Exclusive: the litigious debt collectors targeting Latinos during a pandemic

[Nevilledog]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/02/oportun-loans-lawsuits-latino-small-claims-california


A California lending company that targets Latinos with high-interest loans is dismissing thousands of lawsuits days after the Guardian questioned the volume of actions against customers.

An investigation by the Guardian has revealed that Oportun Inc is one of the most litigious debt collectors in California, accounting for at least 15% of all small claims filings from July 2017 through June 2018. The company advertises a path to the American dream, but an extraordinary number of its clients end up facing punitive legal actions.

According to an analysis of available court records in 20 of California’s 58 counties, the San Carlos-based company filed more than 30,000 collections lawsuits in 2019 and at least 14,000 through the first half of 2020, a period in which the coronavirus outbreak shattered unemployment records and pushed millions of Americans to the brink.

“The number is astounding,” said Noah Zinner, a consumer attorney at Bay Area Legal Aid. “Why are you suing people in small claims? Why are you suing people during a pandemic?”

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[msongs]

1. no 3rd party debt collectors without a court conviction nt