Archive for the ‘Payday Loans’ Category

Payday Loan Lender Supports MP’s Push to Cap the Cost of Borrowing

HERTFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND, January 11, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ — In a statement issued today, Gary Miller-Cheevers, CEO of payday loan company www.speed-e-loans.com, has pledged his support for various calls from the government to put a cap on the cost of payday loans borrowing.

MP Stella Creasy has been leading a high profile campaign to stop the legal loan sharks by pushing for a cap on interest rates charged on products such as payday loans. MEP Alyn Smith from the Scottish National Party (SNP) was reported last week* as saying: Cameron and his cronies must get their act together and regulate these companies out of existence before more people face financial ruin as a result.

Mr. Miller-Cheevers comments: Speedeloans supports the continuing need for a well run and tightly regulated short term finance market and applauds those members of the government looking to protect the public from unscrupulous lenders.

He suggests that one solution for all short term lending would be the introduction of expressing the cost of loans in GBPs terms, rather than APR (or EAR often quoted for bank account overdrafts), so customers can easily compare the actual cost, and quickly work out if it is something they can afford. He also has concerns over the use of the term EAR.

APRs and EARs can be confusing for many customers – and also misleading. For example, speedeloans has to quote an APR of 2243% for a payday loan and yet HBoS are able to quote 0% EAR as an overdraft amount.

The EAR is the actual annual interest rate for an overdraft and doesnt take into account fees and charges, while an APR does. How can customers compare borrowing money on a like-for-like basis when the APR means something different to an EAR? Maybe this is also something that should be investigated – transparency for all types of borrowing.

Speedeloans is already committed to offering a fair and transparent service and welcomes changes that would put a stop to disreputable lenders and their profiteering. We ensure that each potential customer knows what the cost of a payday loan will be before they proceed and have recently strengthened our systems to reject applicants who already have high levels of debt or who have taken on multiple payday loans through less scrupulous operators.

Mr. Miller-Cheevers added: Used responsibly, payday loans can offer a cost-effective way to satisfy emergency short-term loan needs. With an average loan application at GBP250 for a term of 19 days until next payday, the cost for this would be just over GBP50 including all costs. Compare this to an unauthorised overdraft at Bank of Scotlands Halifax of GBP5 per day, which comes to GBP95 plus the GBP10 per bounced item they charge, means that their charges are over double that of speedeloans.

Speedeloans was named the second cheapest payday loan provider out of ten UK companies in recent research**.

*Press Association 05.01.12
** Daily Mail 29.10.11

www.speedeloans.com is a practical alternative to banks that can no longer help their customers with their short term financial needs. Privately backed by people who understand our customers, our mission is to provide instant decisions and two hour money whenever they need it.

We are at the cutting edge of modern consumer finance by offering small, short term loans online with real speed and ease. We are flexible and paper free which means you can apply using our easy-to-use website whenever you need cash in a hurry. We have a consumer credit licence from the Office of Fair Trading.

In August 2011 we won an award for Most Responsible Lender which we welcome as proof that we are doing the right thing both for our own business, but also more importantly, our customers.


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Cash Cow Advances is a leading nationwide service provider of cash advances and payday loans.

No Fax Payday Loans Re-Launches With New Educational Resources and Redesigned Site

(PRWEB) January 27, 2012

No Fax Payday Loans is proud to announce the re-launch of its site. The re-launch includes new, free educational resources, a fast online application, and an redesign of the homepage. It is not uncommon for a family to need quick cash at some point, in which case No Fax Payday Loans can help. Anyone in need of fast money is encouraged to check out what this site has to offer, all for free.

“When planning how to revamp our site, we took every step to ensure we went above and beyond industry standards to create an outstanding consumer experience,” says No Fax Payday Loans spokesperson James Best. “This includes an easy, straightforward application process, expertly written educational resources, and a user friendly redesign of the homepage. Working in conjunction with one another, these new features all help consumers get the emergency cash they need in the most responsible, convenient way possible.”

The online application at No Fax Payday Loans is 100 percent secure and can be completed in minutes with only a modicum of required information. Site users can simply fill out the amount of money they need, which can range from $100 to $1500. The website will then generate a list of lenders willing to loan that amount of money to borrowers, who can browse the listing. Site users can look over the interest rate and conditions provided by each lender before accepting the offer.

Once a particular lender is chosen, users just have to prove that they are at least 18 years old, a legal citizen or resident of the US, and employed for at least the last 90 days. As long as they meet these requirements, and also make at least $1000 per month after taxes, they should be able to qualify for a loan.

In order to keep consumers as informed as possible throughout the loan process, full disclosure of loan terms will always occur prior to any obligation to taking out a loan. Beyond that, the new educational resources posted to the site allow readers to learn more in-depth information concerning how to take advantage of their loan funds, how rates and fees are decided, and other helpful information.

After a borrower is approved for a loan, he or she can expect to have the money in the bank within the next business day. It is not necessary to leave the house during the entire process, even to get the mail or cash a check at the bank, as the money is directly deposited into the checking account.

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Cash Cow Advances is a leading nationwide service provider of online cash advances and payday loans.

Online Venue For Payday Loans Online Q&A Announced By USAPaydayForever.com

Online Venue For Payday Loans Online Qamp;A Announced By USAPaydayForever.com
The Venue For USAPaydayForever.com’s Payday Loans Online Qamp;A Session Has Been Announced. They Will Be Hosting The Event On Their Facebook Group Page

Cash Cow Advances is a leading nationwide service provider of cash advances and payday loans.

Former Google CIO Raises $73 Million To Reform Payday Loans With Data-Driven …

ZestCash, a company founded by former Google CIO and VP of engineering Douglas Merrill to legitimize the payday loan industry, has raised $73 million round of funding. The company raised $23 million in an equity round led by Matrix Partners. Existing investors Lightspeed Venture Partners, GRP Partners, Flybridge Capital Partners, and Lighthouse Capital Partners also fully participated in the round. The company also raised a separate $50 million line of debt financing from Victory Park Capital to fund its loan portfolio.

ZestCash takes an entirely different approach to underwriting by combining Google-style machine learning techniques and data analysis, combined with traditional credit scoring. As a result, the company can offer credit to many people who historically would have been turned away.

Payday loans are common amongst consumers who dont have the credit to take out a standard loan through a bank. Payday loans shops allow users to pay a fee to borrow a certain amount of money. For example, a consumer will on average pay $60 to borrow $300 for 14 days. After 2 weeks, the borrower must pay the entire loan and fee back in one payment. If the borrower cannot pay the loan back, then he or she can get an extension but will need to pay another $60 for the additional time.

ZestCash says that the average payday loan gets rolled over 6 times, which means the average borrower pays $420 in fees to borrow $300 in principal. In 2010, 30 million Americans took out a payday loan. ZestCash basically offers a better alternative for those who are forced to take out these immediate loans. With ZestCash, borrowers pick how much money they want to borrow and for how long. As they pick their loan terms, the company clearly displays their weekly payment, allowing users to adjust the terms to arrive at a payment that is manageable for them. Instead of paying the money back in one big balloon payment, borrowers can pay back their loans in small chunks over time.

The company allows users to borrow between $300 and $800 and ic currently available in four states– Utah, Idaho, Missouri and South Dakota. In terms of payments, ZestCash auto debits peoples accounts on the dates their payments are scheduled for. And while most payday loans are processed through brick and mortar shops, ZestCash operates solely online. When someone signs up for a loan they also get a full payment schedule of when every payment will come out of their account, and can pay back the loan between three and eight months. The startup also promises flexibility when dealing with individual borrowers and late payments.

Since its launch in 2009, ZestCash has grown its staff to more than 75 people and has loaned millions of dollars to thousands of customers. For example, Stan, a ZestCash customer needed help paying the insurance deductible for his newborn child to be in the neonatal intensive care unit in a hospital. He took out a several hundred dollar loan to pay for the health care immediately and then paid off the loan in a matter of months.

“We believe all data should be credit data,” says Douglas Merrill, Founder and CEO of ZestCash. “By using ‘big data’ analytical techniques we are able to offer a fair, lower cost alternative to people who do not have access to traditional credit.”

He tells us in an interview that more than two-thirds of the companys customers come back for a loan. The data-based underwriting is not like anyone elses, Merrill says. Were here to make sure customers who may have good credit by non-traditional metrics can get good, fair loans.

Shawn Budde, Co-Founder and Chief Risk Officer of ZestCash, says that weve reached the natural limit of what traditional underwriting tools are capable of. The machine learning-based underwriting techniques ZestCash is developing will completely change the way lenders view and use data.

Matrix Partners’ Dana Stalder, who was the former CTO of PayPal, is particularly bullish on ZestCash and its potential. ZestCash is a multi-billion dollar opportunity, he told me in an interview. “ZestCash will disrupt the financial services industry by offering new services to millions of unbanked consumers. The opportunity is analogous to my experience at PayPal in the sense that both PayPal and ZestCash have figured out a way to provide more cost-effective services to customers through the novel application of analytics and technology.

Stalder says that one challenge that ZestCash faces, which is similar to an issue PayPal faced during its initial growth stage, is the fact that credit industry is an appropriately, highly-regulated industry. Because of this, the company needs to deal with launching in each state individually, on a state-by-state basis.

The new funding will be used towards further innovations in underwriting, expansion into additional states, and company growth.

Cash Cow Advances is a leading nationwide service provider of cash advances and payday loans.

Re-Launch of Direct Payday Lender Offers New Features for Consumers in Need of …

(PRWEB) January 28, 2012

The re-launch of Direct Payday Lender has created a new avenue for consumers in need of secure and convenient payday loans. By adding new features, like a bevy of expertly written articles, and redesigning the entire homepage, Direct Payday Lender offers access to the best loans online. In addition to convenience, Direct Payday Lenders seeks to help consumers maintain responsible financial habits by providing details and advice on payday loans and to use them to their greatest advantage. These articles, as well as the simple online loan application, are all available free of charge directly from the homepage.

At Direct Payday Lender, our first priority is maintaining excellent customer satisfaction, and we have used that to influence every aspect of the re-launch of our site,” says spokesperson Michael Vaughn. “We have redesigned the homepage, replete with fast online application, to make applying more convenient and added expertly written informational resources to help consumers engage in the securest, most responsible borrowing habits possible.”

When customers visit the Direct Payday Lender website they can review expertly written articles on the various aspects of payday loans. These articles offer a detailed explanation of how cash loans work, basic rate and fee information, a list of common misconceptions about payday loans, and general information about the site.

When a financial crisis strikes, consumers can rely on Direct Payday Lender for cash loans. These cash advance loans offer quick emergency cash between paydays. Loan amounts typically range in value between $100 and $1,000. However, some lenders may lend up to $1,500 to select consumers with sufficient income to cover the principal plus interest charges and loan fees.

Cash loans can be used to cover emergency medical care like a doctor’s visit or hospital stay, auto repair or transportation costs, and even unexpected bills and credit card debt. They are a perfect solution for consumers in need of cash, but without the means to afford waiting until their next paycheck arrives.

There is no fee to submit an online cash loan application or receive quotes from lenders. With the new features available to all consumers, whether applying for a loan or not, Direct Payday Lender is helping people everywhere learn more about one of America’s most dynamic industries. The Direct Payday Lender website is user friendly, safe and available 24 hours a day.

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Cash Cow Advances is a leading nationwide service provider of online cash advances and payday loans.

Payday Express sets up contact centre support team to improve customer service

Payday Express, UK provider of cash advance loans, has restructured its workforce with the aim of dedicating further resources to customer care and support services.
 
This week, the payday loan company set up a new contact centre support department to take on administration duties previously performed by the customer services team, with a view to freeing up valuable time for advisers to be on hand to answer customer calls with increased efficiency.
 
Administrator positions within the newly formed team were offered internally and five experienced contact centre agents moved into the new department, with one external recruit completing the new team. Experienced contact centre team leader, Alison Eller, moved across to become a support team leader.
 
“I’m looking forward to heading up the support team. They are people with very strong administration skills, who will help make the various contact centre functions more efficient,” said Alison.
 
The contact centre support team will be focusing on answering customer emails as quickly as possible, as well as carrying out all administration functions within the contact centre department. Agents in the contact centre can now focus on their core competencies and offer the best possible service in response to information and queries on payday loans.
 
“Payday Express is continually focused on having the right people in the right roles to optimise the service offered to our customers,” said contact centre manager Carl Mountain.
 
“Setting up a new administration department enables employees whose strengths lie in this area to specialise in this, and for us to bring in new talent, while also building up the contact centre teams with employees that have strong customer service skills,” he added. 
 
The latest re-organisation of the business follows the decision made in October 2011 to create a business development department to improve the customer journey through the applications process.
 
[ENDS]
 
About Payday Express:
Payday Express is one of the UK’s leading payday advance loans specialists, offering an online service to help employed people across the country get access to emergency payday loans. The company is committed to responsible lending and provides customers with a discreet and reliable service that will cover their short-term credit needs.
 
For further information contact:
Ashleigh Slade
Email: enquiries@paydayexpress.co.uk  
Website: http://www.paydayexpress.co.uk
Telephone: 0800 652 4661

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Cash Cow Advances is a leading nationwide service provider of cash advances and payday loans.

Paydayloansolutions.net Provides Utmost Safe And Secure Loans to the Clients

Paydayloansolutions.net Provides Utmost Safe And Secure Loans to the Clients

Tired of rushing to the payday loan stores every now and then?, switch over to Paydayloansolutions.net. The website allows its customers to avail payday loans online, sitting at home. The loan available is not only quick and convenient but 100% secure. To add on to this the personal details of the borrower is kept confidential.

Cash Cow Advances is a leading nationwide service provider of cash advances and payday loans.

Payday loan lender sees demand treble over Christmas

Demand for payday loans nearly tripled over the 2011 Christmas period compared to the year before, a payday lender has revealed.

Speedeloans said it made nearly three times as many loans over the festive period as it had the year before.

James Falla, personal debt expert at beatmydebt.com is unsurprised at the news.

A combination of factors have lead to a higher take up of payday loans. One of the primary reasons is the increased advertising particularly TV marketing campaigns carried out by payday lenders in the run up to Christmas he said

However it is also clear that people have very little spare cash to spend at Christmas and when that ran out they turned to payday loans as other forms of credit are simply not available Falla added.

Lower average debt

Despite the rising demand, the lender said its average customer had 30% less debt in December 2011 than the average customer in December 2010 which it said suggested Brits spent the last year cutting down debts.

Average customer debt was down from pound;8,559 in December 2010 to pound;5,596 in December 2011, according to figures compiled by the firm, which said these debts were not related to payday loans.

The figures also revealed that compared with December 2010, the average payday loans customer was earning 3% more in December 2011 and had a better public credit score, suggesting they were a less risky prospect to lend to.

This data seems to indicate that despite the recession, people are overall earning more and having less debt all positive signs, Gary Miller-Cheevers, chief executive of speedeloans said.

However James Falla is sceptical off this analysis.

The fact that a number of doorstep and payday loans companies are saying that their average customersare earning more than a year ago does not necessarily mean that people have more money in their pockets. It is more likely that payday loan companies are tightening up their lending criteria and only lending money to better customer prospects Falla said

Alternatives to payday loans

James Falla said that a large number of people seaking advice from debt advisory firm BeatMyDebt.com were being forced to turn to payday loans because they are running out of cash before the end of the month.

More often than not weare now seeing cases where people are unable to pay forboth their day to day living expenses and their monthly credit repayments. They are therefore borrowing from payday loan companies to make ends mean. Unfortunately where this is the case it just makes matters worse for them he said.

If people are struggling to pay their bills becuase of high credit payments, they are far better taking free advice from a debt advisor who can help them stop borrowing more and consider the use of a debt management solution such as debt management plans or Individual voluntary arrangements Falla added.

Cash Cow Advances is a leading nationwide service provider of cash advances and payday loans.

The dangerous lure of payday loans in disguise

The problems of this style of borrowing have been well-documented of late with this type of short-term lender coming under attack from the media and debt charities alike.

The bad reputation of payday loans seems to have led to some organisations trying to distance themselves from the sector, but a closer look at the rates and advertising from alternative companies show they are also encouraging consumers to take out short-term loans at sky-high interest rates.

Payday lenders typically offer 28-day loans at annualised percentage rates topping 4,000 per cent. Applications are generally quick and simple with money often handed over the same day. However, payday lenders argue that because the loans are designed to be repaid quickly, the APR is less relevant than for longer loans. This is true but problems occur when customers miss payments, and charges and late fees are rolled over to the following month, creating a spiral of debt.

Oakam is one company that claims to offer an alternative to payday loans. It markets itself as a retail financial services company for un-banked and under-banked communities with 15 stores in London. But a quick scout around its website and it looks very much like a payday lender in disguise.

Short-term loans for up to 60 days are available at APRs of up to 2,866 per cent, admittedly less than the 4,214 per cent APR charged by payday lender Wonga but still eye-watering. Six-month emergency loans attract an APR of 405.3 per cent while bonus loans have APRs ranging from 86 per cent to 338 per cent.

Emergency loans and bonus loans from Oakam have a cashback option that rewards borrowers if they regularly make payments on time.

Despite its declarations of being different, Oakam is keen to encourage the hard-up to borrow money for non-essentials. Its bonus loan is advertised with the tag line Get your Christmas wishes sorted and suggests borrowers spend the money on flights, presents and extras. Further down the page, it asks Are you looking for a larger loan for home improvements, a holiday or a new car?

Andrew Hagger of Moneynet says: I could understand someone paying these interest rates if they were desperate and their gas or electricity was going to be cut off or they needed to get the car through the MOT to get to work, but to borrow at these rates to pay for flights abroad and Christmas presents is crazy – Christmas can be fun without spending a fortune trying to keep up with the Joness. It simply isnt worth getting into debt over.

Yet Frederic Nze, the chief executive of Oakam, maintains the company is lending money in a responsible way. We do not charge rates that are nearly the same as payday lenders. Leading online payday lenders offer loans that have 10 times the APR that Oakam charges, he says, Furthermore, rather than APR, the main issue at present in the short-term credit industry is that borrowers are allowed to roll over their loans with interest-only repayments.

Oakam does not allow this to happen on its products and our customers must always pay off a proportion of the original loan amount as well as the interest to ensure a clear date when the loan will be paid off. To be fair, Oakams cashback feature does encourage borrowers to make repayments on time. However, the cashback received is still dwarfed by the interest paid. For example, if you borrowed £5,000 over three years at an APR of 86.33 per cent, and repaid £85 per week youd repay £13,260 over three years. If you made all your repayments on time, youd receive £2,248.67 in cashback, bringing you total interest bill down from £8,260 to £6,011.33.

Mr Nze is quick to point out that Oakam doesnt charge late payment fees for up to 30 days. After that, an extra £20 a month is charged if the customer doesnt agree to a repayment plan. Unlike most other payday lenders, Oakam shares data with credit reference agencies meaning people who repay their debts on time will see their credit rating improve.

We will not lend to a customer where we think that he might struggle to pay us back after covering his normal monthly expenses, says mr Nze, We will not give loans to people who have large existing debts. On average, our customers have outstanding debt of no more than £2,000.

Elsewhere on the high street, The Money Shop has launched a prepaid card, the Titanium Cashplus Mastercard. It is £9.95 a month to buy and has a monthly fee of £4.95. However, unlike most prepaid cards, the card offers cardholders the opportunity to apply for a Debit Protect loan which effectively turns the prepaid card into a credit card; at 50p a day for every £100 borrowed, it works out to an APR of 455 per cent.

The danger with these cards is they can easily change from being a prepaid card to a form of credit via their Debit Protect loan, says Una Farrell of the Consumer Credit Counselling Service. Therefore, someone who was using them as a way of avoiding taking out credit could quickly find themselves owing money. Not only could they be lured into using credit, but very expensive credit due to a very high APR.

Payday Alternatives

Credit Unions

Offer cheaper loans – around 1 per cent interest a month – but you will need to save a small amount with them first. Visit www.findyourcreditunion.co.uk

My Home Finance

Is a Government-backed operation that aims to help the financially excluded and so far has 10 high street stores. It offers loans with a typical rate of 69.5 per cent.

Credit-card providers

If youre sure you can make repayments on time, some credit-card providers will lend to you at a high APR. Vanquis, for example, offers cards at 39.9 per cent. Repaying the card in full each month will help repair a damaged credit rating.

Brighthouse

The weekly payment store is one of the lenders the financially excluded should avoid. It sells overpriced electrical goods at high interest rates with the debt repaid weekly. Salespeople also try to push expensive insurance and accidental damage cover.

A logbook loan

Securing a loan on your car is a bad idea too. APRs are around 460 per cent and failure to make payments could mean losing your car.

Cash Cow Advances is a leading nationwide service provider of cash advances and payday loans.

Demand fuels payday-lender growth

Labelling payday-loan stores as fringe lenders and trying to ban or limit their numbers within a municipality is unfair and does not serve the community well, according to the head of the Canadian Payday Loan Association.

Stan Keyes, president of the CPLA, said municipalities like Esquimalt — which recently tabled a motion that would cap the number of payday-loan stores within its boundaries — ought to let the market dictate whats needed within city boundaries.

Clearly, short-term credit is very much in demand and payday-loan companies have responded quickly to that strong demand, said Keyes, noting there are now 1,750 stores across Canada. Were concerned about municipalities who consider limiting these stores.

Keyes said over the course of countless hearings with regulatory bodies and governments, no data has been presented that speaks to any adverse affects stemming from the location or number of payday-loan stores in any municipality.

And he notes the industry has become heavily regulated, with six provinces, including BC, having already enacted payday-loan legislation to cap fees and limit interest charged.

Demand will dictate the availability of the product, and the more choices for the consumer the better . . . competition is healthy and good for consumers as it lowers the cost of the product, Keyes said. Dont regulate the consumer — regulate the product and let the consumer have their credit options.

Esquimalt is waiting for a presentation from the Canadian Payday Loan Association and more information on the industry before the issue will be raised again.

At the request of council, Esquimalts municipal staff reviewed how a number of municipalities have restricted cash stores and fast-food outlets after a fifth money-store outlet announced last fall that it was setting up shop in the municipality.

The report recommended the township amend its zoning bylaw to prohibit future outlets from opening.

Keyes said according to client surveys, the typical payday-loan customer ranges in age from 18 to 34, makes about $34,000 a year, has more post-secondary education than the average Canadian and is aware of the high interest costs to get a payday loan.

But they want the product, Keyes said.

The Credit Counselling Society of BC paints a slightly different picture.

According to a survey of clients who come to the society with debt problems, the average age is 42, slightly more than half are female and, on average, they have three payday loans to be dealt with.

According to society president Scott Hannah, the reasons given for getting payday loans are unexpected expenses, entertainment, addictions such as gambling and trying to cover living expenses.

Eighty per cent of our clients said they tried to get credit other than payday loans, but that they valued the [service] as it was a last stop for credit, Hannah said.

When asked if they would access a payday loan again once it was paid off, 95 per cent said no, he added.

But even the Credit Counselling Society — no advocate for the payday-loan industry — doesnt appear to be in favour of limiting or banning payday-loan companies.

[Banning] looks good in theory, but it doesnt do anything to curb demand, Hannah said.

He noted that without those services, some people would be left with no outlet to get credit.

From a very pragmatic standpoint, there is a high demand for this type of service for a certain segment of the population, Hannah said.

He said typical customers are people who have trouble handling finances, low-income families struggling to make ends meet, people needing fast cash to deal with unexpected expenses or to mask addictions, and those whose credit has taken a hit.

Otherwise why would someone go to a payday-loan entity and pay the equivalent of 500 per cent interest per annum when they could have an overdraft from a bank of 21 per cent per annum? Hannah said.

Its because they dont qualify for credit.

The Canadian banking industry appears to be surprised by the growth of the payday-loan industry.

It can be somewhat puzzling why some people would use these services because they are so expensive, said Maura Drew-Lytle, spokeswoman for the Canadian Bankers Association. Unless they have no other option.

Drew-Lytle said banks do offer some options — small, short-term loans, overdraft protection, credit cards and lines of credit. And they are offered at a much lower interest rate than a payday lender, she said.

Drew-Lytle admitted the banks are not always the answer, however, as they tend to be risk averse.

The only void, I think, is when people have used up all their other types of credit, banks are pretty low-risk lenders and if someone does not have a very good track record, they may not be able to get a loan or a credit card from a bank.

She said banks will cash government cheques at no cost to customers and non-customers.

There are indemnity agreements with federal and provincial governments. Banks will cash cheques up to $1,500 and theres no fee with that, so its a much better option than a cheque-casher, she said.

Hannah said the demand is created when people dont qualify for credit with traditional lenders. Declining financial literacy has also created a marketplace that suits the payday-loan industry.

While he understands the demand side of the equation, Hannah doesnt have to like it. He pointed out the Credit Counselling Society is currently working with more than 1,500 clients to repay payday loans through the societys debt-management program.

We are administering more than $1 million in payday-loan debt, he said.

Keyes admits the cost to use some of the services tends to be high. In BC, payday-loan interest is capped at 23 per cent, while cheque-cashing services tend to hover near three per cent of the cheque total.

Keyes said there is a reason for it. Why does anyone buy milk at [stores like 7-Eleven and Macs] at three times the cost of your grocery store? Because its quick and convenient and on the way home, he said.

Keyes suggested banning these businesses can be dangerous.

The demand for the small-sum, short-term loan is growing . . . where will these people turn if they need it? he said. Its an open invite to the unscrupulous lender at the back of a pool hall, where physical harm is part of the contract.

aduffy@timescolonist.com

Cash Cow Advances is a leading nationwide service provider of cash advances and payday loans.