Predatory lenders exploiting Americans' unfamiliarity with reverse mortgage programs have been charging exorbitant fees, cheating homeowners, and even foreclosing on property. Personal finance experts and law enforcement officials offer ten common characteristics of predatory lenders that you can use to avoid getting ripped off:

Predatory lenders never want to meet you at their offices.
Professional lenders operate professional-looking offices, not makeshift work spaces. Regulators have also discovered predatory lenders operating from nursing homes, hospitals, and churches. While it may seem convenient that a broker would come to you, their lack of an established office could indicate their desire to skip town once they've met their goals.

Predatory lenders rarely have strong online presence.
Legitimate brokers and lenders work hard to maintain their professional reputations. These days, that means operating professional Websites and communicating via blogs and social networking platforms. A Web search on the name of your prospective reverse mortgage lender should turn up at least a few solid hits.

Predatory lenders often find you before you find them.
Predatory lenders don't like to spend money on traditional advertising, so they often operate via word of mouth. When a broker contacts you by phone, by mail, or at your door, check references before divulging any personal information. Many reverse mortgage scams start with an elderly homeowner finding an eager salesperson on their doorstep. Always get competitive quotes from a variety of prospective lenders before moving forward with any mortgage deal.

Predatory lenders want you to make a big balloon payment.
Sales pitches that promise effortless solutions to your financial problems often hide important details. Many predatory lenders structure reverse mortgage deals that require a massive balloon payment at the end of the loan term. Few homeowners that would consider reverse mortgages can make that kind of payment, allowing lenders to foreclose. Legitimate lenders structure responsible reverse mortgage deals that account for a homeowners' age and overall financial situation.

Predatory lenders get excited about your bad credit.
Predatory lenders try to confuse prospects by convincing them that no other lender wants their business. In fact, new government guidelines put reverse mortgages within reach of many homeowners and credit qualifying isn't even required for FHA reverse mortgages (called HECMs). Shopping for multiple reverse mortgage quotes is essential to preventing a ripoff.

Predatory lenders get nervous when you ask questions.
Seasoned predatory lenders know that time is their enemy. If you slow down the process by asking questions, you deflate their high pressure sales tactics. The deeper you dig into a predatory lender's proposal, the more you'll uncover. Many predatory lenders operate legally, since offering a bad deal isn't against the law. To remain in business, they must honestly answer the questions that reveal how much more they intend to charge you, compared to an ethical lender.

Predatory lenders ask for sizable upfront fees.
Regulatory agencies have observed a huge jump in the number of cases where homeowners pay large application and processing fees, only to discover that they have been suddenly disqualified from reverse mortgage programs. While reasonable fees for background verification are acceptable, those costs shouldn't amount to over a few hundred dollars. Many legitimate lenders even provide detailed reverse mortgage quotes and credit checks for free.

Predatory lenders want you to sign blank documents or blanket approvals.
Law enforcement officials report that many complaints against predatory lenders involve forged documents or vague blanket agreements. Signing a form with figures missing or signing a power of attorney document can give predatory lenders free reign to assign any kind of terms they like. Even if it's less convenient, require your lender to present only completed paperwork for your signature.

Predatory lenders want you to sign that mortgage document now.
High pressure sales tactics make predatory lenders successful, especially when they can convince homeowners that interest rates or closing costs will jump significantly tomorrow. While market fluctuations happen, excessive eagerness from a broker or agent often reveals their own need to meet a goal or to close a deal--not their desire to save you money.

Predatory lenders hate it when you ask a third party to review their documents.
Inviting an attorney or an advocate to the closing table is a predatory lender's nightmare. Even if you are a relatively savvy shopper, a neutral advisor can look at a reverse mortgage deal with fresh eyes and spot problems immediately. A truly solid deal, especially on a reverse mortgage, can always wait another day or withstand another review.

Remember that predatory lenders succeed only when they turn your fear against you. Don't let the urgency of your situation let you settle for a bad deal. Shopping for reverse mortgage quotes from multiple lenders always puts your true options into perspective.

Joe Taylor Jr.
Joe Taylor Jr. is an internal business consultant for a Fortune 500 company, who writes about finance, culture, and design. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications from Ithaca College.