Advertising That Targets the Poor

I was in my car today and I heard the most ridiculous commercial – ever.

It went a little something like this…

Hey girl, you finish your Christmas shopping yet?

Nah girl, I’m broke.

You’re broke?!?  Why don’t you just go to www.bullshitlender.net and borrow money to buy your Christmas gifts.

Go where?

Girl, I said www.bullshitlender.net.  Or you can call them at 1-800-bullshit-lender.  I went earlier today and they gave me $500.  I was in and out in a snap.

For reeeeeeeeeeeeeal?  So you really think I should go?

Girl yea, you’ll have at least $500 in no time.  You might even qualify for more.  And you don’t even need to have good credit.  Your job is all you need.

Ok, we’ll I’m going right now.  What did you call the place again?

www.bullshitlender.net.  They will give you $500 to buy Christmas gifts so your kids will be happy on Christmas morning.  Don’t forget. www.bullshitlender.net.

Ok girl, I got it.  What in the world would I do without you?  Thank you so much!

No problem!  When you get your $500, we can go Christmas shopping together!

Yea girrrrrrrrrrrl!

[then the dumb ass jingle began - www.bullshitlender.net, www.bullshitlender.net ...]

I wanted to reach through the radio and slap both of those broads.  Then drive over to where ever www.bullshitlender.net was located and punch them in the mofo throat!  They should be a shamed of themselves for targeting poor people.  I can only imagine with the APR is on that little $500 loan.  Makes me sick to my stomach just thinking about it.  Ugh!

[I'll be back in a festive mood tomorrow...unless I encounter another bullshit holiday lender!]

  • Share/Bookmark

This blog is a personal account of my journey to achieve financial freedom. If you like what you've read, feel free to subscribe via (feed reader) or (email) to follow along.

    10 comments:

    1. Moneymonk, 22 December 2008, 19:41

      LOL……ghetto

      Honestly, when you don’t know, it hurts. Some people feel that place is like a bank. They lack the funds to get a traditional loan, therefore they turn to them. Better yest some people still thinks it’s okay to borrow money for Christmas.

      “If you think education is expensive, try Ignorance.”

      You are a QUOTING queen! LOL [-SM]

      I followed up your question on my blog.

      I responded again. [-SM]

       
    2. nofearingthemoney, 22 December 2008, 21:08

      Call it like it is! Unfortunately, there are people who prey upon the ignorant, whether they be poor, middle or rich. But, your description was priceless!

      Yea, I should have titled this post “advertising that target the uninformed” because household income is not a deterrent. [-SM]

       
    3. lisa, 22 December 2008, 22:25

      I used them once. I think they need their APR printed in large letters on the signs and exactly what it means. It sounded good. Borrow money for 1-2 weeks and then pay it back. Then they asked me to write an additional check for almost $200(believe i borrowed $500). When it came time to pay them I had to take out another one to pay the first….just the way they intend it to be done !! Thanks goodness when next one was due i received a bonus from work and paid it off. I don’t think people who borrow understand what a vicious cycle it can be. I honestly believe they could still make money by making small loans at maybe a little above what a bank charges. Then extend these loans with same terms(1-2 week payoff) with people with poor credit or who need money fast. I believe they may see more customers longer that don’t default because of the cycle they are put in.

      You used bullshitlender.net? Umm, I thought I was making that up. LOL! [-SM]

       
    4. Caryn, 22 December 2008, 23:30

      ugh i’ve heard that commercial before, they change it up depending on the season. it’s so disgusting. i thankfully have never been to one of those. i’d have to be a step from homeless before i’d borrow from one of those BS places.

       
    5. Moneychick, 23 December 2008, 9:37

      Oooooh that burns my britches! However, greedy/needy people do DUMB things in times of desperation. Oy!

       
    6. BK, 23 December 2008, 10:34

      LMAO @ I thought I made it up HAHAHAHAAAAAAAA

      Umm I think any payday lender is a joke.. I watch so many ppl get hurt by these things.. YET when you try to educate them they don’t want to learn..

      Me Likey Moneymonk’s “If you think education is expensive, try Ignorance.”

      yessir.. my official new quote of the day!

       
    7. Sistah Ant, 23 December 2008, 11:34

      I used to wonder what a “loan shark” was, until payday/car title lending places popped up. But if all you have in your community is a check cashing place, and your income is low, where else are you going to go? This is why financial literacy and job training are so important.

      Where I live, I keep hearing an ad on the radio for “Credit Amnesty,” where people should call on certain days based on the first letter of their last name – this makes it sound governmental. Of course, it has nothing to do with credit amnesty. If you listen to the fast talking guy at the end of the commercial, it’s about getting people loans for cars at a dealership. And of course, the fast talking guy says that availability of credit depends on credit score. I HATE that commercial.

       
    8. Revanche, 23 December 2008, 14:33

      I still don’t believe it, but I’ve recently witnessed how otherwise perfectly intelligent people can make dumb-ass decisions to resort to that particular “solution” in my own family.
      So while I can’t understand that, and never understood a former coworker’s choice to spend a thousand bucks on sale junk instead of paying off her PD loan, I know it happens and it doesn’t take much. Just a sense that this is a viable answer rather than the start of a vicious cycle.
      As if the poor don’t have enough problems, they need to roll out more “poor taxes?” ’scuse me, I’m still pissed about all the poor taxes I had to pay this week on my dad’s behalf.

       
    9. Dimples, 23 December 2008, 20:21

      Wow……..I heard a similar commercial over in O-town. All I could do is shake my head. Too think that there are people in the cars, listening to the same damn commercial and thinking they just got their prayers answered.

      Ri-damn-diculous!!!

       
    10. Kari, 24 December 2008, 8:15

      I can tell you once you get into one of these things goo it is hard hard hard to get out. It also isn’t about not being able to get a traditional loan, I mean who gets a loan for $500 from a regular bank anyway? It is about emergency or perceived emergencies when you enter one of those places.

      Now Christmas shopping isn’t one of those emergent situations but there are things that I used payday loans back in the day for. They make me tear up just thinking of the work it took to get out of that mess.

      Everytime I think things are rough… I remember how rough it was when I took out a PD loan and I shiver. It is nothing but a vicious cycle. Thank God I got out of them… never EVER again!! I’ll live in my car before I resort to another one, tyvm!!!

      They should be outlawed… they prey on whatever will work, right now it is Christmas… next week it will be a broken down car in the middle of the frigid winter, next month who knows groceries on those commercials. Wherever people are hurting is what they will prey on. They make it seem so simple.

       

Rss Feed Tweeter button Facebook button Linkedin button Delicious button Digg button Stumbleupon button