It was a Tuesday morning in Katy, Texas, when I got a call from a Vietnam Veteran named Joe. His voice shook. He’d received an “urgent notice” in the mail stamped with an APredatory Loans Targeting Our Heroes: Why I Always Have Your Six
A Story I’ll Never Forget

It was a quiet Tuesday morning in Katy, Texas, when I picked up the phone. On the line was Joe, a Vietnam Veteran. His voice trembled as he read a letter that had just arrived in his mailbox, stamped with an American flag and a fake VA-style seal.

The headline screamed:
“Attention Veteran: You Qualify for an Immediate Cash-Out Refinance at a Lower Rate.”

It looked official. It promised relief. But when I unraveled the details, the reality was shocking:

• The quoted rate was 2% higher than Joe actually qualified for.
• The supposed “cash back” was an illusion — every penny would be eaten by hidden junk fees rolled into the loan.
• His balance would have jumped by $48,000 overnight, and his monthly payment increased by $380.

If Joe hadn’t reached out, he would have signed away his hard-earned security to predators who never should have held licenses in the first place.

That day reminded me why I fight so hard for Veterans and First Responders.

Why This Mission Is Personal

I’m Dorota Tyminski, a Mortgage Loan Officer with SecurityNational Mortgage Company (SNMC). My specialty is home financing, but my calling is safeguarding the financial peace of those who’ve safeguarded us.

My family’s military roots in Poland stretch back over 200 years. Sacrifice, courage, and patriotism shaped my upbringing — and I carry that same dedication into my work here in Texas.

When I see unethical lenders using fear, glossy marketing, and misleading promises to exploit Veterans and First Responders, I take it personally. You wore the uniform. You put yourself in harm’s way. The least you deserve is honesty, transparency, and a mortgage process that strengthens your future — not one that threatens it.

Why Veterans & First Responders Are Prime Targets

Scammers know exactly whom to target and why:

• Trust & Integrity: Heroes live by values like honor and trustworthiness. Predators exploit that same trust.
• Well-Known VA Benefits: The VA loan program offers incredible perks: no down payment, no PMI, competitive rates, and flexible credit. Unscrupulous lenders use those truths, twisting them into bait-and-switch tactics.
• Older Veterans on Fixed Incomes: For retirees, an envelope promising “lower payments and instant savings” can feel like relief. But too often, it’s a trap that creates more debt.

The Dirty Playbook: Tricks Used Against Heroes

Here’s how predatory loan originators — some who never should have been licensed — are deceiving Veterans and First Responders in Houston, Katy, and across Texas:

• Official-Looking Mailers: Complete with fake VA seals, bold “final notice” language, and urgent calls to act.
• Phony Email Campaigns: False “Veteran-only” programs that don’t exist.
• Teaser Rates: Temptingly low short-term rates that skyrocket later.
• Cash-Out Mirage: Rolling inflated fees into the loan balance disguised as “cash back.”
• High-Pressure Calls: Pushing borrowers to make same-day decisions without space to think or compare.

The playbook is simple: create urgency, overwhelm with jargon, and rush a signature.

The Human Cost of Predatory Lending

The damage is devastating and real:

• Veterans losing tens of thousands in fees they never needed to pay.
• Families ending up upside down on their homes due to inflated balances.
• First Responders left with higher payments than before refinancing, while still working shifts to protect all of us.

Predatory lenders rob our heroes twice: first through service and sacrifice, and then through financial exploitation.

Why I Support Tunnel to Towers (T2T.org)

When I think about what it means to support Veterans, I think of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Their mission inspires me deeply:

• Paying off mortgages for families of our fallen heroes.
• Building mortgage-free smart homes for catastrophically injured Veterans and First Responders.

At SNMC, we believe homeownership equals freedom. Predatory loans take that freedom away. T2T restores it — and that’s why I proudly support and share their mission.

Always Get a Second Opinion — Like at the Doctor’s Office

If your doctor told you bad news, you’d check with another physician before agreeing to surgery. Why wouldn’t you treat your mortgage — surgery on your financial future — the same way?

A mortgage isn’t just a payment. It decides retirement, security, and dignity for decades.

I often tell clients:
“A mortgage is like surgery on your financial future. You wouldn’t let an unqualified surgeon operate — don’t let an unethical lender touch the roof over your head.”

That’s why I offer no-obligation second opinions for Veterans and First Responders. Bring me any loan offer you receive:

• I’ll break it down line by line.
• Translate the jargon into plain English.
• Expose hidden fees, tricks, or inflated rates.
• If the deal is really good? I’ll tell you to take it.

This isn’t about my commission. It’s about your protection.

How to Spot a Predatory Loan

Red Flags:

• “Urgent deadlines” forcing you to sign in 24 hours.
• Fake “special Veteran programs” that don’t exist on VA.gov.
• No itemized listing of fees.
• Offers that sound “too good to be true.” (They usually are.)

Green Flags — What Real Offers Look Like:

• Transparent fee and rate disclosures.
• Referrals to actual VA or Texas programs.
• Encouragement to shop around.
• Full explanations — no pressure.

Dorota’s Promise as an SNMC Loan Officer

As part of SecurityNational Mortgage Company (SNMC) — an FHA-approved lender with over 30 years of trust and a NASDAQ-listed parent company — my work is backed by financial strength and integrity.

But more importantly, it’s driven by heart. With me, you get:

• Transparency: Clear numbers upfront.
• Integrity: Recommendations that put your family before my bottom line.
• Dedication: A promise of long-term partnership, not one-off transactions.

And remember this: If another lender offers you something that sounds amazing, bring it to me before you sign. Consider me your trusted second opinion. I’ll always be candid — even if I tell you the other offer is solid.

Final Word: I Always Have Your Six

Predatory lenders will keep trying. They’ll flood your mailbox with glossy flyers. They’ll slip into your email inbox with promises of fast money. They’ll try to exploit your service and trust.

But you don’t have to face them alone.

If you’re a Veteran, an active-duty service member, a firefighter, police officer, EMT, or paramedic — know this: I will guard your financial flank the same way you’ve guarded ours.

That’s what it means to have your six.

I’m Dorota Tyminski. I serve Veterans and First Responders across Texas with heart and expertise.