Amscot
Is This Your Business?1.0
Author: Kaitlyn Short
Amscot Financial, The Money Superstore, was founded in 1989 in Tampa, Florida. It is the leading non-bank lender in Florida and operates 240 store locations. The company’s name is a mashup of America and Scotland and is named for Founder and CEO Ian MacKechnie’s ancestral land and his new home.
This lender offers a variety of financial services, including cash advance loans, also known as payday loans, up to $500, in increments of $50. Borrowers are charged a $2 verification fee and a 10 percent finance charge based on the amount borrowed. These easy payday loans are done without a credit check, so bad credit may not hold you back.
Basic requirements for Amscot cash advance services:
- At least 18
- Florida resident
- Verifiable proof of income
- Phone number
- Checking account open and in good standing
- Valid government-issued photo ID card (driver’s license, passport, etc.)
In addition to cash advances, Amscot locations also offer the following financial products and services:
- Amscot Prepaid MasterCard
- Bill pay services
- Money wiring
- Check cashing
- Money order cashing
- Fax services
- Copy service
- Stamps
- Low-fee ATMs
Amscot Financial is a member of the Community Financial Services Association of American (CFSA) and abides by its Best Member Practices. The company’s founder and CEO, Ian MacKechnie, even serves on the group’s leadership board.
Read on for pros and cons of working with this payday lender.
Top Ranked Companies
The Good
- Open Every Day
- Alternative Payment Arrangements
- Flexibility
Open Every Day
One thing that helps Amscot stand out is that its stores are open seven days a week, including early morning and evening hours. Some locations are even open 24 hours. These convenient open hours benefit people that may not have the opportunity to get last-minute cash during regular business hours.
Alternative Payment Arrangements
If borrowers can’t pay back a cash advance debt on-time, they may be eligible for a grace period or extended payment plan. As a member of the CFSA, the lender has to offer a reasonable payment plan, including no-cost extended payments for single-payment small-dollar loans.
Amscot does not offer automatic renewals, so customers must contact the lender for assistance.
Non-payment does not affect your credit score with the traditional credit bureaus. While we always recommend that you make your payments on-time. It is always helpful to know about late payment policies in advance.
Flexibility
What happens if you change your mind or find another source of funding? With Amscot, you can return your cash advance with no fees by the end of the following business day.
The Bad
- Online Applications
- Florida Only
- Industry APRs
Online Applications
While potential borrowers can start the application process online, it isn’t a full application, nor does Amscot offer online loans. Customers will have to visit a local retail branch to apply for a line. This means that Amscot employees and the chain's customer service experience will have a huge effect on customers. This can be either good or bad, depending on the individual employees that are helping customers.
Florida Only
Amscot only operates in Florida.
Industry APRs
As with all payday loan companies, Amscot’s small dollar cash advances are expensive.
In the local payday loan market, how does Amscot stack up?
Amscot charges a $2 verification fee and charges a finance charge of 10 percent of your borrowed amount. Here is a comparison:
|
Company |
Loan Amount |
Verification Fee |
Finance Charge |
APR |
Total Payment |
|
Amscot |
$100 |
$2 |
$10 |
312.86% |
$112 |
|
$100 |
$5 |
$10 |
391.07% |
$115 |
|
|
$100 |
$5 |
$10 |
391.07% |
$115 |
|
|
$100 |
$5 |
$10 |
391.07% |
$115 |
The Bottom Line
Amscot offers bad credit lending and financial services to residents of the state of Florida. It offers unparalleled customer service availability with 240 locations, all of which are open seven days a week and some of which are open 24 hours a day, just like convenience stores.
At this time, we need to collect a few more Amscot reviews from customers before we can confidently recommend this retail financial company. Have you had an experience with Amscot? Let us know with a quick review below.
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Kim Pitts Clermont, FL
5 years ago
