Google Ban Fails to Stamp Out Short-Term Payday Lending Apps
- Company barred loans of less than 61 days on Google Play store
- Apps still available for Android phones in Kenya despite rule
Photographer: SOPA Images/Getty Images
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In August, Google announced a global crackdown on Android apps that offer short-term loans, saying it wanted to protect consumers from what it called “deceptive and exploitative” terms.
But five months later, payday-style applications offering fast money for one or two weeks are still easy to find in many countries on Google Play, the company’s marketplace for Android apps. Some charge interest rates that can exceed 200% annualized.