They usually come with a knock on the door or a brightly colored flyer in the mailbox. "I’m NOT here to buy your house," the paper claims in bold letters. It sounds like a lifeline. For an Arizona homeowner staring down a foreclosure notice, it feels like a miracle. But according to recent legal filings, it was actually a trap.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is currently taking a sledgehammer to what she describes as "immoral" and "disgusting" real estate schemes. Kris Mayes sues firms defrauding Arizona homeowners in foreclosure to stop a sophisticated machine designed to strip equity from the state's most vulnerable residents.
This isn't just one rogue agent. We are talking about a web of over 50 shell companies and coordinated teams of "door knockers" who treated human tragedy like a cold-calling list.
The Anatomy of the "Equity Stripping" Trap
How does a scam like this actually function? Honestly, it’s devious because it mimics legitimate help. Scammers monitor public records for a "Notice of Trustee’s Sale." This is basically a public "we are foreclosing" alarm. Once that notice hits the county recorder’s website, the race is on.
The Attorney General’s Office recently detailed a massive case involving Edward Trenton Albarracin (who often went by Trenton Edwards) and Gretchen Marie Zamjahn (aka Gretchen Edwards). They allegedly operated under names like Hands with Hope LLC.
The pitch was simple: "We can help you stay in your home."
They would tell homeowners to transfer their deed "temporarily" into a trust. They claimed this would stop the foreclosure. Instead, the deeds were moved into shell LLCs like the "Lupo Family Trust, LLC."
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- The Signature Trick: Albarracin would sign for the company.
- The Notary Problem: Zamjahn—his spouse—would notarize the documents.
- The Result: The homeowner didn't just stop the foreclosure; they literally gave away their house without realizing it.
Why Kris Mayes Sues Firms Defrauding Arizona Homeowners in Foreclosure Right Now
The timing here matters. Arizona’s real estate market is a pressure cooker. As home values spiked, so did the amount of equity people had in their homes. If you owe $100,000 on a house worth $400,000, that $300,000 in equity is a massive target for predators.
In March 2025, Mayes filed a sprawling lawsuit (Case No. CV2025-008402) that went even further than the primary scammers. She didn't just go after the "hardship specialists." She sued the title companies and the law firms that facilitated the deals.
The logic is straightforward: these professionals should have known better.
When a "door knocker" brings in a confused elderly person to sign over a $500,000 asset for nothing, a title company shouldn't just look the other way. The lawsuit claims some law firms even filed bankruptcy petitions for homeowners without their knowledge just to delay the foreclosure long enough for the scammers to seize the property.
The Reality of the "Pyramid Scheme" on Your Porch
Mayes has described the operation as a pyramid scheme. Door knockers aren't usually the masterminds; they are people paid a commission to find victims. They are the boots on the ground.
They look for specific indicators:
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- High Equity: Homes that have been owned for a long time.
- Age: Elderly residents who might be less familiar with digital real estate records.
- Distress: People who are panicked and likely to sign anything to avoid an eviction.
It's a brutal cycle. Once the deed is signed over, the scammers often evict the original owners anyway. They then sell the house, pocket the hundreds of thousands of dollars in equity, and move on to the next address on the list.
Legal Teeth: Receiverships and Restitution
One of the most aggressive moves Mayes made was requesting an emergency receivership. In August 2025, a Maricopa County judge granted this, putting a third party in charge of the defendants' assets.
We are talking about millions in real estate, luxury cars, and bank accounts. The goal? To freeze the money before it disappears so it can eventually be used for victim restitution.
The Attorney General isn't just asking for a "don't do it again" promise. She is seeking:
- Permanent bans on these individuals ever working in Arizona real estate again.
- Substantial civil penalties for every violation of the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act.
- Actual money back for the families who lost their primary investment.
How to Tell if a "Foreclosure Specialist" is Legitimate
If someone knocks on your door because they "saw you were in trouble," red flags should go up immediately. Genuine help rarely comes from a stranger standing on your porch with a flyer.
First, check the license. In Arizona, anyone offering to help you with a real estate transaction or a loan modification should be licensed. You can verify a real estate license through the Arizona Department of Real Estate.
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Second, watch for the "Trust" talk. If someone asks you to transfer your deed into a "living trust" or an LLC to save it, stop. That is almost always a play to steal your title.
Third, don't pay upfront. It is actually illegal under federal and state law for "foreclosure rescue" companies to collect fees before they have actually delivered a result. If they want $3,000 today to "talk to your bank," they are breaking the law.
Moving Forward if You’ve Been Targeted
If you suspect you’ve already signed something you shouldn't have, don't just wait. The Attorney General’s Office is actively looking for more victims to bolster these cases.
You should immediately:
- File a complaint at the AZAG website (azag.gov/consumer).
- Contact a HUD-approved housing counselor. They provide free, legitimate advice on foreclosure.
- Pull your own title report. See if any weird LLCs have been added to your property records without your clear understanding.
The fight against equity theft is ongoing, but the recent lawsuits show that the state is finally looking behind the curtain of these shell companies. It’s a messy, complicated legal battle, but for hundreds of Arizonans, it’s the only hope they have of getting their homes back.
Actions You Can Take Today
If you or a family member are facing foreclosure, bypass the "door knockers" entirely. Reach out to the Arizona Foreclosure Help Line or a licensed attorney who specializes in real estate law. Never sign a document that you haven't had an independent third party—someone you hired—review first. Protecting your equity is about being skeptical of anyone who says they can make a debt disappear with a single signature.