Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Irresponsible Lending in the UK

This article from the London Times online recounts the story of Hannah, a heroin addicted teenager, who was able to borrow over $1000 in overdraft funds from her bank in spite of being unemployed, having rotten credit, and having been in the bank with her mother to request that her fund supply be cut off to prevent her access to money for drugs.

I'm not sure what to make of this kind of news. It is not surprising that there are opportunists in the money-lending industry who are willing to take advantage of addicts' lack of concern for their financial security. Also, there is no way to regulate against loaning money to addicts without wildly invasive tactics. But goddamn, I hope my husband never finds a place where he can go and get money, free, for no reason.

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