NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Trade Commission said Thursday that it mailed more than 13,000 refund checks to consumers who were tricked by a company that claimed it would negotiate with lenders to modify their mortgage terms.

The federal agency had alleged that the operators of First Universal Lending would charge consumers upfront fees and encourage homeowners to stop making mortgage payments. But First Universal would then do little or nothing to help homeowners, the FTC said.

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