SPOTLIGHTING PREDATORY LENDERS. PRESERVING CONSUMER CHOICE.
Too many Americans are facing the consequences of the affordability crisis, including financial hardship from rising costs, medical expenses, and other unexpected life events. For consumers already struggling with debt, high-interest loans can make it even harder to get back on their feet.
Now, predatory lending’s Beltway bandits, such as the American Financial Services Association (AFSA), are working to restrict access to meaningful debt relief, while elevating so-called "nonprofit credit counselors" — creditor-funded agencies designed to ensure that creditors recover 100% of the balance owed on a debt. This would arbitrarily limit the options available to struggling Americans, favoring the creditors who profit when consumers remain indebted longer.
Americans stuck in debt traps deserve more choices to get out. Not fewer.
Debt relief is an established financial option that helps consumers negotiate and settle unsecured debts for less than the balance owed, including credit card balances, medical bills, and personal loans. These programs operate under federal and state oversight and provide another option for consumers facing financial hardship.
Preserving access to responsible debt relief gives consumers greater choice in selecting the solution that best fits their financial circumstances.
Organizations representing predatory lenders and creditors, such as credit counselors, have a direct financial stake in how consumers repay what they owe.
Consumers deserve to know who is behind these creditor-first efforts, how they maximize profits at the consumer's expense, and what proposed restrictions on debt relief could mean for consumers' financial choices.
Stop Predatory Lenders is committed to exposing the interests behind efforts to limit consumer choice and advancing research and analysis that puts consumers — and the facts about consumer debt, lending, and debt relief — first.
RESOURCES
Explore recent research, commentary, and resources on responsible debt relief.
RealClear Policy
August 8, 2026
Anyone who has ever made only the minimum payment on a credit card understands how quickly debt can spiral. To borrow a term from Warren Buffett, it is like a snowball ...