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Bro arrested for PDL check fraud!!!

Date: Wed, 10/18/2006 - 11:15

Submitted by anonymous
on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 11:15

Posts: 202330 Credits: [Donate]

Total Replies: 62


My brother had a few store front payday loans. He was not able to pay them.They were sent to the DA's office. The post-dated checks were combined along with late fees and interest and he was charged with theft over 1500.00. They put a warrant out and arrested him!My mom just posted bail for him on Monday. He lives in Dallas,Texas area. Can they do that????


I'm wondering how long your brother had these accounts open, and if he ignored the repeatd requests for payment.
Store front pdl's are usually licensed in the state they do business in, and can (and will) sue.
I'd definately get him some legal representation.
Here's some info I found on Texas check laws:

Quote:



Issuing a bad check in the State of Texas may be a criminal offense under Sec. 32.41 of the Penal Code of the Texas Statutes. A person is presumed to have knowingly committed fraud if at the time he issued or passed the check he had no account with the bank or other drawee, payment of the check was refused within 30 days after issue and he failed to pay the holder within 10 days after receiving notice of refusal. Notice may be actual or in writing that is sent by registered or certified mail with return receipt requested, by telegram with report of delivery requested, or by first class mail if the letter was returned unopened with markings indicating that the address is incorrect and that there is no current forwarding order; or is addressed to the issuer at his address shown on the check, the records of the bank or other drawee; or the records of the person to whom the check or order has been issued or passed. The content of the notice must contain the following statement.

"This is a demand for payment in full for a check or order not paid because of a lack of funds or insufficient funds. If you fail to make payment in full within 10 days after the date of receipt of this notice, the failure to pay creates a presumption for committing an offense, and this matter may be referred for criminal prosecution."

The maker of a dishonored check may be charged with a Class C or Class B misdemeanor offense but may avoid such conviction by making restitution either through the prosecutor's office if it is in the collection process, or through the Court if an action has been filed.


BTW..you don't HAVE to register here for someone to help you...but it's definately worth your time!


lrhall41

Submitted by erzeke1 on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 12:20

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I've noticed when reading other state laws that in a few they do allow for the storefronts to prosecute for passing bad checks if the company so chooses. Did they try to make payment arrangements with him, most times if a person passes a bad check the company will attempt an arrangement first and in some states writing a check for over $300 is a felony. But from my research, including OH, companies only remedy is civil action, criminal prosecution is not allowed here on pdls.


lrhall41

Submitted by WHEREAMI? on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 12:50

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You have internet pdls, and in most states the pdl laws only allow for civil judgement not criminal prosecution ( I know this is true in OH ) When you read your state laws regarding licensed pdls it will state whether or not criminal prosecution is allowed, and I don't believe CA allows that.


lrhall41

Submitted by WHEREAMI? on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 13:01

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AHAAA! I think something else is going on here. I had to look to find this but what I found is that under TX pdl law, a lender CAN NOT CRIMNALLY PROSECUTE FOR A DEFAULTED PAY DAY LOAN. Here it is: paydayloanlaws.com/south/texas-cash-advance.html I'm not sure, but I believe I comprehended this correctly, so is it possible something else occurred during this transaction that you are not aware of?


lrhall41

Submitted by WHEREAMI? on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 13:20

( Posts: 5263 | Credits: )


It is bad what happened to your brother. From what I understand about DA's offices. The store front payday loan companies are allowed to send defaulted loans to the DA's office for collection because in alot of states they look at it like you wrote a bad check just like if you went to any other store and wrote a check that wasn't any good. First the pdl company gives you a chance to pay and if you don't take care of the debt they have a choice to send it to outside collections or report it to the DA's office as a bad check for them to try to collect the funds. The DA's office sends the person a notice and gives them an opportunity to pay it or make payment arrangements and if the person ignores them they will be arrested. My ex-husband had to experience this with our local DA's office but he made arrangements to make payments and didn't get arrested. It's pretty serious when the DA's office gets involved.


lrhall41

Submitted by kirasienna13 on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 16:33

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Doesn't it have to be a certain amount, though? If you write bad checks for over $1000 intentionally (here in Michigan it's called uttering and writing) That's a felony, and criminal charges can be made..But I really didn't think anyone actually went to JAIL over this...I don't know what to think here.


lrhall41

Submitted by finsfan13 on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 16:38

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I agree with you Finsfan, somebody is just trying to put fear into people. Even if you have passed a bad check worthy of a felony charge the person is given the chance to make good on it before charges are pressed. Majority of the states have consumer protection laws protecting people from such actions in a pdl situation. In OH it is considered an unsecured debt.


lrhall41

Submitted by WHEREAMI? on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 17:05

( Posts: 5263 | Credits: )


You should be punished for stealing money from these people. Why cant you honor a contract and pay them back? Sure there are some fees, but only when people try to wait MONTHS to pay loans back. They gave you the money when you asked for it, pay it back like you promised. If most of you would spend as much time trying to make extra money as you do trying to wiggle out of debt, you would never owe a penny.


lrhall41

Submitted by on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 22:51

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Rene, were the loans your brother had with ACE Cash Express in Dallas, TX? Because if they were, they are a store-front payday loan and will send the debt to the DA's office for criminal prosecution as a bad check. I had a friend who had a loan at ACE and she couldn't pay it. They sent it to the Dallas County DA's office and she was arrested.


lrhall41

Submitted by SHbear on Thu, 10/19/2006 - 11:27

( Posts: 63 | Credits: )


Rene, were the loans your brother had with ACE Cash Express in Dallas, TX? Because if they were, they are a store-front payday loan and will send the debt to the DA's office for criminal prosecution as a bad check. I had a friend who had a loan at ACE and she couldn't pay it. They sent it to the Dallas County DA's office and she was arrested.


lrhall41

Submitted by SHbear on Thu, 10/19/2006 - 11:29

( Posts: 63 | Credits: )


Quote:

Texas State Information

Legal Status: Legal

Citation:
7 Tex. Admin. Code ???? 1.605; Tex. Fin. Code Ann. ???????? 342.251 et seq. and 342.601 et seq.

Loan Terms:
Maximum Loan Amount:
Loan Term: 7-31 days
Maximum Finance Rate and Fees: $10 per loan + 48% annual interest
Finance Charge for 14-day $100 loan: $12
apr for 14-day $100 loan: 309%

Debt Limits:
Maximum Number of Outstanding Loans at One Time: Not Specified ($500 aggregate loans outstanding to all licensees)
Rollovers Permitted: None (if renewal charge is less than maximum interest rate permitted; otherwise convert to declining balance installment note)
Cooling-off Period:
Repayment Plan:

Collection Limits:
Collection Fees: Not Specified
Criminal Action: Not Specified

Where to Complain, Get Information:
Regulator: Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner
Address: 2601 N. Lamar Blvd. Austin, TX 78705
Phone: (512) 936-7600
Fax: (512) 936-7610
Regulatory Contact: ,
Regulator Website

Licensee Database

Complaint Instructions

Complaint Form Link

Online Resources





Texas State Information

Legal Status: Legal

Citation:
7 Tex. Admin. Code ???? 1.605; Tex. Fin. Code Ann. ???????? 342.251 et seq. and 342.601 et seq.

Loan Terms:
Maximum Loan Amount:
Loan Term: 7-31 days
Maximum Finance Rate and Fees: $10 per loan + 48% annual interest
Finance Charge for 14-day $100 loan: $12
APR for 14-day $100 loan: 309%

Debt Limits:
Maximum Number of Outstanding Loans at One Time: Not Specified ($500 aggregate loans outstanding to all licensees)
Rollovers Permitted: None (if renewal charge is less than maximum interest rate permitted; otherwise convert to declining balance installment note)
Cooling-off Period:
Repayment Plan:

Collection Limits:
Collection Fees: Not Specified
Criminal Action: Not Specified

Where to Complain, Get Information:
Regulator: Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner
Address: 2601 N. Lamar Blvd. Austin, TX 78705
Phone: (512) 936-7600
Fax: (512) 936-7610
Regulatory Contact: ,
Regulator Website http://www.occc.state.tx.us/

Licensee Database

Complaint Instructions

Complaint Form Link

Online Resources


lrhall41

Submitted by TASHA_MOSELEY on Thu, 10/19/2006 - 12:02

( Posts: 408 | Credits: )


RW is incorrect in his assumption that we are trying to wriggle out of what we owe. The vast majority of us here are trying to pay our debt fairly by paying what we owe, the PDL's that don't work with payment plans, and constantly over charge the interest, over debit our accounts and over charge in fees are what makes it hard to do so. I wonder if RW has ever struggled to pay his bills? RW- None of us here intended to not be able to pay, we just got caught by unwise choices and life decisions that have catapultted us into the PDL trap, we are going to get out from under it and not by not paying but by paying what we owe even if not all in one lump sum.


lrhall41

Submitted by Pauli'sGirl on Thu, 10/19/2006 - 13:32

( Posts: 344 | Credits: )


I am surprised to hear that you brother was jailed for theft as opposed to back check charges. You can look up the state code for the charge(s) in the State Code books (i.e., Georgis State Code Book(s)) at the local library. You may want to ask the librarian where they're located & assist you if you've never looked at one. The state code number corresponds to the charge description spelled out in the Code book including limitations of penalties and legitmate criteria for any particular charge.


lrhall41

Submitted by on Thu, 10/19/2006 - 18:13

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duuhh. Concord hey at my job we are doing a focus group about moms and household products they will pay you 75.00 for 90 minutes of you time. all you have to do is attend a focuse group it will be 10/24 or 10/25 at 5pm and 7pm. I you give me yor number I can call call you and screen you to see if you qualify..... so if you want i can call you tonight at 5 or 6 tonoght to screen you to see if you qualify it takes 10 minso pm you number if want.


lrhall41

Submitted by TASHA_MOSELEY on Fri, 10/20/2006 - 08:08

( Posts: 408 | Credits: )


I understand some of you want to pay but why do you get to sign a contract with specific terms and then decide how much you want to pay and when later? And you do it without even talking it out with the company. It's like ordering an $80.00 steak at a restaurant that you cant really afford but you eat it anyway. Then, when the bill comes, you either run out or tell the waiter you'll be back to make 10 payments of $8.00, but not a penny more. To all the PDL customers who feel that the lenders are cheating them, newsflash: most of you are no better. Feel free to post replies such as "Thank you for your intuitiveness RW. You simply amaze me" but it sounds like you really do need basic, simple concepts spelled out for you.


lrhall41

Submitted by on Sat, 10/21/2006 - 11:41

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Yep, Northern CA does rock GO A's!!!!!!! Had to get that out. And RW, noone here is trying to skip out on an obligation so your comparision of skipping out on a restaurant meal doesn't have any merit here.
What I do object to is unscrupulous collectors actually calling people at work telling them that the sheriff is coming to arrest them, among other lies they tell. Now I ask you would any other business that is on the up and up do this? Of course not. I always thought that this went out with the old gangster movies but there are people out there who would stop at nothing.
People here are good people who got in too deep with PDL's, myself included and are trying to clean up their messes without being tossed out on the street-at which point, noone's getting paid, right?


lrhall41

Submitted by kscornell on Sat, 10/21/2006 - 11:50

( Posts: 4407 | Credits: )


Tasha..You are too doggone cute. I mean that..I don't think I've welcomed you yet...I'm glad you're here.

RW...I think I can speak for everyone when I say that the intent for all is to pay the loans back.

No one is laughing maniacally over screwing a PDL company...These are dangerous things, ethical and LEGAL treatment is what people here want, and deserve. Sometimes people fall on hard times, and that's why they take the loans in the first place. Everyone just wants to pay back what they OWE, not a bunch of exorbitant fees.


lrhall41

Submitted by finsfan13 on Sat, 10/21/2006 - 13:32

( Posts: 6919 | Credits: )


You are right finsfan. I believe the majority of people here have paid their loan back and more. Most have paid quadruple back on the principal. IE: You borrow $300 and then ended up paying back $1500. Something is wrong there and it seems like predatory lending. Often, and this was my experience is that when you attempt to pay the loan back without having reoccuring charges which are illegal, these companies make it difficult for you to contact them and it is too late because they have already started taking additional money out of your account. The bottom line is this there are laws that protect consumers and it is every individual's right to exercise their rights afforded to them. Nobody here is stealing money or trying to get something for nothing. It is funny that when the consumer takes charge of the situation, such as closing an account the pdl comes out of the wood work. And the horrendous and illegal threats they make are ridiculous.


lrhall41

Submitted by WHEREAMI? on Sat, 10/21/2006 - 13:51

( Posts: 5263 | Credits: )


I agree. I remember from my own experience that these companies for the most part made it nearly impossible to pay them off. I always thought they didn't WANT you to abide by the contract, that way they could charge even more fees. I don't even want to think about what I paid...I had 6 loans, 5 of them $200 loans, one of them $300. That's $1300..I don't want to do the math here, I paid one of them alone over $1800!! You hit the nail right on the head when you called it predatory lending, Steelers.


lrhall41

Submitted by finsfan13 on Sat, 10/21/2006 - 15:22

( Posts: 6919 | Credits: )


RW, the issues discussed here are not that people are signing contracts and then arbitrarily deciding how much and when they will pay. The majority of people here have paid well in excess of what the lenders are allowed to charge by law (hence their contract was illegal and unenforceable in the first place, i.e not worth the paper it was written on).

Illinois for example, has recently enacted some stringent regulations on PDL. In response, the PDL's simply renamed their offering so it would no longer be regulated. You talk about ethics and responsibility, what is ethical about their behvior solely for the intent of charging greater than the allowed interest rate and skirting other laws and regulation in place to protect your consumers?

Recently there have been a few people who have come here soon after taking a PDL either from a Storefront or Internet lender, and sought information on using the laws to protect them from their obligation sometimes even before one payment has been made. I feel I can speak for the community when I say this behavior certainly is not condoned, nor is it what the members seek to encourage. Often times, people sign extortionate contracts out of desperation and seldom give a second thought to the costs until interest and fees have mounted, and in many cases lives have been ruined.

I have NO objection, and as a matter of fact I believe any one who borrows money or purchases goods or services on credit should repay their creditor the principal amount they borrowed, as well as any interests or fees as allowed by law but not a penny more.

That RW, is what the true discussion here is about. These discussion are NOT about using laws to avoid your responsibility, but rather using the laws and your rights to fulfill your responsibility.


lrhall41

Submitted by LCW on Sun, 10/22/2006 - 06:40

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As for my PDL, I know what my debts to the 4 companies are and I made the mistake of getting mixed up with the scum HOWEVER I do not have time to deal with their scare tatics and harassing calls. All I can afford is to pay them is $10 a month until the debt is paid and yes that is on my terms, deal with it or don't deal with it is my attitude to this so called industry, they can't kill me and they can't put me in prison.


lrhall41

Submitted by PDLFREE on Sun, 10/22/2006 - 06:48

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If a bad check is allowed to be presented to the DA's office for prosecution, then you can be picked up and taken to jail for it. Especially after the number of attempts the DA's office will make. Usually it's just a bench warrant. They won't come knocking on your door, but if you get pulled over, you'll have to post bail in the amount of whatever hot checks are in the DA's computer system.


lrhall41

Submitted by Teleport on Tue, 10/24/2006 - 05:46

( Posts: 1388 | Credits: )


I regret that I work 4 ace cash express as a store manager. however, to let you all know, ace will prosecute for loans over 90 days. that is no joke, and it is legal, Do not close your bank account or it is considered theft by check.


lrhall41

Submitted by on Thu, 08/21/2008 - 10:41

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R.W.,
The payday loan companies in Texas intentionally skirt the law to do their business. The expoit a loophole that allows them to chare 400-500% apr on these loans. You want us to pay people back? All for it if they do the right thing and not exploit the poor working slob who's just tying to make a living.


lrhall41

Submitted by on Thu, 08/21/2008 - 23:17

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