The Consumer Lending Protection. How to Prevent the Predatory Lending and “Debt Slavery” on the Small-Dollar Lending Market

Predatory Lending

This paper studies the equilibrium predatory practices that may arise when the borrowers have behavioral weaknesses. Rational lenders offer short term contracts that can be renewed at the cost of paying a penalty fee. We show how the optimal contracts depend on the degree of näıveté of the time inconsistent customers. Penalty fees have a dual role : they increase market share by providing a use...

Subprime Market Growth and Predatory Lending

This article provides an overview of two core issues related to subprime market growth and predatory lending. Two general issues were addressed. First, the rapid growth of subprime lending in minority neighborhoods has raised questions concerning the absence of prime conventional lenders in these neighborhoods. There is evidence that more competition by prime lenders could lower the borrowing c...

Defining and Detecting Predatory Lending

We define predatory lending as a welfare-reducing provision of credit. Using a textbook model, we show that lenders profit if they can tempt households into “debt traps,” that is, overborrowing and delinquency. We then test whether payday lending fits our definition of predatory. We find that in states with higher payday loan limits, less educated households and households with uncertain income...

The CRA Implications of Predatory Lending

Traditionally, policymakers, communities, and industry have regarded the Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”) as a positive mandate for banks and thrifts to do good by increasing investment in lowand moderate-income (“LMI”) neighborhoods. The specific purpose of CRA is to encourage federally insured depository institutions “to help meet the credit needs of the local communities in which they are ...

Responsible Consumer Lending