I think you are overstating the problem pretty dramatically once again. I have been involved in several dozen short sales and can conclusively say not a hint of imporpriety existed on any of them. Are there some shady goings on out there? Absolutely. And if you sit around all day looking for them you’ll find them as you likely have. But I can also say conclusively that there were shady goings on every step of the way up and down. There will always be in a capitalistic society such as the one we live in. Particulalrly in residential real estate which has always been a breeding ground for get rich quick/shady dealings. I cant say there is anymore of this going on now than any time I have seen in the past 10 years. I hear the grumblings of frustration more than an actual epidemic of fraud going on out there.