1.2
3.0
Overall Score
Big Picture Loans (formerly known as CastlePayday Loans) is a direct lender specializing in installment loans, or personal loans. The company's goal is to help borrowers find an easily accessible short-term solution without worrying about hidden fees and regulations.
Big Picture Loans is one of several loan companies operated by the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, a federally-recognized American Indian Tribe.
As such, BPL claims Tribal sovereign immunity from lawsuits, but consumers can still report the company to the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (see below).
Attention: Regulation notice
In 2014, a US District Judge ruled that the FTC has the authority to regulate certain arms of Indian Tribes, including payday loan companies operating under Tribal Law.
If you feel that you have fallen victim to a predatory lender, even one claiming Indian tribal affiliation, we advise you to file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Continue reading this Big Picture Loans review to learn more about the lender and to read customer lending experiences.
Big Picture Loans offers payday installment loans, meaning that loan payments are due every payday over a longer period of time rather than in full on the next payday. Typically, borrowers with BPL have 6 to 22 months to repay the loan, so the loan functions more as a short-term loan.
Big Picture does not require an applicant's credit score for an installment loan, or personal loan, and because it does not require that credit score, BPL's payday lenders can potentially approve a personal loan to even those with bad credit history.
Big Picture Loans boasts a quick payday loan approval, getting money to a consumer's bank account within 24 hours. It can give a quick payday loan because of its relatively simple loan approval process.
The minimum requirements that consumers must meet to receive a Big Picture payday loan are:
Applicants can expect to hear back from Big Picture lenders generally within one business day of submitting a loan application to verify information.
The loan amount that applicants are approved for depends on several criteria points, including income level. Most lenders ask for more information than does BPL, requiring information such as credit card history, credit score, personal debt amount, and debt-to-income ratio.
At BPL, most first-time applicants are usually approved for loans from $200 to $1,000. Because payday lending and short-term lending can be risky, annual interest rates typically range from 780.03% to 788.62% APR but the annual percentage rate varies according to the loan amount, pay frequency, and total loan duration.
Because BPL offers installment loans, payments are stretched out over anywhere from 12 to 44 payments. The high interest rate and stretched out repayment schedule mean that borrowers often end up paying quite a bit more than the original loan amount.
The customer support department provides a phone number, fax number, email address, physical address, and mailing address for contacting company representatives.
Emails are generally responded to within a few hours and the phone number connects directly to an available representative.
This payday lender's reviews are overwhelmingly negative. These complaints generally fall into several consistent categories:
Because of these negative reviews, many potential borrowers looking for a payday lender may go elsewhere to borrow money.
Many frustrated customers have expressed that, because of misleading or false information, they ended up owing much more than the original loan amount or that was originally communicated to them in their loan agreement.
Also, when the due dates were incorrectly conveyed, customers often had to pay insufficient funds fees. Although BPL states that there are no early payoff fees, it appears that the company makes it difficult to repay the whole loan early.
While there are also positive reviews, they make up a small portion of the total number of online reports about Big Picture's services. The positive feedback focused mainly on the ease of applying and the speed of receiving funds, rather than on the repayment portion of the loan process.
BPL's services are not available in all states and the number of states serviced may change from time to time or without notice, making BPL a nerve-wracking payday lender for some individuals.
However, all transactions with Big Picture are considered to have occurred on Tribal land, so the laws of the applicant's state of residence do not apply. This means that Big Picture Loans does not have to comply with the regulations set forth by an individual state in order to issue a loan.
Potential customers should be aware that if any problems or issues arise with their payday lenders at BPL, they will not be able to report the problem to their state's regulatory departments, but they can still go to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Big Picture Loans is a direct lender for payday installment loans, and the loans are repaid over several months instead of being due on the borrower's next payday. Big Picture Loans' application process is free, quick, and easy, and funds can be received within 1 to 2 business days.
First-time applicants are usually eligible for loans of $200 to $1,000 with payments due over 6 to 22 months. BPL's interest rates are extremely high, ranging from 780.03% to 788.62%.
Because monthly payments are made over several months instead of in one lump sum, borrowers will end up needing to pay back much more than the original loan amount.
Potential customers should also be aware that there are many negative reviews about Big Picture's transparency regarding payment amounts, due dates, finance charges, and the total repayment amount.
In many instances, customers claimed that Castle Payday outright misled them and that their customer service department was very difficult to work with.
Because BPL is operated by the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, they are regulated by Tribal law and not by the laws and regulations of the applicants' states of residence.
While there are customers who report having positive experiences with BPL, there is quite a bit of evidence that Big Picture's services are not as advantageous as advertised and potential borrowers should be wary of using their lender services to borrow money and receive loans. We recommend that individuals research other payday loan companies.
Filter by:
Sort by:
Joe l Ord, NE
5 years ago
Sandi Brooklet, GA
5 years ago
Laura Grand Prairie, TX
6 years ago
MARY
8 years ago
Clarence Harvin Mooresville, NC
8 years ago
Jerry Harpinger Dacula, GA
5 years ago
Jennifer Danger Ackworth, IA
5 years ago
Yvonne Chicago, IL
6 years ago
T. Flippin
7 years ago
Douglas Williams Gainesville, GA
8 years ago
Tracey Furman Port Richey, FL
2 years ago
Tammy Morez CA
2 years ago
Brandy Robbins Chicago, IL
4 years ago
mike sean Land O' Lakes, FL
4 years ago
Michael T. Crestwood, KY
4 years ago
v1027 Merrillville, IN
4 years ago
Andrea Milwaukee, WI
5 years ago
NeverAgain Lake Orion, MI
5 years ago
Jill M North Andover, MA
5 years ago
Judie Taylor, MI
5 years ago
Narry Fort Lauderdale, FL
5 years ago
MaryAnn Lady Lake, FL
5 years ago
CAS Greenfield, IN
6 years ago
Tanya Somerset, MA
6 years ago
Phyllis Ross Winterville, NC
6 years ago
Elizabeth Coronel Boca Raton, FL
6 years ago
That guy from Fairfield, CA
6 years ago
Gayle Edwards Bradenton, FL
6 years ago
martha bacon St. Petersburg, FL
6 years ago
C. Hammond
6 years ago
Samuel L Manning Norcross, GA
6 years ago
m mcd Everett, WA
6 years ago
Diane Magiera Chicopee, MA
7 years ago
Sara Eisenhower
7 years ago
Joseph Pease Marinette, WI
7 years ago
Robert Norwood
7 years ago
ria
7 years ago
Rachel Wooden Bay City, TX
7 years ago
Jonathan Cape Girardeau, MO
7 years ago
Theresa Carlton, MN
7 years ago
Jon
7 years ago
KESHA WOODS
7 years ago
Malcolm Wolfe
7 years ago
Sabrina Goode Manassas, VA
7 years ago
Clarissa J. Orlando, FL
8 years ago
T.Bani Bessemer, AL
8 years ago
Kesha Woods Memphis, TN
8 years ago
albert morelli Oregon City, OR
8 years ago
Michele Chicago, IL
8 years ago
Joseph Roth Phoenix, AZ
8 years ago
We're on a mission to empower consumers to make the best decisions and connect confidently with companies that deserve their business.
© 2024 BestCompany.com LLC - All rights reserved Privacy Policy | Terms | Do Not Sell My Personal Information