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Popularity of Apps for Early Paydays Masks Added Risks
Earned Wage Access products have exploded in use, while operating in a legal gray area. Some customers say they’re getting trapped in a cycle of borrowing.
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To keep from falling behind on his bills, Brandon Chenault turned to what he considered a low-risk option: an app that promised to give him a cash advance on his paycheck without charging interest.
The Fayetteville, Arkansas, security guard said the app, EarnIn, was initially a “godsend” that he used sparingly. But when his husband had a medical emergency and lost his job, they turned to the product more and more, advancing wages even as less money was coming in. Within a year, Chenault, 36, found himself trapped in a constant loop of borrowing.