Online payday loans are tempting for those people who always seem to run out of money before they run out of week. If you need a few extra dollars to get you through to payday nearly every week, the answer is a budget, not a payday loan. If, on the other hand, you’re faced with an unexpected emergency and need a bit of extra cash till your next payday – AND you’re sure that you can repay that loan with your next paycheck or two, then an online payday loan may be exactly what your need.

Do be careful, though. Because it’s so easy to take advantage of people who are desperate for a financial solution, there are a lot of companies out there whose main purpose is to take your money. According to a recent survey by the United States FTC, guaranteed short term loans (the ‘official’ term for payday loans) are number one on the list of businesses reported for fraud. There are many companies that make legitimate online payday loans, but there are also those that prey on people that desperately need money enough to throw caution to the winds. Here are a few tips to help you avoid the online payday loan scam artists.

1. Ignore unsolicited online payday loan enticements. If it shows up in your Inbox and you didn’t ask for it, just hit delete. Legitimate companies don’t need to spam-mail to get business.

2. Don’t pay an up front fee for an online payday loan. More often than not, your ‘fee’ will disappear and you’ll never see your loan.

3. Take the time to verify that the company actually exists. Many of the online payday loan sites are simply phishing scams. Check your Better Business Bureau for any complaints, and do web searches for the company name to turn up any bad press.

4. Don’t forget that electronic fund transfers work both ways. Giving out bank account information for an EFT IN to your account opens the door for funds to be withdrawn from your account as well. If you have the option, do business with an online payday loan company that will do Western Union transfers rather than a direct deposit to your checking account.

5. If you do choose an EFT and your promised loan doesn’t arrive when it should, contact your bank IMMEDIATELY to freeze any EFT requests for funds.

Howard T Jones is a part owner of USA Payday Advance, a service provide of online payday loans. For more information on payday loans, please visit http://www.usapaydayadvance.com.

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• Most any large city has a number of small shops offering payday loans. They’re often found in strip centers; sometimes they double as pawn shops. They have a simple business – they lend you money until your next paycheck. The system is pretty convenient; you write them a postdated check for the amount you’re borrowing plus interest. On your next payday, they cash the check and your loan is paid off. What many people who use payday loan services fail to realize is that the interest rates charged by these firms are substantial, often reaching the equivalent of four hundred percent per year!
  
  
• To get a secured loan it can take time for loan approval, as the property will be inspected and appraised. Unsecured loans such as credit cards are usually faster to acquire, however the loan approval time may include a credit check. A credit check involves a lender getting a copy of your credit report to inspect your credit history.
  
  
• Credit card balance transfers
  
  
• All kind of loan – educational loans, auto loans, secured loans, unsecured loans, personal loans and any kind of loans – can be consolidated under debt consolidation mortgage. It is highly appropriate to adopt debt consolidation mortgage if you have numerous debts. However, a prudent step will be to understand debt consolidation if you actually want to apply for it. Debt consolidation mortgage has the capability to be turned in a way so as to allow maximum monetary benefits. Yet, one little error with debt consolidation mortgage and your situation will be back to square one.