(MONEY Magazine) – Some mortgage seekers face a special hurdle: racial bias. According to studies by the Federal Reserve and others, minority applicants are turned down two to four times more often than whites. The Justice Department and federal banking regulators recently announced plans to investigate 25 to 30 banks for potential bias charges. Discrimination can be tough to spot. Fair-lending specialists say that it may take the form of a loan officer who is simply not very helpful or who tries to steer you to another bank. ''Discrimination is very subtle and can often be defined by the lack of assistance someone receives,'' says Shanna Smith, director of programs for the National Fair Housing Alliance in Washington, D.C. (202-898-1661). There are several steps that you can take to protect yourself. When you apply, find out how long you can expect to wait for a decision. Then call the bank if you haven't heard by the promised date. Some banks may simply delay action, hoping you will give up. Demonstrating that you intend to stand up for your rights may improve your chances of getting a loan. If the bank turns down your loan request, ask for an explanation of its underwriting standards to learn whether it rejects all applicants with credentials like yours. And watch out for lowball appraisals. If the stated reason for your rejection is that the home you want to buy is worth less than the purchase price, demand to see a copy of the report. A fair-lending expert may be able to spot evidence of bias in the subjective information -- comments about the quality of neighboring houses, for example -- that's often part of an appraisal. If you feel you have been treated unjustly, call the Department of Housing and Urban Development's discrimination hotline (800-669-9777). For a rundown of your rights, call for the Federal Reserve's free booklet Home Mortgages: Understanding the Process and Your Right to Fair Lending (202-452-3245).

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