EstatePass
Ethics & Fraudmedium17% of exam

A loan officer routinely schedules appointments with female applicants during evening hours but meets male applicants during regular business hours, claiming 'women prefer flexible scheduling.' Several female applicants have complained about feeling uncomfortable with evening appointments. This practice constitutes:

Correct Answer

C) Disparate treatment because men and women are treated differently based on gender stereotypes

This represents disparate treatment under ECOA because the loan officer is intentionally treating applicants differently based on gender stereotypes. Even if the loan officer believes this is helpful, treating people differently based on assumptions about their gender preferences constitutes intentional discrimination. The discomfort expressed by female applicants further demonstrates the discriminatory nature of this practice.

Answer Options
A
Neither form of discrimination if the loan officer genuinely believes this helps female applicants
B
Disparate impact because it may discourage female applicants from proceeding
C
Disparate treatment because men and women are treated differently based on gender stereotypes
D
Lawful accommodation since the loan officer is trying to be helpful to working women

Why This Is the Correct Answer

This represents disparate treatment under ECOA because the loan officer is intentionally treating applicants differently based on gender stereotypes. Even if the loan officer believes this is helpful, treating people differently based on assumptions about their gender preferences constitutes intentional discrimination. The discomfort expressed by female applicants further demonstrates the discriminatory nature of this practice.

Was this explanation helpful?

More Ethics & Fraud Questions

A lender's mobile app prominently displays a 'pre-qualification' feature that asks for minimal information but generates loan amount estimates that are consistently 20-30% higher than what borrowers actually qualify for when they complete full applications. The app includes a disclaimer that estimates are 'subject to full underwriting.' This practice is most likely:

A mortgage loan originator receives a lead from a real estate agent about a potential borrower. Before calling this consumer, the MLO must:

A mortgage company advertises 'Guaranteed approval for all credit types!' but internally has minimum credit score requirements of 580. This advertisement is problematic because it:

A borrower admits to an MLO that they inflated their income on the initial application but wants to provide correct information now. What should the MLO do?

An MLO's family member works as an appraiser and occasionally appraises properties for the MLO's borrowers through the normal appraisal management company rotation. The MLO never requests this appraiser specifically. Is this arrangement problematic?

A lender offers a mortgage product with a temporary introductory rate that is prominently advertised, but the subsequent rate increase is disclosed only in fine print at the bottom of marketing materials. The lender argues this practice is acceptable because all required disclosures are technically present. Under UDAAP standards, this practice is most likely:

A borrower submits a rental agreement showing $2,500 monthly income from a property they claim to own. Which of the following would be the MOST significant red flag indicating potential rental income fraud?

A borrower inflates their income on a loan application for a vacation home they plan to rent out occasionally but also use personally. The primary motivation is investment return. This scenario constitutes:

An appraisal comes back significantly higher than the contract price with no reasonable explanation. The loan officer should:

A borrower applies for a loan on a property they intend to flip but marks it as owner-occupied to get better loan terms. However, due to market conditions, they end up living in the property for two years before selling. This situation is:

People Also Study

Related Study Resources

Practice More MLO Questions

Access all practice questions with progress tracking and adaptive difficulty to pass your SAFE MLO exam.

Start Practicing