#US Payday Loan

[healthylifehub]

Personal Loans

Unlocking Financial Flexibility for Your Personal Goals

In times of financial need or when pursuing personal aspirations, a personal loan can be a valuable tool. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of personal loans, shedding light on their key features, benefits, and considerations to keep in mind when considering this type of borrowing.

Understanding Personal Loans

A personal loan is a form of unsecured loan offered by banks, credit unions, or online lenders. Unlike specific-purpose loans like mortgages or auto loans, personal loans provide borrowers with flexibility in using the funds. Whether you need to consolidate debt, cover unexpected expenses, finance a home improvement project, or plan a dream vacation, a personal loan can be a versatile financial solution.

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Loan Amounts and Terms

Personal loans typically range from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the lender and the borrower's creditworthiness. Loan terms can vary, usually ranging from one to seven years. Longer loan terms may result in lower monthly payments, but higher interest costs over time, while shorter terms may require higher monthly payments but result in quicker repayment and lower overall interest expenses.

Interest Rates and Fees

Interest rates for personal loans can be either fixed or variable. Fixed rates remain constant throughout the loan term, providing stability in repayment planning. Variable rates can change over time based on market conditions. Borrowers should also consider any associated fees, such as origination fees or prepayment penalties. Comparing interest rates and fees from different lenders is essential to secure the most favorable terms.

Get up to $10,000 in 24h right now!

Credit Score and Eligibility

Lenders evaluate borrowers' creditworthiness by examining their credit scores and credit histories. A higher credit score increases the likelihood of loan approval and more favorable interest rates. Other factors considered during the loan application process include income, employment history, and debt-to-income ratio. It is important for borrowers to review their credit reports, address any discrepancies, and work on improving their credit profiles before applying for a personal loan.

Benefits and Considerations

Personal loans offer several advantages, including quick access to funds, no collateral requirements, and the ability to consolidate high-interest debt. However, borrowers should carefully consider the overall cost of the loan, including interest rates and fees, and ensure they can comfortably manage the monthly payments. It is also important to avoid borrowing more than necessary and to have a solid plan for repaying the loan on time.

Here are the 38 US fast loan providers

Personal loans can be a valuable financial tool when used responsibly, providing individuals with the means to pursue personal goals and manage unexpected expenses. By understanding the key aspects of personal loans, borrowers can make informed decisions, select suitable terms, and work towards achieving their financial objectives while maintaining financial stability.

[agp]

so remember the dipshit asshole with the birthday party whos now asking me to call lady gaga for money five times a fucking day??

turns out it was just me his pastor and the wife that really runs the church. he insisted on paying for everyone and making me pay half cause he couldnt afford it?? and it was so dumb i tried to make the communication happen but this wannabe middle class asshole is like no no dude we need to make this my birthday party welcome to planet bourgeois i need to refuse my friends financial support and be the biggest fucking bitch in the galaxy

AND THEN FIVE MINUTES LATER AFTER HE PAYED AND SAID ITS NBD ON THE SENIOR DISCOUNT SHIT HES LIKE WHISPERING TO ME ACTUALLY I TOLD THEM TO SPLIT THE BILL IDK WHAT HAPPENED OH MY GOOOOOD

[todaynewsonline]

Which Best Describes a Way People Can Use Personal Loans?

Wedding Expenses (Which Best Describes a Way People Can Use Personal Loans?)

Which Best Describes a Way People Can Use Personal Loans?:- Personal loans have become a popular way for people to address their financial needs. Those who need it can make personal loans a flexible financing option because they can decide how to spend the money. In this article, we will explore the different ways people can use personal loans. Debt Consolidation (Which Best Describes a Way…

[tasia-reader]

My laptop died and I have a -$96 bank balance 24 hours after cheque day my power

[sp0o0kylights]

Eddie was all about desecrating corpses. 

Particularly, the huge ones--and nothing was larger than the burnt out husk of Starcourt. 

Yellow caution tape, muddied and ripped from its time in the weather still decorated parts of the doors. 

The place used to be crawling with security, but that had eased off now, the job returning to a local outfit rather than the smooth and swift guards who previously haunted the joint in pairs. 

It was easy as two days spent camped out in his van, watching the main entrance and a few side doors. In no time at all, Eddie had schedules memorized, points of entry selected and even three possible escape routes should things get dicey.

He didn't expect them to. 

Not when he’d already rolled his checks and came up with a number that, were this an actual D&D game, would make him a happy man. 

It was always a point of contention between him and his Pa. This perception. The natural ability he had that good ‘ol dad just didn’t seem to possess. 

The one that made him patient long enough to get a feel for a gig. 

To know instinctively how hard a job might be, and how to go about doing it safely. 

(Eddie personally doesn't believe much of it is talent. Thinks it is in fact, forcibly learned, due to the nature of his upbringing. 

Grandma and Grandpa Munson, bless their dead, departed souls, had at least given something of a shit. Tried to keep family things family and work things work, even when said work was illegal as it gets. 

They understood things like appearance and public reputation. 

How that kept the pigs off your back and food on your table.)

His Pa had never cared for any of that. 

Eddie didn’t grow up with family meals, or even food in the house let alone on the table. He grew up watchful, forced to learn or take a hit meant for an adult in the process. To weigh the risks against the benefits, and how to charm the pants off an unsuspecting target while doing so. 

It was how he’d escaped his own prison sentence when his Pa finally got eyes too big for his abilities.

Eddi had gotten lucky in that situation. 

Or rather--he’d gotten Wayne. 

Wayne, who gave up his own room, his own bed, for his nephew. Had bought him his sweetheart on his sixteenth birthday and a van on his eighteenth. Both things were used, and a little battered around the edges, and Eddie had almost thrown up the day he accidentally found out Wayne had used his life savings for the damn car, but they were above and beyond anything he had any right too. 

Eddie would be damned without him. 

But he knows his uncle needs help. 

Can't pay for himself and Eddie. Never really could, and so has been giving his nephew literally everything he has in an effort to make up for it until Eddie could help pay his way. 

Not that a singular soul would trust a teenage Munson with such a precious thing as a part time job, and so Eddie had turned to the familiar. 

The mall fire, and the resulting flood of federal agents had really put a damper on his income the past few months. Drugs were risky, and getting riskier with them sniffing about, and things were getting tight again in a way they hadn’t in a long, long time. 

(All it had taken was finding the hidden stack of bills. 

Big ol’ words stamped in red topped every one. Bold letters screaming ‘Overdue’ and ‘Payment Missed’ and ‘Late Fees.’ 

One single letter had panicked Eddie more than any other, the one that clearly said Wayne had been talking to the payday loan place down the street, and he’d be damned if his shortcomings made his Uncle willingly walk into a debt pit so few climbed out of.) 

Growing up like he had, Eddie was trusted in certain circles. Had access to places many didn't as his sole inheritance, because he was known.

 Someone who didn't rat, who could be trusted with given tasks. Who kept to the criminal code, and was good about not backstabbing you if caught.

He’d hit up a few old connections, dropped some hints. Put out “feelers” as one might say. 

Got a nibble and soon enough, Eddie was back in business, getting called up and offered a few small tasks for decent dough. 

Sometimes it was fetching information. 

Sometimes it was ferrying an item.

Today, it was a retrieval.

There was something someone wanted in the ruins of Starcourt--and they were offering an insane amount of money to get it.  

The plans hadn't made sense, not at first. The instructions Eddie had been given sounded outlandish, if not outright total bunk. 

Like the existence of a multi level basement under Starcourt? How the hell had no one caught that being built? 

Or that the security systems down there could possibly still be turned on? After four months? 

Who was even paying for it? 

Eddie had heard stupider things though, and the pay for this little jaunt was good. Too good to pass up. 

"They want a local in case something happens and the rescue squad comes running in. That way, it's just a little trespassing fun. The town deviant getting his kicks in the big scary mall, and not what they think it is." His connection had told him, meeting with Eddie in a Mcdonalds the town over. 

The place had a play palace, big enough to host a number of screaming rugrats. It made for a great cover as they pretended to be just two men in overalls, getting burgers on their lunch. 

Not a soul could hear a sound over the kids screaming, and if a blueprint sat between them then, well, if it looks like a maintenance worker, and it talks like a maintenance worker…

People never did look twice.

"And what else exactly would they think this is?" Eddie asked, munching on the food he got for free as part of even entertaining the offer. 

"A retrieval, Double D." 

Eddie hated that nickname.

"Some rich kid bit it in the fire, and his parents are paying out top dollar to get a few of his things, seein’ as the feds wouldn’t let anybody back in after they condemned the place." The guy, whose name was Mickey said. 

He idly traced a finger along the lines of the blueprint, the path he was wanting Eddie to take. 

(The path Eddie would later ignore, on grounds that it was going to get him caught.) 

 “Specifically a signet ring and car keys.”

“Car keys?” Eddie had asked, mostly in a bid for more information. Mickey was the kind of guy you could breadcrumb into giving more information than he intended to, if one played their cards right.

And Eddie was a damn good poker player. 

“Yup. Goes to a BMW--which they want you to drive to a safe place. Parents think he lost it somewhere around,” Mickey’s finger stopped, before tapping the blueprint twice. “Here.”

Something had niggled in the back of Eddie’s head. The first whispers of recognition, of a fact that he knew something about this--something he couldn’t yet recall. 

He wasn’t stupid enough to ignore it. 

“Who's the kid?” He’d asked. 

Mostly because he was curious, partially because it was a way to ease in the real questions he wanted to ask.

Like what a rich kid was doing four levels down in Starcourt the night of the fire. 

“Does it matter?” Mickey said, but dug into his pockets anyway. Retrieved a little 2 by 3 wallet photo, done in the traditional High School Picture Day style. 

He’d tossed it on the table, and Eddie didn’t react. 

Kept his face perfectly blank, even as his stomach contracted and his breath caught in his chest. 

Carefully pulled the picture to him, to make a show of examining it. 

“Don’t know him.” He lied after a moment, fighting to get his breathing back under control before Mickey figured out what was up. 

“Told you it didn’t matter. What matters is that you get the shit. And hey, while you’re down there…” 

Mickey talked a bit more, and idly, Eddie listened. He knew this little B&E was going to have more components than just retrieving a few things. Had long figured out that this entire front of retrieving “some rich kids keys” was just that--a front. 

Word on the street was that Starcourt was hiding something--something a lot of very powerful people were getting increasingly interested in. He’d rolled his eyes when he caught wind of the first little rumblings, the rumors and whispers that the thing was shrouded in Government secrets and conspiracies, but hadn’t been able to ignore the shit that had come after. 

Likely, the people who had hired him and Mickey understood they had to act now, before someone else did, to see if anything worthwhile was actually down there. 

The real question is why the hell they were using Steve Harrington’s death to do it--when Eddie knew for a fact that Steve Harrington was alive. 

Or alive as anyone could be, at two am at a Shell gas station. 

“Alright.” Eddie said finally, pulling the blueprint towards himself before rolling it up, making sure to casually roll up Harrington’s picture with it. “You got me interested. Half up front and I’m in.”

Mickey grinned at him. “Knew you would be, kid.” 

One hand shake and a hefty envelope later, and Eddie found himself on the way to Starcourt on his very first stakeout. 

It was that first initial look that confirmed it--Harrington’s prized BMW was in fact, still sitting in the parking lot.

Abandoned by rich assholes who absolutely could have paid to have it towed.

Which led to a domino effect of stakeouts, late nights and confrontations, up to and including his present position, counting down the minutes before he could break into Starcourt.

“Ready?” He murmured, and one could be forgiven for thinking he was talking to himself given how quietly he said it.

They would be wrong. 

“Yeah.” The not-so-dead rich kid drawled from the passenger seat.

Eddie tossed a grin at Harrington, who rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. 

“Come on, Stevie.” He purred. “Let’s go find out who impersonated your parents, and why they want that ring you supposedly own so badly.” 

“Honestly dude I just want my car back.” 

“That too.” 

[mousedetective]

Please Help A Mentally Ill, Mostly Queer Homeless Family Stay Housed This Holiday Season?

PAYPAL | AMAZON WISHLIST | KOFI | GOFUNDME

VENMO: @penaltywaltz | CASHAPP: $afteriwake23 | ZELLE: DM me for email address

12/27/23 - Updated Post!

NEW GOAL!

$1290/$2013

(Original goal met, now edited for additional room help, food, bills and other things needed)

If I can get the entire amount still needed, I can do the following:

Get the hotel room for over a week, which will let us come and go without worrying about having to spend all day trying to raise money and we can run important errands next week

Close three open collection accounts my mom has by paying them off in full via her debt consolidation company, and pay off two defaulted payday loans

Pay off her PayPal debt so that PayPal will reopen her account

Have money to make a payment if I can get the debt collection company to find her other credit card account I need to arrange payments on

Get food after the 10th, because I fully expect both myself and my mom to be out of food stamps by then (also, I don't know who did it, but BLESS YOU to the person who bought us three DoorDash gift cards off the Amazon wishlist...I just wanted to put that out there in case you didn't send a gift receipt)

Most of this will be a huge help in getting us to be able to qualify for housing that requires credit checks, and helping Lena get her health stuff sorted and figure out if she has any other debilitating illnesses will help give her disability appeal more strength, which will help her get an income to support herself. So please reblog this version if you can, and help with money or wishlist items if you can (the restaurant gift cards go a long way, plus I desperately need the clothing for me because I've lost 40 pounds this last year and most of my stuff is now too big). Thank you for reading this, and I hope you have an awesome day!

[kremlin]

"This event ends the moment you write us a check, and it better not bounce, or you're a dead motherfucker" -- Big Bill Hell

There was a time when you'd see little old ladies paying for the groceries with a hand-written personal check, holding up the line, causing an immediately-forgiven slight sense of annoyance with those behind her. Buddy. Those days are over. They've been over. What, did you think you were going to just pop a couple extra zeroes on the end of your paycheck there? Maybe scan your paycheck, open it in photoshop, make a template, print em out all nice? You think you're the first to think of that, dipshit?

It takes the law a long time to catch up with the state of the art. You're reading this on the internet, which means you never use checks. The law has caught up. Your ass will be going to prison immediately and you will see zero return.

You can't even kite checks anymore, and hell, nobody under 40 will even know what that means, due to the blazing fast, two day settlement on all ACH transactions. Let me paint you a picture.

You get paid on Friday, but it is Monday, and bills are due on Tuesday. And you're broke: $0 in the bank. Goose egg. Pop open your checkbook, go to a store, "buy" some things, write a check for the amount. The cashier takes it!

Now take those things you "bought", across town, to another store location, and return them for cold hard cash. Sweet. Bills paid. Friday rolls around, and you just make it to the bank to deposit your paycheck before it closes. After the weekend, the checks you wrote finally post, and they don't bounce! You've kited a check. You've surreptitiously taken a zero-interest loan. And we know your broke ass. The interest rate on that short-term payday loan should have been straight up usurious. We're talking 29%. That makes predatory fuckers like us horny for sex. We're so mad. Now you are going to Federal Prison. For a good minute. Fuckface.

COST: $0.10 (With banks offering free checking accounts + Bic pen)

"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor sleet, if you fuck with the mail, we'll rip your nuts off" -- Ronald Mail (Inventor of Mail)

Many people have this misnomer that the most powerful people in politics are democratically elected. The president, of the United States, of America, is a stupid cartoon hotdog. All of them, I don't care. Way less clout than you'd think. Brilliantly, it is the people that the hotdog president appoints who are actually doing anything significant. The director of the CIA. The fucking chairman of the Federal Reserve. Probably the, like, most senior, uh, general of the military, and shit too. I don't know, we don't "do" army here at Bloomberg. You probably don't even know their names! I don't! These are the ones you should be seeing in your sleep.

There's another position like that. Appointed directly by the hotdog. The Postmaster General. That's a real title. He's the CEO of the mail, and buddy, what he may lack in political power relative to the director of the CEO, he makes up in raw sexual energy. Total Tom Selleck energy. Like an airline pilot. We're talking Donald Sutherland in Invasion of the Body Snatchers. I'm tentpoling in my black business slacks just writing this, and all my Bloomberg newsroom bros are peering over my shoulder and also tent-poling. We're not gay though, and especially me, I'm probably the least gay, but sometimes I just lay awake for hours at night what that mustache would feel like pressed against my lips, the unbelievable and utter, total sense of security I'd feel burying my head into his hard chest.

You get it. He's your dad. And if you fuck with the mail, you've fucked with the tools in your dad's garage. And dad's been drinking. You're in for it, bucko, you are in trouble. Do you think the United States Postal Service actually makes any money? Hell no. It costs like five bucks to mail a box basically anywhere I can think of and they give you the boxes for free. You can just walk in the post office and take them. I do that, and then just throw them away, I don't know why, some kind of compulsion. Being able to move shit around like this, quickly, cheaply -- Jesus H, I've got a huge amount of money in my bank account, probably tens of trillions of dollars (due to financial knowledge gained from reading Bloomberg articles) and I could probably mail every single person ever something and still come out in the black.

No way pal. They've thought of that already. The Postmaster General is going to know every time, and he's going to grab you by the shirt collar, wearing his cool as fuck hat, and you're going to get your pants pulled down, and your bare ass spanke...I need to go use the restroom real quick.

We rely on the mail system to get important shit done. It's not something to be taken lightly, and it isn't. Trust me. This is why, like almost every other person who receives mail in this year 2023, I just fucking put a wastebasket under my mail slot. I don't even shred that shit anymore. I just burn it. Takes less time.

COST: $0.63 (Postal stamp)

"Can call all you want, but there's no one home // And you're not gonna reach my telephone // Out in the club, and I'm sipping that bubb // And you're not gonna reach my telephone" -- Lady Gaga

I read something wild that the children of today do not know what a dial tone is, because of how fucked up and stupid they are. Isn't that super fucked up?

While it's not really our style, allow me to fill you in on some ancient, arcane knowledge about the telephone. You can turn it on, and then you can punch in numbers. Any numbers. Random ones, or maybe not random ones. If the ten numbers you punch in are the same as the numbers in someone else's telephone number, their phone will ring, and then you are talking to them. This is called "Phreaking".

Here's the kicker: You can tell that jackass anything you want. "Oh, Hi, Yes, I am Reginald Sumpter calling from Avalon Consulting LLC, we are just following up on the invoice we sent you. Please remit to ###### routing ###### account."

BOOM! Your name isn't Reginald whatever and that company doesn't exist, but you just received a deposit. It's fucking beautiful. What have you done wrong? It isn't your responsibility to handle who your business' clients/etc are, it's their's. If they want to just pay you money for no real reason, well, that's kind of on them, isn't it? I haven't stuck a pistol in your face and demanded everything in the register.

Well, it's too clever. It's too slick. This is the United States of America. It's one thing to commit a felony like armed robbery, it's another thing to piss off someone in charge of the accounting division who uses a special bathroom you need a key to get into.

You can do it on the computer too, I use a PC Computer at work and send email, so you can see how it'd work there. You can make a document that is indifferentiable from a real invoice and, straight up, 1/3 of the time they will pay that shit. Lmfao.

It's called wire fraud because, uhh, duhhhh, there's wires. What do you think that thing is strung between the telephone receiver and the dialer? And computers? Give me a break. There's so many wires with those.

COST: $0.25 (Coin for payphone)

"People calculate too much and think too little." -- Charlie Munger

It is insane how dumb the common man can be when it comes to our world of expertise. I hear this same sentiment, like, ALL THE TIME:

"Durr hurr I will buy an insurance policy for my car or house or whatever so that in case something happens to it I will get money". And then that same person proceeds to drive safely or not burn their house down. Dumbest crap imaginable.

Let me break it down for you. Insurance is a two player competitive game. There is a winner and there is a loser. Go take out an expensive insurance policy on your American sports car. Buy a neck brace, a football helmet, and pack that bitch with throw pillows. Then get in the left lane of a major highway at like noonish, let it rip and then SLAM on your brakes. Hit from behind! Your fault! Congratulations. You have won insurance. How this gets past people is beyond me.

You can only do this once or twice before the insurance companies catch on. Then they don't want to fuck with you. It is also..I don't know man...something feels off about taking a car or a house, which like, some guy had to build and just destroying it, but that is only a weird emotional thing, since you're making money, more than whatever the destroyed thing is worth, so in reality you've built that house plus some extra. You've contributed.

COST: $106.00 (Average monthly car insurance payment)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

SUBSCRIBE TO MY WHATEVER FOR PART TWO, COMING SOON. i'll post it later today probably. whatever time frame will juice the numbers. have a sneaky peaky

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[mostlysignssomeportents]

Intuit: “Our fraud fights racism”

Tonight (September 27), I'll be at Chevalier's Books in Los Angeles with Brian Merchant for a joint launch for my new book The Internet Con and his new book, Blood in the Machine. On October 2, I'll be in Boise to host an event with VE Schwab.

Today's key concept is "predatory inclusion": "a process wherein lenders and financial actors offer needed services to Black households but on exploitative terms that limit or eliminate their long-term benefits":

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2329496516686620

Perhaps you recall predatory inclusion from the Great Financial Crisis, when predatory subprime mortgages with deceptive teaser rates were foisted on Black homeowners (who were eligible for better mortgages), resulting in a wave of Black home theft in the foreclosure crisis:

https://prospect.org/justice/staggering-loss-black-wealth-due-subprime-scandal-continues-unabated/

Before these loans blew up, they were styled as a means of creating Black intergenerational wealth through housing speculation. They turned out to be a way to suck up Black families' savings before rendering them homeless and forcing them into houses owned by the Wall Street slumlords who bought all the housing stock the Great Financial Crisis put on the market:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/02/08/wall-street-landlords/#the-new-slumlords

That was just an update on an old con: the "home sale contract," invented by loan-sharks who capitalized on redlining to rip off Black families. Back when banks and the US government colluded to deny mortgages to Black households, sleazy lenders created the "contract loan," which worked like a mortgage, but if you were late on a single payment, the lender could seize and sell your home and not pay you a dime – even if the house was 99% paid for:

https://socialequity.duke.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Plunder-of-Black-Wealth-in-Chicago.pdf

Usurers and con-artists love to style themselves as anti-racists, seeking to "close the racial wealth gap." The payday lending industry – whose triple-digit interest rates trap poor people in revolving debt that they can never pay off – styles itself as a force for racial justice:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/01/29/planned-obsolescence/#academic-fraud

Payday lenders prey on poor people, and in America, "poor" is often a euphemism for "Black." Payday lenders disproportionately harm Black families:

https://ung.edu/student-money-management-center/money-minute/racial-wealth-gap-payday-loans.php

Payday lenders are just unlicensed banks, who deploy a layer of bullshit to claim that they don't have to play by the rules that bind the rest of the finance sector. This scam is so juicy that it spawned the fintech industry, in which a bunch of unregulated banks sprung up to claim that they were too "innovative" to be regulated:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/01/usury/#tech-exceptionalism

When you hear "Fintech," think "unlicensed bank." Fintech turned predatory inclusion into a booming business, recruiting Black spokespeople to claim that being the sucker at the table in the cryptocurrency casino was actually a form of racial justice:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/07/business/media/cryptocurrency-seeks-the-spotlight-with-spike-lees-help.html

But not all predatory inclusion is financial. Take Facebook Basics, Meta's "poor internet for poor people" program. Facebook partnered with telcos in the Global South to rig their internet access. These "zero rating" programs charged subscribers by the byte to reach any service except Facebook and its partners. Facebook claimed that this would "bridge the digital divide," by corralling "the next billion internet users" into using its services.

The fact that this would make "Facebook" synonymous with "the internet" was just an accidental, regrettable side-effect. Naturally, this was bullshit from top to bottom, and the countries where zero-rating was permitted ended up having more expensive wireless broadband than the countries that banned it:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/02/countries-zero-rating-have-more-expensive-wireless-broadband-countries-without-it

The predatory inclusion gambit is insultingly transparent, but that doesn't stop desperate scammers from trying it. The latest chancer is Intuit, who claim that the end of its decade-long, wildly profitable "free tax prep" scam is bad for Black people:

https://www.propublica.org/article/turbotax-intuit-black-taxpayers-irs-free-file-marketing

Some background. In nearly every rich country on Earth, the tax authorities send every taxpayer a pre-filled tax return, based on the information submitted by employers, banks, financial planners, etc. If that looks good to you, you just sign it and send it back. Otherwise, you can amend it, or just toss it in the trash and pay a tax-prep specialist to produce your own return.

But in America, taxpayers spend billions every year to send forms to the IRS that tell it things it already knows. To make this ripoff seem fair, the hyper-concentrated tax-prep industry, led by the Intuit, creators of Turbotax, pretended to create a program to provide free tax-prep to working people.

This program was called Free File, and it was a scam. The tax-prep cartel each took a different segment of Americans who were eligible for Freefile and then created an online house of mirrors that would trick those people into spending hours working on their tax-returns until they were hit with an error message falsely claiming they were ineligible for the free service and demanding hundreds of dollars to file their returns.

Intuit were world champions at this scam. They blocked their Freefile offering from search-engine crawlers and then bought ads that showed up when searchers typed "freefile" into the query box that led them to deceptively named programs that had "free" in their names but cost a fortune to use – more than you'd pay for a local CPA to file on your behalf.

The Attorneys General of nearly every US state and territory eventually sued Intuit over this, settling for $141m:

https://www.agturbotaxsettlement.com/Home/portalid/0

The FTC is still suing them over it:

https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/cases-proceedings/192-3119-intuit-inc-matter-turbotax

We have to rely on state AGs and the FTC to bring Intuit to justice because every Intuit user clicks through an agreement in which we permanently surrender our right to sue the company, no matter how many laws it breaks. For corporate criminals, binding arbitration waivers are the gift that keeps on giving:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/02/24/uber-for-arbitration/#nibbled-to-death-by-ducks

Even as the scam was running out, Intuit spent millions lobby-blitzing Congress, desperate for action that would let it continue to privately tax the nation for filling in forms that – once again – told the IRS things it already knew. They really love the idea of paying taxes on paying your taxes:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/20/turbotaxed/#counter-intuit

But they failed. The IRS has taken Freefile in-house, will send you a pre-completed tax return if you want it. This should be the end of the line for Intuit and other tax-prep profiteers:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/17/free-as-in-freefile/#tell-me-something-i-dont-know

Now we're at the end of the line for the scam, Intuit is playing the predatory inclusion card. They're conning Black newspapers like the Chicago Defender into running headlines like "IRS Free Tax Service Could Further Harm Blacks,"

https://defendernetwork.com/news/opinion/irs-free-tax-service-could-further-harm-blacks/

The only named source in that article? Intuit spokesperson Derrick Plummer. The article went out on the country's Black newswire Trice Edney, whose editor-in-chief did not respond to Propublica's Paul Kiel's questions.

Then Black Enterprise got in on the game, publishing "Critics Claim The IRS Free Tax Prep Service Could Hurt Black Americans." Once again, the only named source for the article was Plummer, who was "quoted at length." Black Enterprise declined to tell Kiel where that article came from:

https://www.blackenterprise.com/critics-claim-the-irs-free-tax-prep-service-could-hurt-black-americans/

For Intuit, placing op-eds is a tried-and-true tactic for laundering its ripoffs into respectability. Leaked internal Intuit memos detail the company's strategy of "pushing back through op-eds" to neutralize critics:

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6483061-Intuit-TurboTax-2014-15-Encroachment-Strategy.html

Intuit spox Derrick Plummer did respond to Kiel's queries, denying that Intuit was paying for these op-eds, saying "with an idea as bad as the Direct File scheme we don’t have to pay anyone to talk about how terrible it is."

Meanwhile, ex-NAACP director (and No Labels co-chair) Benjamin Chavis has used his position atop the National Newspaper Publishers Association to publish op-eds against the IRS Direct File program, citing the Progressive Policy Institute, a pro-business thinktank that Intuit's internal documents describe as part of its "coalition":

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6483061-Intuit-TurboTax-2014-15-Encroachment-Strategy.html

Chavis's Chicago Tribune editorial claimed that Direct File could cause Black filers to miss out on tax-credits they are entitled to. This is a particularly ironic claim given Intuit's prominent role in sabotaging the Child Tax Credit, a program that lifted more Americans out of poverty than any other in history:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/06/29/three-times-is-enemy-action/#ctc

It's also an argument that can be found in Intuit's own anti-Direct File blog posts:

https://www.intuit.com/blog/innovative-thinking/taxpayer-empowerment/intuit-reinforces-its-commitment-to-fighting-for-taxpayers-rights/

The claim is that because the IRS disproportionately audits Black filers (this is true), they will screw them over in other ways. But Evelyn Smith, co-author of the study that documented the bias in auditing says this is bullshit:

https://siepr.stanford.edu/publications/working-paper/measuring-and-mitigating-racial-disparities-tax-audits

That's because these audits of Black households are triggered by the IRS's focus on Earned Income Tax Credits, a needlessly complicated program available to low-income (and hence disproportionately Black) workers. The paperwork burden that the IRS heaps on EITC recipients means that their returns contain errors that trigger audits.

As Smith told Propublica, "With free, assisted filing, we might expect EITC claimants to make fewer mistakes and face less intense audit scrutiny, which could help reduce disparities in audit rates between Black and non-Black taxpayers."

Meanwhile, the predatory inclusion talking points continue to proliferate. Nevada accountants and the state's former controller somehow coincidentally managed to publish op-eds with nearly identical wording. Phillip Austin, vice-chair of Arizon's East Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, claims that free IRS tax prep "would disproportionately hurt the Hispanic community." Austin declined to tell Propublica how he came to that conclusion.

Right-wing think-tanks are pumping out a torrent of anti-Direct File disinfo. This surely has nothing to do with the fact that, for example, Center Forward has HR Block's chief lobbyist on its board:

https://thehill.com/opinion/finance/4125481-direct-e-file-wont-make-filing-taxes-any-easier-but-it-could-make-things-worse/

The whole thing reeks of bullshit and desperation. That doesn't mean that it won't succeed in killing Direct File. If there's one thing America loves, it's letting businesses charge us a tax just for dealing with our own government, from paying our taxes to camping in our national parks:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/30/military-industrial-park-service/#booz-allen

Interestingly, there's a MAGA version of predatory inclusion, in which corporations convince low-information right-wingers that efforts to protect them from ripoffs are "woke." These campaigns are, incredibly, even stupider than the predatory inclusion tale.

For example, there's a well-coordianted campaign to block the junk fees that the credit card cartel extracts from merchants, who then pass those charges onto us. This campaign claims that killing junk fees is woke:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/04/owning-the-libs/#swiper-no-swiping

How does that work? Here's the logic: Target sells Pride merch. That makes them woke. Target processes a lot of credit-card transactions, so anything that reduces card-processing fees will help Target. Therefore, paying junk fees is a way to own the libs.

No, seriously.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/27/predatory-inclusion/#equal-opportunity-scammers

[copperbadge]

Radio Free Monday

Good morning everyone, and welcome to Radio Free Monday!

Ways to Give:

Anon linked to a fundraiser for Andrea, a trans woman, UU minister, and veteran, and her wife Wren, a genderqueer veteran, who are currently homeless along with their three cats. While they are working with the VA to get approval for housing assistance, they're in need of funding to get back on their feet; you can read more and support the fundraiser here.

littleredreadinghood linked to a fundraiser for kirkaut, who was recently diagnosed with an aggressive cancer and is in need of help with medical bills. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

like-the-midnight-sun linked to a fundraiser for a close friend, a queer, trans, and multiply-Disabled writer who has just lost their job and needs to pay a steep phone bill to reactivate their service so they can look for work. You can give via paypal here or via Chime to nachonaco.

Anon linked to a fundraiser for crazywolf828, whose grandfather, one of the household's main income sources, recently suffered a broken hip and is currently in a rehab center; they need help with medical bills among other things. You can read more and reblog here or give via ko-fi here. (The page does pop up a "possible NSFW comment" warning window but there's nothing NSFW on that page.)

Anon linked to a fundraiser for Vinn, a disabled nonbinary person who is raising funds to move away from Utah, where being a queer person is becoming steadily less safe, to Michigan, where they have a place to live with their partner already set up. You can read more and support the fundraiser here.

like-the-midnight-sun and her wife are multiply marginalized people who don't feel safe in the US anymore; they are fundraising to move to somewhere in Europe, probably Norway or Sweden, where they will be less likely to experience violent persecution. You can read more and support the fundraiser here.

like-the-midnight-sun and her wife are also hoping to get temporary assistance with a vet bill before they go out of town; the appointment is the day before payday and they won't be able to cover it until they are paid. They need a loan of $150 that they can pay back; you can give (with repayment on March 30th) via paypal here, via Venmo to ARZinzani (9980), or via Chime at $Nassun-0428.

Recurring Needs:

thelastpyler is raising funds to help with food, transportation, and replacement IDs after being robbed; you can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

And this has been Radio Free Monday! Thank you for your time. You can post items for my attention at the Radio Free Monday submissions form. If you're new to fundraising, you may want to check out my guide to fundraising here.

[lewiscarrolatemybrain]

Y'know what would be cool as hell?

Pirates putting bounties out on other pirates, or even on marines.

Like, pirates have treasure. It's very much The Thing Pirates Do. Granted, a lot of the pirates we see in One Piece have other priorities, but still. Pirates, gold. It's like peanut butter and chocolate. They go together.

And think of what a fucking power-move it would be. There are plenty of strong fighters on the seas who can't -- or won't -- do business with the military for whatever reason, but would probably be more than happy to collect a payday or two in exchange for spilling a little blood. Warring pirate crews in the Blues promise 10mil a head for each of their enemies; that number spikes to 50-100mil in the Grand Line, and usually higher depending on the crews in question. Back in the day rumor had it that Whitebeard and Roger would double the government price if you could bring either one to to the other.

(That was technically true, they did agree to that, but they were drunk and it was mostly a joke, so...)

I imagine pirate bounties would work very differently than government bounties. For one, pirate bounties are almost always Alive Only. Pirate bounties are usually personal, and pirates are a vengeful lot by nature. You don't send somebody else to kill a guy for you, no, you deal the finishing blow yourself.

For two, the stronger the pirate the stronger their enemies, so there's less and less available folks out there who even could collect the bounties, much less would want or need to. So instead, big bounties -- like the aforementioned Roger and Whitebeard bounties -- are less about Actually Go Get That Guy and more about Cause Him As Much Hell As Physically Possible. Fuck with his food supply, use guerilla tactics, spy on him, blitz his men and leave them dead in the water. It doesn't matter, just cause him grief. Make this person suffer in any way you can. I imagine pirate bounties also deal in more than just cash. They trade territory, information, weapons and technology, they'll even loan out crew members for a job or two for the right hunt. They could also be more symbolic than literal; a war declaration by another name.

Upstart pirates will occasionally try to put bounties out for heads way above their weight class to make themselves seem tough. Every pirate and blacklisted bounty hunter in the New World is foaming at the mouth for Blackbeard's head in the wake of Thatch's death, because they all know Whitebeard will pay bank for a traitor. The Straw Hats rack up bounties from other pirates -- big name pirates, at that -- even faster than they do from the government, but they don't put out any of their own.

Not until after Marineford, when Straw Hat Luffy appears in the newspaper with two messages. One a secret for his crew, a crossed-out date and a new meeting time. The other for the world at large:

A bounty poster for the Red Dog Akainu.

[kyokosasagawa]

Hi everyone! Opening emergency commissions, lowered my prices down to lower levels, all under 15 dollars.

Backstory: My brother decided to steal 500 dollars from my disabled mother and I a few months ago and since we have no family to really ask for help, we ended up in a payday loan cycle because we couldn't afford groceries for an entire month! Woohoo! Yay! Yippee! (No, he still hasn't paid us back.)

We currently have like, 90% of our income going towards debt. Throughout this month I'm going to be receiving good ol' tax refunds, so that'll help us be under the "things are gonna bounce" threshold.

However, we will need groceries next month. I don't WANT to end up taking out another loan to pay for more groceries, and if I can just get enough to go into a savings account so that I can get through next month, that will help me a lot and maybe even take us out of the payday loan scheme.

I thank you kindly for any consideration. You can contact me through discord at "_larissa" for more details.

[lilac-den]

Ooooh spicy

Pls begging for crumbs

"What do you want to eat?" "Bend over"

I simp for Dolos & Maverick but honestly, anyone or either AU is fine too lmao whatever hits your inspiration ✨

Maverick x MC Snippet!

This is pre-tragedy!

"Fuck, I'm beat."

I close the door behind me with a sigh, a hand raising up to run along the side of my head.

"Welcome home, [Name]."

I open my eyes to find Maverick raising a brow at me, an open book in his hands and on his lap. I close my mouth for a moment, eyes wide like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Shit," I start, "sorry, Rick. I thought you're asleep."

Maverick sighs, shaking his head and soon closing the book. "That's alright, [Name]. Truth be told, I just haven't been able to stay asleep."

This got me piqued, my sock-clad feet now touching the floor as I align my shoes straight at the entryway before turning back to Maverick. I walk closer to the couch he's sitting at, frowning. "Did you have a nightmare?"

A scoff escapes him, his blue eyes darting to the side behind his glasses as a hesitant smile comes to his face. "Very much the opposite, unfortunately."

So it wasn't a nightmare? "Why is it 'unfortunately'? If it's the opposite, then you must've had a good dream, right?"

At this, Maverick's snow white cheeks turn slightly red and he makes a fist to cough into it politely. "Let's not discuss further on this matter." He gestures to me. "Why are you only home now? It's eleven in the evening."

Home. It's still unbelievable that all of us - Me, Maverick, Rydigan, Ittania and Enid - are living under the same roof, even though it's been three days. "Some customers were being asses at the workplace and I ended up working overtime."

The white-haired man begins to stand, putting his book onto the coffee table in front before making his way to me. He lifts a hand, brows furrowing with concern as he cups one of my cheeks and inspects my face. "You weren't harmed or assaulted, are you?"

I can't help but smile. It's not uncommon for employees or workers of the lower class to deal with violent or unhinged customers, especially those working in places of considerable importance to certain individuals. Like convenience stores for gangsters, pharmacies for drug addicts or even the bar for the perverts. There's even been known incidents of some establishments getting sued by customers looking for special treatment and even when the owners of such establishments or the one who complaint try to win the court, both sides still end up at a loss due to the exorbitant pay to their lawyers or, in most cases, debts from various factors like the store owners with the loans and paying the bills or the customers with their pre-existent debt that led to them scamming in the first place. It's a lose-lose situation.

I lean into Maverick's palm, closing my eyes. "I'm fine, Rick."

I can feel his thumb brushing along my cheek, a movement that makes my lips curl upwards.

"Must you work in that area?"

I open my eyes and find myself faced with that look on his face again.

"How else would I pay my share of the bills?"

"You know everyone here would be willing to pay for you. We're four people."

I frown heavily on that. "And I'm the fifth. I don't want to let you all carry the financial burden. Besides, I rather not let you guys spend money that can be put into your savings on something that I can pay for myself." I grab his wrist and gently move his hand off my cheek, just so I can hold it instead and give a reassuring squeeze.

Maverick squeezes my hand in return. "But the idea of you being out so late..."

"Hey." I try to move into his line of sight after seeing his gaze lowering, putting up a soft smile. "I still made it home just fine. Besides, working overtime could mean a bit more money and given how payday is on the way..."

A soft laugh escapes Maverick and he shakes his head, an amused smile on his face. "You seem to forget that it's also-"

His words cut off at the vicious 'GRRRRWWWWLLLL' noise filling the space between us and, realizing the almost violent growl is coming from me, Maverick has the audacity to give out a 'Pfft!' noise before turning away, trying to hold in his laughter.

I can't help hissing. "Oh, don't you dare laugh, you little shit!"

This just ends up making Maverick start laughing, a wide grin spreading upon his face. If he isn't laughing over my plight, I would have admire such a beaming smile on the usually stoic face. "Ha...! I'm so sorry, [Name]. That was impolite of me."

I roll my eyes. "Oh, please. You have done much more impolite stuff."

"I'm simply a model of virtue."

"A model of bullshitting is more like it."

I turn around to face the kitchen, my back facing that snickering bastard. I hook my fingers together and stretch out my arms in front before raising them up to the ceiling. I groan, my muscles contracting and my back straightening until I let out a moan of relief from doing so.

"So," I grunt out mid-stretch and relax my arms to place my hands on my hips, looking over the kitchen, "What do you want to eat?"

I figured maybe, given how Maverick still has the energy to laugh, he might feel a bit peckish for a midnight snack. It wouldn't be the first time.

What is a first time for either of us is what he responded with.

"Bend over."

I whip around, my wide eyes meeting Maverick's own appalled expression. He looks as if he just ran over an animal or found himself face-to-face with a bus. Before I can even ask, Maverick is already turning away to move towards the hallway of bedroom doors, his ears a bright red hue.

"I think I'll head for bed, [Name]."

"But Ri-"

"Good night, [Name]!"

With his voice nearly growling at the second word, he storms his way to his bedroom and close the door shut. I can even hear it being locked.

But even with him out of my sight, I still feel warm around the cheeks as his answer hangs over my mind like a looped audio.

I'm not even sure which kind of hungry I'm in right now.

[illarian-rambling]

Thanks for the tag @spideronthesun!

OC Deep Dive Tag

Rules: Answer the questions for your oc

In honor of getting the first arc of Starbreaker finished, let's take a look at everyone's favorite fearless captain, Faalgun Falani!

What uncommon/common fear do they have?

Being a Flying City native, Faalgun hasn't been around much in the way of nature or natural spaces. He's not a fan of bugs, trees, or any animal bigger than he is, which is not a high bar. He's also pretty afraid of large bodies of water, as he can't swim.

Do they have any pet peeves?

People who can't follow orders - so he's obviously having a field day with his new crew. Faalgun is a military brat through and through. He doesn't believe in respecting authority for authority's sake, but he also believes that in moments of crisis, it's best to just listen to whoever's barking orders. He just can't wrap his head around people who are defiant on principal (cough, cough, Nyda).

What are 3 items you can find in their bedroom?

Aboard the Starbreaker, he doesn't have a bedroom, but back on the Flying City, you could find many music recordings, some old awards from back in flight training, and, later on, lots of payday loan receipts.

What do they notice first in a person?

If they were born on a planet or in space. There's a notable difference between the way people from both places move - and sometimes, how they act.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how high is their pain tolerance?

Probably about a six? He's tough, but he's no supersoldier.

Do they go into fight or flight mode when under pressure?

Fight, all the way. This isn't always the best move, since he's all of three and a half feet tall, but Faalgun lives for the thrill of an adrenaline rush, and he'll take on anything or anyone if it means that thrill gets to last longer.

Do they come from a big family/are they a family person?

Faalgun was raised in an orphanage, actually. So far as he knows, his parents just didn't have the means to support a child. Despite that, he had a really good childhood. He was especially close with the orphanage's nurse, who took the shy, runty boy under his wing whenever the other kids got a bit too rowdy. As an adult, he would regularly return with donations.

What animal represents them best?

Yes, I know he's a little lizard guy, but I think a hunting dog is the best fit for him. Loyal, unyielding, focused, lives for the chase - but not immune to being pulled off course by other more exciting scents.

What is a smell that they dislike?

The cheap incense used in casinos. It brings back bad memories. Also, anything to do with animals, since he's just not used to it.

Have they broken any bones?

Probably? I'll say he broke a few fingers getting into fights in flight school. Most notably, a broken neck is what killed him.

How would a stranger likely describe them?

"Aw, look at that little guy in the pilot's uniform! His scales are such a pretty blue, and that little ruff of fur looks so soft. And look how his horns stick up from his hat - how adorable! Those big yellow eyes look so tense, though. What does such a cutie have to be worried about?" (As a note, Faalgun hates being talked about like this, but it is an unfortunate fact that he is indeed a 3'5" dragon man with little whiskers that twitch when he's mad. Too bad literally nothing else about him is cute.)

Are they a night owl or a morning bird?

He doesn't sleep now that he's dead, but in life, he was a morning bird after many years of practice.

What is a flavor they hate and a flavor they love?

A flavor he loves is fried chicken. Meat is a delicacy on the Flying City, reserved only for brief stays over any of the planets they visit. Faalgun would go out and party with his friends during landings, where he'd eat lots of fried meats. A flavor he hates is the shitty canned meals he subsisted on once all his money started going to his gambling habit.

Do they have any hobbies?

Not that he'd ever do this in front of someone, but Faalgun really loves to sing. He frequently sings to keep himself occupied while piloting the Starbreaker. Speaking of, piloting is more of a career, but he loves it nonetheless. He could tell you countless facts about different voidskiffs and how they handle.

Boom, surprise birthday party! How do they react to surprises?

He'd be confused at how anyone found out his birthday at first, then grateful for the effort put in. He'd stay and talk with people for much longer than he normally would before retreating to the nearest open space, as he is very much not a party person.

Do they like to wear jewelry?

Not usually. He's pretty spartan when it comes to style.

Do they have neat or messy handwriting?

It's passably neat.

What are the two emotions they feel the most?

Shame and the excitement of adrenaline.

Do they have a favorite fabric?

Sailcloth - not to wear, but because of what it represents. Other than that, put a gun up to this man's head, and he couldn't name you a single fabric.

What kind of accent do they have?

According to the accent map of Illaros in its original form as a dnd setting, he should have a NYC accent. It's probably pretty faint, though.

I'll tag @tragedycoded @cee-grice @inkednotebook @mysticstarlightduck @cataclysmic-writer and anyone else who wants to play :)

[vaspider]

So before my finances TOTALLY went to shit, I took advantage of the Tops & Bottoms sale and finally got the last few pieces of clothing I had desperately wanted from NerdyKeppie...then discovered, like, a million more things I want. That always seems to be the way it is with your store. ^_^

But yeah. I woke up this morning to find a bunch of charges I'd made had bounced, and I need to be overdraft free (at least on my mom's account) on the 3rd in order to pay for our bigger storage units. I also still need help with the payday loans on the horizon (they're two loans at $300 each, now due on the 10th).

Could you boost the post up at https://www.tumblr.com/mousedetective/754829037626621952 for me? I'm trying to come up with $400 to cover the overdrafts, and if I can get all the money I need and not have to use any of it (sitting at around $3000), I'll get to move into long term temporary housing on August 18th, which has me excited.

So I have to admit that I saw your order come in and went "I hope that means everything is great and they're not gonna run into issues bc of this."

💗 please take care of yourself. We'll still be here.

[mousedetective]

Please Help A Mentally Ill, Mostly Queer Homeless Family Stay Housed This Holiday Season?

PAYPAL | AMAZON WISHLIST | KOFI | GOFUNDME

VENMO: @penaltywaltz | CASHAPP: $afteriwake23 | ZELLE: DM me for email address

01/12/24 - Updated Post!

NEW GOAL!

$475/$1750

(Original goal not met, now edited for additional room help and other things needed)

If I can get the entire amount still needed, I can do the following:

Get the hotel room for over a week, which will let us come and go without worrying about having to spend all day trying to raise money and we can run important errands next week

Close three open collection accounts my mom has by paying them off in full via her debt consolidation company, and pay off two new payday loans we've had to take out

Pay off her PayPal debt so that PayPal will reopen her account

Cover my mother's current $60 overdraft

Get food after the 10th, because I fully expect both myself and my mom to be out of food stamps by then

We currently have the room until the morning of the 16th, but my birthday is on the 23rd and I'd love to get the room for over a week if possible so that we can relax on my birthday.

We'll go to the LGBTQA center to get Lena transferred to a gender-affirming care GP, if I can get the room at least a few more days. We'll go to Exodus next week as well if I can cover past Thursday.

So please reblog this version if you can, and help with money or wishlist items if you can (the restaurant gift cards go a long way, plus I desperately need the clothing for me because I've lost 40 pounds this last year and most of my stuff is now too big). Thank you for reading this, and I hope you have an awesome day!