Banking & Credit

CFA Survey of Online Payday Loan Websites

Consumer Federation of America surveyed a sample of twenty Internet payday lender websites. Key findings include: Lenders require electronic access to borrowers’ bank accounts. Instead of holding a paper check to secure payment of loans made at payday loan stores, Internet lenders gain authorization to electronically deposit loan proceeds and withdrawn payments directly from borrowers’ bank accounts. Borrowers complete online applications and provide Social Security numbers, bank account and bank routing numbers in online applications. Surveyed loan size ranges from $100 to $1500, with payment/s due on the borrower’s next payday with loan terms ranging from five to thirty days.