An appraisal lists three comparables that all sold to the same buyer within six weeks, each 18% above the neighbourhood median. The value supports the contract exactly. What should the reviewer do?
Correct Answer
C) Escalate the red flag through compliance channels
Why this is correct: Appraisal fraud detection is a critical part of a lender's fraud prevention program. When a red flag is identified during a review, the standard procedure is to investigate, document, and escalate the issue through proper compliance channels before relying on the appraisal or moving the loan forward. "Escalate the red flag through compliance channels" is the correct, immediate action to ensure the issue is properly vetted. Why the other choices are wrong: "Continue the activity because the borrower appears willing to proceed" is wrong because fraud risks must be addressed regardless of borrower intent. "Ignore the consumer-protection issue unless the borrower complains" is wrong because lenders must proactively detect and address fraud; waiting for a complaint is insufficient. "Delay the Appraisal Fraud Detection step until a later secondary-market delivery review" is wrong because fraud detection must happen during origination to prevent reliance on a faulty valuation; delaying creates risk. Exam tip: Fraud red flags require immediate escalation, not delay or reliance on borrower willingness. This is a non-delegable duty.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
The correct response is "Escalate the red flag through compliance channels" because Fraud red flags require verification, documentation, and escalation before reliance.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A: Continue the activity because the borrower appears willing to proceed.
Continue the activity because the borrower appears willing to proceed. is not correct because it does not apply the rule tested by this file scenario.
Option B: Ignore the consumer-protection issue unless the borrower complains.
Ignore the consumer-protection issue unless the borrower complains. is not correct because it does not apply the rule tested by this file scenario.
Option D: Delay the Appraisal Fraud Detection step until a later secondary-market delivery review instead of acting now.
This distractor shifts the issue to a different trigger, product, or timing rule instead of applying the rule tested in the stem.
Memory Technique
fraud red flags: identify the rule being tested, then choose the action that documents or applies that rule before the file moves forward.
Exam Tip
Match the file facts to fraud red flags; do not choose an exception or shortcut that skips the required rule.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- -Choosing an internal exception instead of the governing rule
- -Treating preliminary or informal facts as a substitute for required documentation
- -Answering from a familiar but unrelated mortgage topic
More Ethics & Fraud Questions
In a closing-readiness check, a disclosure specialist sees facts tied to Appraisal Fraud Detection. What should the file reflect?
An MLO recommends a loan with a low initial payment that will increase sharply in two years. The borrower says retirement income will be fixed and asks whether the payment can change. What is the appropriate response?
An MLO alters a bank statement to make the applicant's account balance appear higher and submits it to underwriting. Which response is appropriate?
A branch manager asks about a loan file because marketing proposes a rate the company is not prepared to offer. What should happen?
A borrower wants cash for necessary home repairs. A proposed refinance provides $15,000 cash but adds $12,000 in costs and extends repayment by 15 years. What is the best next step for the MLO?
Before closing, the team discovers that an ad shows an interest rate but omits the APR presentation. What is the safest compliant answer?
The loan team is resolving Privacy and Confidentiality during a quality-control sample. Which action best fits the rule?
A house last sold for $185,000 in January. In March it changes hands 3 times in 9 days, reaching $410,000, with the same appraiser and the same closing agent on every leg. Assuming the parties colluded to inflate appraisals without improvements to support the higher prices, what fraud scheme does this pattern illustrate?
For closings involving federally related mortgage loans, a title company pays a real estate brokerage $75 for each referred client who closes. The brokerage only passes along the client’s name and number. Does this referral payment comply with RESPA Section 8?
Before closing, the team discovers that a loan officer wants different terms because of a protected applicant characteristic. What is the safest compliant answer?
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