OFIR believes that Capita, through its website, www.capitamanagementgroup.com, is posing as a legitimate mortgage company in an attempt to steal consumers’ money and identity. The fraudulent company is encouraging customers to apply for loans by providing personal information including social security and financial account numbers.

“OFIR will continue to make it our business to put these fake companies out of business,” OFIR Commissioner Ken Ross said. “Michigan consumers need to be on the lookout for these classic advance loans scams, where they are lured into paying upfront fees for services they never get in return.”

OFIR found that Capita was not licensed under the state’s Mortgage Brokers, Lenders and Servicers Licensing Act.

The state website lists the licenses of every mortgage company in the state. If you ever wonder whether a business is legitimate, you can to go http://www.michigan.gov/ofir and click on the “who we regulate” link to search for their business license.