Consumer complaint received 2025-08-27 00:00:00
Product: Payday loan, title loan, personal loan, or advance loan — Installment loan
Issue: Charged fees or interest you didn't expect — 
Company: Uprova Credit, LLC
State: IL

Complaint narrative:
When I applied for a {$700.00} loan with Uprova on XX/XX/year>, it was because I had specifically done a XXXX search for " non-predatory loans '' and it was the FIRST result to pop up. I read through their website and their repulsively deceptive " What Makes Us Different? '' section, where they have the audacity to bring up other predatory lenders as the bad guys. Here 's how Uprova is different : they are FAR worse than any of the others that I know. 

Anyway -- I only needed {$700.00} and determined that for a relatively small loan, this seemed like an okay idea -- not great and not something I was excited about, but worth it so I could make the rent as I had gotten overwhelmed with other bills lately. I figured I would get a higher-than-ideal interest rate on this loan, probably higher than the already high 35 % which they advertised in big font, BUT it couldn't be that bad. Right? After all, they said these loans were " fair '' and they talked about how they " really care '' about consumers who are struggling to pay medical bills and for emergencies. 

I started my application and went through the steps. Early on they make you give your banking info which is a red flag I didn't see until later. BUT, I assumed that I would get a chance to review a standard promissory note and loan agreement terms PRIOR to signing anything -- as is the procedure with every other loan I've ever applied for. I hadn't authorized any debits and I hadn't committed to any loan at that point. I planned to make my payments on time ( which I did for every single payment up until very recently when I did my research on Uprova ) and do my best to pay more than the minimum required each time so that I could get ahead of whatever interest would accrue and that within a few months, the loan would be paid off. 

When applying for this loan, I was on my phone. Again, Uprova repeatedly advertises " fair, transparent rates '' and says in big font on their site that " some '' borrowers can get rates of ~35 %. This is the legal cap in my state for any creditor to charge. I went carefully through the remaining steps, reading and checking each page, and provided the requested information. Then, the loan application stated that it had calculated my " monthly payments '' -- WITHOUT saying anything about the life/length of the loan or how much I would be paying in total at that rate. It displayed this figure and presented it as " affordable '' ( which -- if it was only for a few months -- would be! ) and only this figure on the screen. It encouraged me to go to the next page. I clicked thinking the next step would be to review a pdf document where I could review the APR. Standard procedure. 

To my surprise, I was then told that I was done/approved and would be getting my funds shortly. Really? It was that easy? I was hoping it wasn't too good to be true, but again even my worst fears couldn't prepare me for the reality. 

I need to emphasize this aspect of the process because the XXXX I spoke to tried to lie/gaslight me : Nowhere was any interest rate disclosed in the application process!!! You are pulled like a rabbit to a carrot through a few steps with minimal reading to do on each part and then it is a shameless, cruel bait-and-switch. I have never had an experience like this where the true fees were literally hidden from me and I entered into an agreement without even being aware that I was doing so. I can guarantee you I did not sign the document that the website generated with my signature. They simply copy and pasted it from the application where I'd provided it but that was before they even show you the document!! Many lenders will make you check a box before you click " next '' ( and will freeze the page before you review/scroll to the bottom of all documents ) and they'll at least have the decency to display the most critical info for you to read/review, then ask if you are sure before you agree to anything. They do this to cover their XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and be able to say they were transparent and upfront about their terms so no one can say they didn't know. 

Uprova doesn't even bother with the bare minimum ethics and they have the nerve to lie to you after the fact and try to tell you " well you must have not seen the link ; it was there. '' NO, IT WAS NOT. Read multiple other people 's complaints. So many of them say the same thing : that the way Uprova discloses the loan information is very different from other lenders, and not just deceptive but straight up dishonest/LACKIN. If the astronomical APR had been provided or visible anywhere when I was still in the process of applying, I would have absolutely clicked and reviewed it. And? I would have immediately canceled the application and retracted any of my information/closed out the window yelling " NOPE. '' The APR makes other predatory lenders ', e.g. XXXX with some rates of 160 %, look like angels. 

After reviewing the " payment plan '' on nearly the final step which again only tells you the dollar amount of payments and no other info, faster than I could blink, the loan was " approved, '' the funding was on its way, and only now could I navigate in the customer portal over to see my loan documents. When I found it and opened it up, I nearly launched myself to the moon as I had no idea how this was even possible. My credit was in the mid XXXX. The loan amount was low. Yet this brand new document which was NOT accessible previously said I would have to pay almost XXXX as much as I borrowed. 

This is where Uprova is probably the most vile of the lenders I've ever encountered. They make a point of saying " competitive, fixed-term, fixed-payment installment loans '' that " aren't payday loans. '' That they are " flexible. '' The only thing that is flexible is their interpretation of " fair and transparent. '' There is nothing fair about the way this company operates. There was shame in the XXXX 's voice as he was on the phone with me and was telling me I could " settle '' and pay an additional {$500.00}, after I've already paid almost {$900.00} on a {$700.00} loan. I could hear it -- he was talking quickly in a low tone trying to tell me that the tribe has the right to charge whatever it wants as it's not subject to state laws. 

In XXXX, prior to this call in XXXX with a shifty guy who somehow sleeps at night, I had called, canceled my ACH payments and disconnected my bank account. Fortunately this was simple enough to do. They continue to harass me with emails on a daily basis to " settle '' my balance ( which, if I did, would ultimately end up being 200+ % APR ).

I hope this detailed and perhaps redundant explanation of my experience with Uprova is helpful to other people who are considering a " quick solution '' and are in desperate circumstances, or who XXXX  " fair non-predatory loans '' and got lured in by Uprova 's calculated and strategic SEO. 

It is absolutely not worth it to get an Uprova loan, even if you have fair credit and even if it's a small loan. Do not collect!! Do not pass go! To Uprova : Review my account balance and payment history, noting that I made all payments on time before revoking your access to my money, and kindly cancel the remaining balance. No one deserves to be victimized by this money grab and especially not people struggling financially. I would explain what my financial struggles have been but I refuse to share personal details of my family 's tragic last few years. I won't " weaponize '' my grief the way y'all try to weaponize people 's trust.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation