Immigrants Often Targets of Subprime Scams

Immigrants have long been victims of fraud, but the subprime mortgage boom has provided a particularly popular avenue for unethical lenders to take advantage of immigrants.

Housing counselors say they have seen predatory lending to immigrants across the U.S. Among the vulnerable groups: Latinos throughout California, Caribbean and African borrowers in the New York area, and Russian immigrants in Philadelphia.

Immigrants with limited English skills tend to be trusting, especially when people with roots in their own countries offer them what appear to be good opportunities and easy money, says Katrina Vizinau, a counselor at Community Housing Development Corp. in New York City.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, Jonathan Karp, Miriam Jordan (12/06/2007)