Idaho residents get refunds from unlicensed short term lender

Utah-based short term lender Flobridge Group has been ordered to pay restitution for wages garnished from Idaho residents, as the company was not licensed to practice in the state, KMVT-TV reports. According to Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, Flobridge had been barred from short term lending in the state last year after it was revealed that the company had not been licensed by the Department of Finance. Despite these facts, Flobridge employees continued to harass borrowers who had missed payments by sending texts and emails, leaving voicemails on their cellphones and at their places of business and occasionally threatening to take unauthorized legal action. The Consumer Protection Act prohibits creditors from engaging in deceptive debt collection practices and a creditor must have a court order to garnish a debtor’s wages, according to the Office of the Attorney General's website. KMTV adds that as part of a settlement, Flobridge agreed to refund all borrowers who made payments, while Boise Weekly points out that any resident who believes he or she is eligible for restitution should file a complaint prior to September 12.