By Larry Chiang
File this under Municipal employees behaving like Andrew Kahr or Richard Fairbank (respectively the founders of Providian and Capital One). Its charging junk fees to people that are too poor to declare bankruptcy on $800 line of credit (in default).
Notorious for charging illegal fees, Andrew Kahr and Richard Fairbank, are. Now, fellow American citizens in crappy states with an AG asleep at the wheel of Attorney General-ing have something horrible to contend with:
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Paul Graham (@paulg) |
A debtors’ prison in Mississippi: goo.gl/FQjZyJ
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debtors prison.
I cannot make this up.
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Larry Chiang (@LarryChiang) |
Like Providian and Capital One. Municipalities love fake junk fees #HR627 twitter.com/paulg/status/6…
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FTC disclosure: The NAAG has been a positive boon to my career. And I financially benefit from the mentorship.
FTC disclosure: I financially benefitted from Amex giving a credit card to my friend Mike Arrington.
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Larry Chiang (@LarryChiang) |
very often, people in power just make stuff up. I mean how many actually read basic laws like #HR627 and #FCRAtwitter.com/paulg/status/6…
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It’s time for a clear federal law like #HR627. We need to protect more than just college students from predatory practices. We should also protect people who don’t read good.
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Larry Chiang (@LarryChiang) |
What WP’s @radleybalko wrote.
s-u-b-j-e-c-t: fees on top of fines (hat tip @paulg cc @SingletaryM) pic.twitter.com/fnykzK386q |
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Larry Chiang (@LarryChiang) |
The State AG refuses to go after a mayor for making up junk fees. Its political (triple entendre intended). twitter.com/paulg/status/6…
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Larry Chiang (@LarryChiang) |
1st heard of debtors prison when on vacay watching This Wk, Tonight @spg‘s @Royal_Hawaiian. Junk fees are junk. twitter.com/paulg/status/6…
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FTC disclosure: I got flowers from staff and a suite upgrade @Royal_Hawaiian.

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Boo! Radley (@radleybalko) |
Alabama judge literally orders impoverished defendants to pay fines with their own blood. nytimes.com/2015/10/20/us/…
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