Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Jonathan Mintz, commissioner of the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, have partnered with NeighborWorks America to unveil a citywide loan scam alert system. The program aims to educate distressed homeowners, thereby reducing the number of those victimized by predatory scam artists. The city is urging distressed homeowners to call 311 for accurate information on how to modify a loan. “We have made great strides to protect New Yorkers from fraud and prevent foreclosures but far too many residents in New York City are still at risk of losing their homes thanks to scam artists who make big promises and then do little or nothing to help,” Bloomberg said today. TRD