The thought of predatory lending is enough to make most people cringe. While some people fully understand there are “lenders” who will take advantage of them, others have no clue that this is a possibility.
In the past, we have discussed the best ways to protect yourself from a payday loan scam. This time around, we are going to take a look at the steps you can take to pinpoint a payday loan scam, thus allowing you to avoid a bad situation altogether.
- The fine print. All you have to do is read the fine print to get a better idea of what a lender is trying to accomplish. With most payday loans, you will find a red flag in the fine print, such as notice of a super high interest rate or massive fees.
- Search online for more information. You aren’t the first person to ever consider a payday loan. You also wouldn’t be the first person to fall prey to a scam. You should always learn more about a lender before you decide to do business with them. The internet makes this possible. If others have had a bad experience, chances are that you will as well.
- Calculate how much it will cost you. Payday loan companies don’t make money by lending you funds at a reasonable interest rate. Instead, they deal in high rates with large fees. To protect against this, you should always calculate how much the loan will cost you over the long run. This is good practice anytime you borrow money, such as with a credit card or car loan.
If you never consider a payday loan you never have to be concern yourself with being scammed. There are better ways to get the money you need, so make sure you consider the alternatives. You will feel better in the end, knowing that you never came close to doing business with somebody who doesn’t have your best interests in mind.