About Secret History

Commentary on Latin America.
Mostly about Mexico - but not always.
Designed to encourage readers to learn about
the apparently "secret history" of 500 million people
spread across two continents
- but not always.
You can always count on a little snark.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Pawn Shops and Payday Loans - Gracias, Guanajuato

The invisible hand of the market is hard at work and Mexico is recognizing what the U.S. market demands - and it is responding with Efectivo Now. Respuesta Rapida is a Mexican pawn shop and loan company out of Guanajuato that recently located to Houston, Texas under the name Efectivo Now. There's hardly a poor neighborhood or declining urban area in the United States that doesn't have a wide selection of pay day loan joints or shabby pawn shops eating away at downtown development or replacing stores in strip malls.

Payday Loans cost Americans $4.2 Billion each year. If the US financial system is set up to rip off the American poor, why can't Mexico get a piece of that? Hmm hmm hmm, the market at work. Efectivo Now is opening up new offices in San Antonio, soon, and perhaps in a few years we'll see some Mexican business getting in on refund anticipation loans, another $1.2 billion scam perpertrated by banks and tax companies.

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