§ 4-6-12-3.5 — "Residential real estate transaction"; unit to establish or designate toll free telephone number; staffing; sharing of information; uniform procedures; publicizing number

Indiana § 4-6-12-3.5

• Jurisdiction: Indiana
• Art. 6: ATTORNEY GENERAL
• Ch. 12: Homeowner Protection Unit

Text

5. (a) As used in this chapter, "residential real
estate transaction" includes:
(1) mortgage lending practices;
(2) real estate appraisals; and
(3) other practices;
performed or undertaken in connection with a single family residential
mortgage transaction or the refinancing of a single family residential
mortgage transaction.
(b) Not later than July 1, 2008, the unit shall:
(1) establish a new toll free telephone number; or
(2) designate an existing toll free telephone number operated or
sponsored by the office of the attorney general;
to receive calls from persons having information about suspected
fraudulent residential real estate transactions.
(c) The toll free telephone number required by this section shall be
staffed by:
(1) employees or investigators of the unit who have knowledge of
the laws concerning residential real estate transactions;
(2) representatives of any of the entities described in section
4(a)(8) through 4(a)(10) of this chapter who have knowledge of
the laws concerning residential real estate transactions; or
(3) a combination of persons described in subdivisions (1) and
(2).
The attorney general shall designate persons to staff the toll free
telephone number as required by this subsection.
(d) Unless otherwise prohibited by law, the unit shall ensure that
information received from callers to the toll free telephone number is
shared with any entity described in section 4 of this chapter that has
jurisdiction over the matter not later than fifteen (15) business days
after the date the unit determines the appropriate entity to which the
information should be referred. The unit shall establish uniform
procedures for:
(1) responding to calls received;
(2) protecting:
(A) the anonymity of callers who wish to report information
anonymously; or
(B) the identity of callers who request that their identity not be
disclosed;
(3) documenting and verifying information reported by callers;
and
(4) transmitting reported information to the appropriate entities
described in section 4 of this chapter within the time required by
this subsection.
(e) The unit shall publicize the availability of the toll free telephone
number established or designated under this section in a manner
reasonably designed to reach members of the public.

Legislative History

As added by P.L.145-2008, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.1-2009, SEC.8.