Pew Study Finds Predatory Practices in Auto Title Lending
According to a report by Pew Charitable Trust, nearly two million American’s spent a total of $3 billion at auto title storefronts across the country to borrow money against the value of their cars. Predatory auto loans can be even more dangerous than payday loans because they are much larger; the typical auto title loan averages $1,000 and comes with an annual percentage rate of about 300%. The typical auto title loan represents nearly 50% of a borrower’s gross monthly income. Pew proposes several regulations for safe auto lending, including measures that would ensure that the borrower has the ability to repay the loan, restrict the use of balloon payments and eliminate harmful collection practices.