A voice crafted to mimic a real person allegedly pitched cash-out refis — without consent
A Michigan mortgage lender is facing a class action over its alleged use of artificial voice calls to pitch refinancing without consent.
Mortgage One Funding LLC, based in Clawson, Michigan, was sued in federal court on February 24, 2026, over allegations that it conducted a wide-scale telemarketing campaign using artificial voice technology to cold-call consumers on their cellphones — without ever securing their permission.
The case, filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, centers on claims that the lender, which markets and sells home mortgage loans and refinancing products, placed repeated unsolicited calls — either directly or through third parties acting on its behalf — featuring an artificial voice designed to sound like a real person. According to the lawsuit, the voice pitched mortgage products, including cash-out refinancing, to people who had never agreed to be contacted.
The allegations trace back to a call allegedly received on approximately January 23, 2026, by a Pennsylvania consumer whose phone number had been registered on the National Do Not Call Registry since on or around May 2023. According to the lawsuit, the voice on the other end introduced itself as part of "the Mortgage One Funding rate team" and offered to help lower the recipient's monthly payment or explore cash-out options. The call was eventually transferred to a live person who identified himself as being with Mortgage One Funding and continued the refinancing pitch.
The lawsuit describes the artificial voice as exhibiting awkward pauses and odd vocal inflection — unmistakably non-human, yet crafted to mimic a live person. According to the filing, the voice also suggested it was returning a previous call, something the lawsuit characterizes as a sales tactic, noting that the consumer denies ever having contacted Mortgage One.
For mortgage professionals, the case puts a spotlight on an increasingly relevant risk: the use of automated voice technology in lead generation. As lenders and their vendors lean into new outreach tools to drive volume, the lawsuit is a reminder that skipping the consent step before picking up the phone — or letting a machine do it — could carry steep consequences.
The case was brought under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which requires prior express written consent before telemarketing calls using artificial or pre-recorded voices can be placed. The lawsuit alleges that Mortgage One and its telemarketers failed to meet those requirements, including a federal rule requiring clear disclosure that a consumer is authorizing such calls before any agreement is signed.
The proposed class includes all persons in the United States who allegedly received similar calls from Mortgage One or its agents over the four years preceding the filing. Damages sought start at $500 per violation, with the potential to reach $1,500 per call if the conduct is found to be willful. The total claims of the proposed class are alleged to exceed $5 million.
No determination has been made on the merits, and the case remains in its earliest stages. As of this writing, Mortgage One Funding LLC has not filed a response to the lawsuit. A jury trial has been requested.
