Forgotten second mortgages from the 2008 housing crisis are resurfacing nationwide, often a second lien on your home, typically a home equity loan or HELOC taken out before 2008. After many lenders stopped collecting on these underwater loans after the housing crash, many homeowners were told the debt was forgiven, included in a modification, or discharged in bankruptcy. However, the debt never actually disappeared from their title. Now, years later, debt buyers have purchased these dormant loans for pennies on the dollar and are demanding full repayment. The business model behind zombie mortgage collection is built on rising home equity. Debt collectors purchase pools of old, defaulted second mortgages at steep discounts and pay as little as four to seven cents per dollar of the outstanding balance. A $30,000 second mortgage from 2006 can grow to $75,000 or more by the time a collector reaches out to demand repayment.