You surely already know better, because you’re a loyal Consumerist reader, but stay far, far away from the form of legalized usury known as car title loans! CNN has published an overview of the industry, noting that APRs frequently exceed 200%, and that added fees and loan “rollover” options help keep borrowers in a cycle of debt.

We thought one detail worth sharing with anyone who will listen is that some title lenders will disclose a monthly interest rate instead of an annual one, even though legally they’re required to publish the APR. For borrowers who don’t know any better, a 25% monthly interest rate doesn’t sound that bad compared to many mid- and low-end credit cards these days, until you multiply that by 12 and realize your APR would be three hundred frickin’ percent.

“Why car title loans are a bad idea” [AOL Autos | CNN]
(Photo: Photog*Phillip)

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