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Ethics & Fraudmedium18% of exam

In a mortgage origination file, a title company offers a gift card for each borrower referral. Which action should be taken?

Correct Answer

D) Refuse the referral fee because no service is performed

Lines 244-249; 12 CFR 1024.14(b). A thing of value for a referral is prohibited even if the borrower charge does not increase. Therefore, the correct response is "Refuse the referral fee because no service is performed".

Answer Options
A
Continue the activity because the borrower appears willing to proceed.
B
Ignore the consumer-protection issue unless the borrower complains.
C
Use the TRID timing standard to decide the RESPA kickbacks and referral fees issue before confirming the trigger facts.
D
Refuse the referral fee because no service is performed

Why This Is the Correct Answer

The correct response is "Refuse the referral fee because no service is performed" because Lines 244-249; 12 CFR 1024.14(b).

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 C: Use the TRID timing standard to decide the RESPA kickbacks and referral fees issue before confirming the trigger facts.

This distractor shifts the issue to a different trigger, product, or timing rule instead of applying the rule tested in the stem.

Memory Technique

conflicts of interest: 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 conflicts of interest; 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
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