EASTPOINTE, US - AMONG the byproducts of the US housing crisis is a surge in scams that cheat people out of their money, their homes, or both, under the guise of offering to rescue them from foreclosure.

'There is a lot of money to be made if you are good at committing fraud,' said Debra Zimmerman, an attorney at Los Angeles-based Bet Tzedek Legal Services, which provides free legal assistance to stricken home owners. 'Foreclosure rescue scams are big business right now.'

Groups like Ms Zimmerman's say that as soon as borrowers end up in foreclosure - a matter of public record in the US - they are bombarded with calls, leaflets and knocks on the door from people armed with fraudulent offers of help.

'I got calls all day from people saying they could save my home,' said Mr Julian, seated at a small table in his kitchen.

One group promised help if he gave them US$3,800 ($5100). He borrowed money from family and was all ready to pay, until his suspicions were aroused by the frequency of their calls.

On the advice of his younger sister, he got in touch with local non-profit counseling agency the Michigan Neighborhood Partnership (MNP).

'I was able to convince Huston not to send the money and explained to him this was a rescue scam,' said Juanita Bryant, a loss mitigation specialist at MNP who is negotiating with Mr Julian's lender on a mortgage repayment schedule based on his restored disability benefits.

While such scams are on the rise, law enforcement agencies are overwhelmed.

'Almost every foreclosure rescue programme you see out there is fraud,' said Todd Lackner, a San Diego-based mortgage fraud investigator. 'Sadly, the law enforcement community lacks the funds to investigate or prosecute all the cases.' -- REUTERS