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Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 6:46 am Subject: OK, here is my situation....

I posted yesterday about my loan with Staradvance.

I took out a loan for $400. To date, I have paid them, $228 (4 payments of $32 rollover fees, and $100 I paid down.

They are saying I owe them $324. I technically only owe them $172.

Originally, I agreed to pay them the $324 (before finding this site and calculating how much I paid them already). I told them at that point that I would send them a money order.

What would you guys recommend I do? I want to just pay them the $172 and be done with it, but I'm not sure they will agree to it.

This is the e-mail I drafted to them:

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 6:53 am Subject:

Jen,
I had four loans that I had not paid off the principle on. Two of them were dba's for MTE and I had been with them for years so I am leaving the settlement on those up for debate if they or the AG gets communication from them.
The other two were first time loans so my approach was to continue payments through moneywires until I reached the principle plus I gave them th 25% small loan cap (my decision). Yesterday was the first default and I'm going to send similiar emails explaining my actions. I don't know if they will see it my way or not but I figured it was worth a shot.

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 7:00 am Subject:

Did they give you an address to mail your money order to? I would send them the $172, along with another letter stating that you are paying what owe and quote the state law again and tell them you want your account marked PIF. If they put of a fuss, file a complaint with the AG, BBB and whomever else you can file complaints with and then let your pdl people know that complaints have been filed. Don't pay more than you owe.

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 7:35 am Subject:

Yes, they gave me a PO box address in Miami.

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 9:06 am Subject:

Mperez, were the loans that you decided to pay the 25% small loan cap on installment loans or were they payday loans? I have a friend who is trying to work her way through an installment loan through checkngo. The fees are outragious! I'm not sure what our small loan cap is but finding out and sending them the legal amount would be good for her.

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 9:30 am Subject:

No they were payday loans. I just added the extra because I felt that even though I found out after the fact that payday loans are illegal in NY these were first time loans and I knew what I was signing up for. As far as the other two went, I had been with them for years and they have collected thousands in high interest fees so I can come to terms with going for a paid in full. I don't know if I making any sense it was just a personal decision. This website has literally saved my life and given me the tools to get out of the payday hell I was in but I still feel some responsibility for making the choices I did.

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 11:38 am Subject: question

Hey, wait a minute. My head is spinning here. First of all, jen, I agree with everyone else. I would NOT send that $300+ in. They're illegal. I would send in the total amount that equals the principle amount only. And in your letter, please state that this amount will pay your principle of xxx dollars in full. And as stated, put your state law in there (prohibited) and also state that they are not even licensed/legal, and tell them to mark it PIF and send it to you in writing. However, this is where my head is spinning. I haven't heard of this pdl name before, but they gave you a PO Box address in Miami Oklahoma? What the? Is this MTE also?????

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 12:12 pm Subject:

Cann, actually it is Miami, FL.

Here is the email I received them about paying off the loan:

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 12:25 pm Subject: jen

jen, this is crap! Obviously, this US address is just a "drop box" just like Cash Today uses. And to specify an international payment? You've so got to be kidding me! In all honesty, and people may kill me for saying this (but it is just my own opinion here), I wouldn't send them another dime. They are located outside of the US. When in this situation of being told to pay outside of the US and given instructions, as you have, I sent all that in to the FTC and the state AG. OMG. This is really over the edge. I'm so glad you shared this for others to see. Now, you make your own decision as to what you want to do. Do not let my opinion sway you at all. I just think it's nuts. It's like Cash Today all over again. Some nightmare overseas company coming to haunt us. Totally out of this world.

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 1:05 pm Subject:

Cann, they already e-mailed me inquiring as to why they haven't received their payment yet.

That's why I posted the question, because I was curious as to what you guys think I should do.

To be honest, I was thinking that I didn't want to send them another dime either..I'm kind of torn as to what to do.

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 5:39 pm Subject:

Jan...this is just my opinion...but most of us have always said we would pay back what we borrowed..legal loan or not. So based on that I 1. would send just the $172 and 2. I would re word the email not aksing them if it was ok...just assume that because you are doing the legal thing it is ok...I would enclose your state laws again and say this is the legal amount I owe you period.

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 5:53 pm Subject:

Jenn- I'm right there with you. My friend at Credit Protection Depot (Discount Advances and my cash now) has left 4 messages in the last 2 days because I didn't send a wire payment yesterday. I was digging around because I was finalizing the package I'm sending to the AG in the morning and I found out both of my loans are from Grenada in the Caribbean. Absolutely nothing on the websites references CPD yet they are the ones that hit me with the ACH's every payday. I finally hit my limit - I'm so done - how bad can it get? On the $300 loan I've paid $539 and on the $400 loan I've paid $645. I can sleep with my decision.

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 8:20 pm Subject: jen

jen, they did the same thing to me. They called and left a voice message asking me where "their" money was. Then they sent me an email asking me where "their" money was. I did not return the call and I did not respond to the email. In my case, I had actually paid it already and they were demanding MORE money. I had overpaid almost $200 and they wanted another $100 to consider it paid. No way. And, like I said, I'll probably be killed for saying this, but my own opinion, I would completely ignore them. I know others are going to tell you to send the $172 and others are going to tell you not to send anything. You do what you want to do. It's your decision. But, to me, an overseas illegal company instructing you to send an international ONLY payment is way, way, way too illegal to even consider. Like I said, it's totally up to you as to what to do. I just made darn sure the FTC and my state AG got a copy of that email they sent and I documented the telephone call and sent a very detailed sheet regarding it to them.

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 11:53 am Subject:

Guys, I wanted to bump this up and let you know that I decided not to pay this company any more money (staradvance). The whole international money order thing just makes me too nervous.

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 12:03 pm Subject:

Jen
I also defaulted on a 400.00 loan from Star Advance. They are as far as I know not licensed anywhere, They are based out of Panama and Costa rica.Their Business name is Coredis
APTO 10335-1000
San jose CostaRica

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 12:09 pm Subject:

Kash, have you received any calls from them, just curious.

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