Man Accused of Issuing High-Interest Loans That Took Advantage of Veterans - OppLoans

Man Accused of Issuing High-Interest Loans That Took Advantage of Veterans - OppLoans Man Accused of Issuing High-Interest Loans That Took Advantage of Veterans Man Accused of Issuing High-Interest Loans That Took Advantage of VeteransInside Subprime: Feb 26, 2019By Grace AustinA man accused of brokering high-interest loans for veterans is now permanently banned from any such transactions in the future by the federal consumer watchdog agency, but the settlement has left some critics unconvinced.The broker settled in January 2019 with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau over a slew of deceptive actions relating to buying retirement and disability pensions from former servicemembers.The bureau found that the broker was misleading veterans into contracts that were invalid because veterans’ pension payments are unassignable under federal law, or cannot be transferred to other individuals besides the veteran or a living spouse.The CFPB also claimed that he misrepresented to consumers what his product was â€" he was telling veterans it was a purchase of payments and not a high-interest credit offer. He also lied to them about when they woul d receive their funds, and didn’t let them know the applicable interest rate on the credit offer.In the scheme,the broker is accused of taking advantage of veterans with military disability pensions between 2011 and 2019.the broker would tell vets that investors were willing to buy their pensions, marketing pension buying through several websites. Veterans were made to believe they would receive a lump-sum payment, ranging from a couple thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars.Veterans would then use an online portal to redirect their Department of Veterans Affairs or Defense Finance and Accounting Service pension payments to the brokers companies. If the contract was only for a part of a pension, the companies would return a portion of the monthly pension back to the veterans.The high interest the veterans were being charged on the credit offer turned out to be as much as 40 percent in some cases.Through the settlement, the broker also has to pay $1 in penalties; that num ber is so low, the CFPB says, because the broker proved he didn’t have the funds to pay more and because of his cooperation with the government.Critics have expounded on the low figure â€" Esquire examined the agency and its former and current directors, saying that they are allowing a “noxious specimen” go unchecked on consumers, and that officials are giving the broker and other deceptive actors a slap on the wrist. The Center for Responsible Lending noted that the settlement comes soon after the CFPB indicated it wouldn’t be monitoring lenders for following the Military Lending Act.But it’s not the only place the broker is being sued. In a legal case in South Carolina, the broker is accused of profiting off of financially desperate former servicemembers, claiming that the number of veteran victims could be in the thousands. the broker is accused of being just one of many involved in a web of pension-purchasing scams.For more information on  payday loans, scams, and  cas h advances  and  check out our city and state financial guides  including Florida, Illinois, South Carolina,  Texas, Washington D.C.  and more.Visit  OppLoans  on  YouTube  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  LinkedIn