§454F-17 - Prohibited practices.
[§454F-17] Prohibited practices. It shall be a violation of this chapter for a mortgage loan originator to:
(1) Directly or indirectly employ any scheme, device, or artifice to defraud or mislead borrowers or lenders or to defraud any person;
(2) Engage in any unfair or deceptive practice toward any person;
(3) Obtain property by fraud or misrepresentation;
(4) Solicit or enter into any contract with a borrower that provides in substance that the person or individual subject to this chapter may earn a fee or commission through "best efforts" to obtain a loan even though no loan is actually obtained for the borrower;
(5) Solicit, advertise, or enter into a contract for specific interest rates, points, or other financing terms unless the terms are actually available at the time of soliciting, advertising, or contracting;
(6) Conduct any business covered by this chapter without holding a valid license as required under this chapter, or assist or aid and abet any person in the conduct of business under this chapter without a valid license as required under this chapter;
(7) Fail to make disclosures as required by this chapter and any other applicable state or federal law including rules or regulations thereunder;
(8) Fail to comply with this chapter or rules adopted under this chapter, or fail to comply with any other state or federal law, including the rules and regulations adopted thereunder, applicable to any business authorized or conducted pursuant to this chapter;
(9) Make, in any manner, any false or deceptive statement or representation, including with regard to the rates, points, or other financing terms or conditions for a residential mortgage loan, or engage in bait and switch advertising;
(10) Negligently make any false statement or knowingly and wilfully make any omission of material fact in connection with any information or reports filed with a governmental agency or the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System or in connection with any investigation conducted by the commissioner or another government agency;
(11) Make any payment, threat, or promise, directly or indirectly, to any person for the purposes of influencing the independent judgment of the person in connection with a residential mortgage loan, or make any payment, threat, or promise, directly or indirectly, to any appraiser of a property for the purpose of influencing the independent judgment of the appraiser with respect to the value of a property;
(12) Collect, charge, attempt to collect or charge, or use or propose any agreement purporting to collect or charge any fee prohibited by this chapter;
(13) Cause or require a borrower to obtain property insurance coverage in an amount that exceeds the replacement cost of the improvements as established by the property insurer;
(14) Fail to truthfully account for moneys belonging to a party to a residential mortgage loan transaction; or
(15) Deliver a misleading or deceptive communication or advertisement, whether written, electronic, or oral, when marketing or soliciting a residential mortgage loan. A communication or advertisement that uses the name or trademark of a financial institution as defined in section 412:1-109 or its affiliates or subsidiaries, or infers that the communication or advertisement is from, endorsed by, is related to, or is the responsibility of the financial institution is a misleading or deceptive communication. Advertising that a specific interest rate, points, or financial terms are available when the rates, points, or financial terms are not actually available is a misleading or deceptive communication. [L Sp 2009, c 32, pt of §2]