The growth in home ownership has brought with it an influx of fraudulent mortgage lending practices. It's time to remind consumers that there are some bad folks out there who will try to take advantage of borrowers.

The best defense is education. The National Association of Mortgage Brokers offers these tips:

Walk away from anyone suggesting that you lie on your mortgage application, by encouraging you to inflate your income or exaggerate your work history.

Don't sign any blank or incomplete mortgage documents.

Don't borrow more than you can afford.

Beware of telemarketers or Internet ads. These are scam artists' favorite sales techniques.

Don't give in to high-pressure salespeople.

Don't use lenders who want you to refinance your mortgage over and over again in a short period of time, charging you higher fees, points, interest rates and prepayment penalties each time.

Know the terms of your loan. Loans with low monthly payments probably come with a balloon payment and the remaining principal must be paid in full at the end of the loan term.

Beware of lenders who charge excessive fees and prepayment penalties.

Beware of borrowing through home-improvement contractors, particularly those who want you to use a specific lender they recommend. They're likely to charge you a higher interest rate and may even fail to follow through on the work.

--More on Shady Lenders--

Beware of shady mortgage lenders