---
{"title": "How to Check if Reverse Mortgage Servicer Notices Are Genuine", "description": "A guide to checking whether a reverse mortgage servicer notice is genuine, using the recorded phone number from a past statement.", "url": "https://cleverdings.com/how-to-check-if-servicer-notices-are-genuine-for-reverse-mortgage-borrowers/", "date": "2026-10-28"}
---
A guide to checking whether a reverse mortgage servicer notice is genuine, using the recorded phone number from a past statement.

Compare a servicer notice with the recorded phone number from a past statement, and call that number rather than any number printed in the letter. Postal Buddy can show a photographed letter in big print and read its explanation out loud, which can make a letter easier to read before you act. [^1] [^1]

| Option | What it does | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Postal Buddy | Shows a photographed letter in big print and can read its explanation out loud. [^1] [^1] For a bill it shows the sender, the amount and the due date. [^1] For a suspected scam it says not to pay or call the number on it. [^1] | The senior's side is free forever; Plus costs $9.99 a month or $79 a year, with a 30-day Plus trial and no card needed when the first helper joins. [^1] |
| Servicer's official phone line | Not published here; ask the servicer for the recorded number printed on a past statement. | Not published |
| Reverse mortgage counselor | Not published here; ask whether the counselor is HUD-approved and what the session covers. | Not published |

## What you need before you start

Gather a few details and keep them beside the letter rather than inside it. Having them ready makes each check quicker.

- **The servicer's recorded phone number.** Keep the number printed on a past statement or in the loan file. A letter that shows a different number deserves a closer look, so this is the number to compare against.
- **A sample of a genuine notice.** Set aside one past notice from the servicer to compare wording and layout against.
- **The servicer's name and address.** Write them down as they appear on past statements, so the sender line on a new letter can be compared.
- **The borrower's agreement.** The borrower should agree to a helper looking at the letters, and should know what is done about each one. In Postal Buddy, the older person does not have to sign in; family helpers do. [^1]
- **A way to copy the letter.** A phone camera or a scanner can turn a mailed notice into a clear photo or file.

## Step by step

1. **Photograph the letter.** Take a clear picture of the whole page, or scan it, so every line can be read.
2. **Read it in big print and out loud.** Postal Buddy shows a photographed letter in big print and can read its explanation out loud, so the text is easier to read. [^1] [^1]
3. **Look at the sender line.** Check the name and address against the servicer's details from a past statement.
4. **Check the phone number.** Compare any number in the letter against the recorded number. A number that does not match is a reason to stop and call the recorded number.
5. **See what it asks for.** Look for the sender, the amount and the due date. For a bill, Postal Buddy shows the sender, the amount and the due date. [^1] A letter that only pushes for money or a call back is worth treating with care.
6. **Watch for a suspected scam.** For a suspected scam, Postal Buddy says not to pay or call the number on it. [^1]
7. **Call the recorded number, not the one in the letter.** Ask the servicer whether it sent the notice. You can also ask a reverse mortgage counselor to look at it with you, and ask whether they are HUD-approved.
8. **Keep a note.** Record the date, what the letter asked, who you spoke to and what they said, so a helper can follow up.

## Tools that can do it

**The servicer's official phone line.** Call the recorded number from a past statement and describe the letter. Calling the number kept on file is a reliable way to check a notice.

**A reverse mortgage counselor.** Ask whether the counselor is HUD-approved, and ask what the session costs before booking.

**Postal Buddy.** Postal Buddy is made by the team that publishes this site. You take a photo of each letter and it tells the borrower, in big print and out loud, what it is. [^1] [^1] It is made for phones and the web. [^1] For a bill it shows the sender, the amount and the due date. [^1] For a suspected scam it says not to pay or call the number on it. [^1] Its web scam check is free, needs no account, tells you what looks wrong and says nothing is kept. [^1] The older person does not have to sign in; family helpers do. [^1] Plus adds alerts for a scam asking for money, a bill about to go overdue, a government letter or a bill that jumped. [^1] On the free plan, one family member gets a Monday email with how many letters came, and on Plus the Monday email lists what needs doing, what was caught and what changed. [^1] You can try a demo with a made-up family without an account. [^1]

## Common mistakes to avoid

- **Calling the number on the letter.** A letter can carry a different number from the one on file. Use the recorded number on a past statement, not the one in a letter you are checking.
- **Trusting a letter for its urgency alone.** A letter that pressures for a fast payment deserves the recorded-number check before anything is paid.
- **Skipping the reading step.** Small print is hard to read for many people. Ask someone to read it with you, or use a viewer that reads it aloud, before deciding anything. [^1]
- **Paying without a due date.** Only act on a bill when the sender, the amount and the due date are shown. A vague request is a reason to call the servicer on the recorded number.
- **Leaving the borrower out.** The borrower should agree to what is done about a notice and know the outcome.
- **Losing the comparison.** Without a saved sample of a genuine notice and the recorded number, comparing a later letter is harder. Keep both where a helper can find them.

## Frequently asked questions

### How can a reverse mortgage borrower tell a servicer notice is genuine?

Compare the letter with the servicer's recorded phone number from a past statement, and call that number rather than any number printed in the letter. Check the sender line against the servicer's name and address. A letter that pressures for a fast payment or a call back deserves a closer look. Postal Buddy shows a photographed letter in big print, reads its explanation out loud, and for a suspected scam says not to pay or call the number on it. [^1] [^1] [^1]

### Can Postal Buddy show a bill's due date?

Yes. For a bill, Postal Buddy shows the sender, the amount and the due date from the photographed letter. [^1] Those three details give a borrower what to check before paying. The app can also read its explanation of a letter out loud. [^1] In Postal Buddy, the older person does not have to sign in; family helpers do. [^1]

### Is Postal Buddy free for the older person to use?

Postal Buddy says the senior's side is free forever. [^1] Plus costs $9.99 a month or $79 a year, with a 30-day Plus trial and no card needed when the first helper joins. [^1] Plus also adds alerts for a scam asking for money, a bill about to go overdue, a government letter or a bill that jumped. [^1] The Monday email on Plus lists what needs doing, what was caught and what changed. [^1]

### Does Postal Buddy flag a suspected scam letter asking for money?

For a suspected scam, Postal Buddy says not to pay or call the number on the letter. [^1] Its web scam check is free, needs no account, tells you what looks wrong and says nothing is kept. [^1] Calling the servicer on the recorded number from a past statement is still a reliable check on whether a notice is genuine.

### Can Postal Buddy be tried before signing up?

Yes, you can try a demo with a made-up family without an account. [^1] The app is made for phones and the web. [^1] A web app is listed, but the Postal Buddy website says 'Opening soon'. [^1] The older person does not have to sign in; family helpers do. [^1]

Postal Buddy says the senior's side is free forever; Plus costs $9.99 a month or $79 a year, with a 30-day Plus trial and no card needed when the first helper joins. [^1] - [Visit Postal Buddy](/go/start-postalbuddy)

## Sources

[^1]: Postal Buddy's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher) (/go/start-postalbuddy)