How to Get Rid of In-Store Payday Loans

Payday lenders prey on people who do not have the money to repay their loans. These lenders are not interested in their borrower's credit either, and the only requirement they need is a proof of employment and an existing bank account. The loans vary in amount, ranging from $100 to $800. With an annual interest rate (APR) of 400 percent or more, these high-cost loans are authorized by laws in many different states. It has become an industry that creates a classic example of a community financial drain. To stop predatory in-store payday lenders from exploiting neighborhoods with low- to moderate-income families, local officials and consumer advocates have taken action.

Instructions

Educate Yourself About Payday Lenders

1

Do your homework before approaching an elected official for assistance in curbing payday loans in your city. Obtain a list of the licensed check-cashing offices and payday lenders and their addresses from your state's licensing agency. Compare that list with that of your local government licenses. If they do not match, this issue will need to be addressed and resolved.

2

Get a map of your local community from a website and gather relevant information such as the population and income level for each district. Find out the proximity of lenders to vulnerable clients, such as colleges or low-income housing, or if the area is rundown or seedy. This will help you explain to government officials why there is a clustering of payday lenders in that location.

3

Find out if ordinances placing restrictions on payday lenders have passed in adjacent suburbs or nearby towns, and what the laws say. This can help to motivate your local officials to pass more new ordinances for your area.

4

Ask your sponsor to pass a measure immediately at the next council meeting, imposing up to a maximum two-year moratorium on new payday lenders. Often, when payday lenders learn there is a restrictive ordinance being proposed, they will rush to open new outlets.