Remember when AZ lawmakers allowed 391% APR payday loans? We, the people of Arizona, got rid of those loans because they were predatory. But companies with cash are always thinking of new ways to catch you up in a debt cycle.
This year at the AZ legislature, the small loan industry is promoting a product called “Earned Wage Access” (EWA). These direct-to-consumer lenders have nothing to do with your employer or your wages. It is not an advance on wages. It is a loan. These companies require you to provide access to your bank account so they can withdraw the money borrowed as soon as it hits your account. This cash is accessible via a smart phone app, so it is easy to acquire. A CNBC article written Jan. 28, 2024 calls them, “Payday Loans on Steroids.”
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