'Less Miserable' parody video showcases S.F. City Attorney's Check 'n Go refund drive
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, FEB. 19, 2013
CONTACT: MATT DORSEY
(415) 554-4653
'Less Miserable' parody video showcases S.F. City Attorney's Check 'n Go refund drive
Viral video strategy pays homage to Oscar(r)-nominated film, hopes to reach California borrowers eligible for restitution of up to $4.3 million
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (Feb. 20, 2013)-A viral video parody of the trailer for the Oscar(r)-nominated film "Les Misérables" premiered at a film industry screening theater here today, representing the latest tactic in an innovative social media campaign to identify and educate online Check 'n Go borrowers who may be entitled to significant refunds for interest, fees and finance charges.
The three-month outreach program is among the settlement terms San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera negotiated to resolve his consumer protection lawsuit against Cincinnati-based payday lender Check 'n Go, which agreed to commit up to $4.3 million in restitution to California borrowers who obtained online loans between Nov. 2006 and June 2008. Next week, the outreach program enters its final 30-days for eligible borrowers to mail their claims for refunds before the March 28 deadline. Refunds are expected to range from under $100 to more than $4,600 for eligible claimants.
The parody video produced by Herrera's office is entitled "Less Miserable," and is available online at: http://www.youtube.com/sfcityattorney.
It draws parallels between travails of the 19th Century French working class famously depicted in the original novel, stage and film versions of "Les Misérables" with modern day financial challenges like unexpected medical bills and auto repairs, which can force today's consumers to turn to online and storefront lenders with exorbitant (and even illegal) interest rates. The indignities and injustices of post-revolutionary France are updated to reflect contemporary predatory lending practices, and iconic "Les Misérables" characters like Fantine, Cosette, Marius and Jean Valjean find their 21st Century counterparts as consumers whom cruel fate has pushed into crushing debt. Redemption-the dominant theme of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel and its subsequent adaptations-is offered in the form of a web address: www.caloanrefund.org. There, Check 'n Go borrowers can watch and share the online parody video, learn more about their eligibility for refunds, download claim forms, and get instructions to file claims in advance of the March 28 deadline.
Herrera hopes that refunds resulting from his lawsuit and subsequent outreach program will allow eligible claimants to be "Less Miserable."
"We're taking a creative approach to spread the word through social media channels like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter," said Herrera. "Because Check 'n Go's online loans were the subject of my lawsuit, it makes sense for us to focus our outreach to potential beneficiaries online, too. Check 'n Go agreed to commit $4.3 million in refunds for eligible borrowers, and we're working hard to maximize restitution for all the Californians who deserve it. We know it can take innovative approaches to successfully locate and educate eligible borrowers who may have moved, or who may ignore legal notices from the claims administrator. We hope this viral video matches the success we saw with our Money Mart/Loan Mart refund drive last year."
A prior three-month outreach push that targeted Money Mart and Loan Mart borrowers last year employed a highly successful satirical viral video whose "Pay Me Maybe" lyrics were set to the tune of Carly Rae Jepsen's catchy hit song, "Call Me Maybe." That online video offered a clever send-up of one of last year's most ubiquitous Internet memes, while effectively spreading the message about a similar consumer loan refund program for borrowers who were overcharged on loan interest rates. The Money Mart/Loan Mart effort netted more than $5.5 million for more than 8,100 eligible claimants statewide, with restitution payments averaging nearly $700.
Both the Check 'n Go and Money Mart/Loan Mart efforts arose out of litigation that Herrera's Consumer Protection Unit filed on April 26, 2007. Herrera alleged in his complaint that Check 'n Go engaged in an illicit "rent-a-bank" scheme to skirt the California law limiting allowable annual interest rates for those types of loan to no more than 36 percent. According to records Herrera's office obtained before and during the course of litigation, Check 'n Go made online installment loans to California consumers with interest rates as high as 400 percent-far in excess of what state law allows-as late as June 2008. Check 'n Go denied wrongdoing in agreeing to settle the case.
Check 'n Go claimants may be qualified for restitution if they obtained a four-month installment loan online between Nov. 2006 and June 2008 through the websites: checkngo.com, ilp.fbdel.com, and commandloans.com. To be eligible for repayment, borrowers must mail a claim form and a copy of the required form of identification to the settlement administrator, postmarked by March 28, 2013. Herrera is urging potential claimants who think they may be qualified for restitution to visit, email or call for more information:
- www.caloanrefund.org
- CALoanRefund@sfgov.org
- (Toll Free) 1-855-581-2350
The litigation involving the Check 'n Go loan settlement is: People of the State of California ex rel. Dennis Herrera v. Check N' Go of California, Inc., et al. (San Francisco Superior Court Case No. CGC-07-462779).
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Video parody of Oscar®-nominated film to premiere, highlighting Check ’n Go refund push
MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, FEB. 19, 2013
CONTACT: JACK SONG
(415) 554-4653
LAUNCH PARTY WEDNESDAY EVENING:
Video parody of Oscar®-nominated film to premiere, highlighting Check ’n Go refund push
S.F. City Attorney’s bid to reach California borrowers eligible for up to $4.3 million in refunds to employ viral video strategy
SAN FRANCISCO (Feb. 19, 2013)—Iconic North Beach bar Gino and Carlo’s will host the Northern California premiere of a viral video parody of an Oscar®-nominated film tomorrow evening that highlights a statewide push to identify and educate Check ’n Go borrowers who may be entitled to significant refunds for interest, fees and finance charges. The consumer outreach program is among the terms of a litigation settlement City Attorney Dennis Herrera negotiated to resolve his lawsuit against the Cincinnati-based payday lender Check ’n Go, which agreed to commit up to $4.3 million in restitution to California borrowers who obtained certain online loans. The outreach program enters its final 30-days next week before the March 28 deadline for eligible borrowers to mail their claims for refunds. Refunds are expected to range from under $100 to as much as $4,600 for each eligible claimant.
The viral video, which premieres tomorrow in separate events in Los Angeles and San Francisco, parodies a major motion picture that has been nominated for several Academy Awards® just days before Hollywood’s pre-eminent annual awards event. The identity of the film will be revealed tomorrow.
WHO
- San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera
- Consumer advocates and community representatives
- Cast and crew of the City Attorney’s Office’s video production
WHEN
- Wednesday, Feb. 20, at 5:00 p.m.
WHERE
Gino and Carlo’s
548 Green Street (between Columbus and Grant)
San Francisco, CA 94133
WHAT
- News conference to premiere viral video parody of an Oscar®-nominated film
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Video parody of Oscar®-nominated film to premiere, highlighting Check ’n Go refund push
MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, Feb. 19, 2013
CONTACT: MATT DORSEY
(415) 554-4662
NEWS CONFERENCE WEDNESDAY MORNING:
Video parody of Oscar®-nominated film to premiere, highlighting Check ’n Go refund push
S.F. City Attorney’s bid to reach California borrowers eligible for
up to $4.3 million in refunds to employ viral video strategy
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (Feb. 19, 2013)—A film industry screening facility on Wilshire Boulevard will host the world premiere of a viral video parody of an Oscar®-nominated film tomorrow morning that highlights a statewide push to identify and educate Check ’n Go borrowers who may be entitled to significant refunds for interest, fees and finance charges. The consumer outreach program is among the terms of a litigation settlement San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera negotiated to resolve his lawsuit against the Cincinnati-based payday lender Check ’n Go, which agreed to commit up to $4.3 million in restitution to California borrowers who obtained certain online loans. The outreach program enters its final 30-days next week before the March 28 deadline for eligible borrowers to mail their claims for refunds. Refunds are expected to range from under $100 to as much as $4,600 for each eligible claimant.
The viral video to be premiered tomorrow parodies a major motion picture that has been nominated for several Academy Awards® just days before Hollywood’s pre-eminent annual awards event airs on ABC Television on Sunday, Feb. 24. The identity of the film will be revealed tomorrow.
WHO
- San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera
- Consumer advocates and community representatives
WHAT
- News conference to premiere viral video parody of an Oscar®-nominated film
WHERE
Wilshire Screening Room
8670 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 112. Screening Room is located at Lobby Level.
(at the Southwest Corner of Wilshire Blvd. and Willaman Dr.)
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
WHEN
- Wednesday, Feb. 20, at 10:00 a.m.
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Online parody ads leverage social media as Check 'n Go refund push enters final 60 days
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 6, 2013
CONTACT: MATT DORSEY (415) 554-4653
Online parody ads leverage social media as Check 'n Go refund push enters final 60 days
$4.3 million refund drive continues approach S.F. City Attorney used with 'Pay Me Maybe' viral video to reach eligible claimants
SAN FRANCISCO (Feb. 6, 2013) -- A series of banner ads that parody ubiquitous web advertising by leading online lender Check 'n Go launched today as part of an aggressive social media outreach push aimed at identifying and educating Check 'n Go borrowers in California who may be entitled to significant refunds for interest, fees and finance charges. The statewide refund program is among the settlement terms negotiated by San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera to resolve his consumer protection lawsuit against the Cincinnati-based payday lender, which agreed to commit a total of $4.3 million in restitution to California borrowers who obtained online loans between Nov. 2006 and June 2008. The outreach program recently entered its final 60-days before the March 28 deadline for eligible borrowers to file their claims for refunds, which are expected to range from as little as $20 to more than $4,600 for each eligible claimant.
The satirical online banner ad campaign offers a pro-consumer twist on Check 'n Go's familiar web-based marketing, skewering the payday lenders' exorbitantly high interest rates and fees, positing questions like, "Feeling Bitter About Your Payday Lender?" and urging borrowers to "Get Refunded." Though the parody ads will be carried with a limited paid buy on targeted websites over the next few weeks, Herrera's office hopes the vast majority of online "click-throughs" will be driven by its statewide network of more than 160 community partners -- including consumer activists, advocacy organizations and elected leaders -- through their own websites and social media channels. The ads link visitors to the outreach program's website, which includes downloadable claim forms, and are available on the outreach program's website at http://www.caloanrefund.org/help. A side-by-side comparison of the parody ads and their original counterparts is available online at: http://www.sfcityattorney.org/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=1124.
"All of the Check 'n Go borrowers eligible for refunds obtained their loans online, so it only makes sense to focus our outreach efforts online, too," said Herrera. "Check 'n Go committed $4.3 million in refunds for eligible borrowers as part of our settlement agreement, and we're doing everything we can to maximize restitution for those who deserve it. That's why we're taking this creative approach and employing social media channels like Facebook, Twitter and organizational websites to spread the word. We know it takes a creative approach to locate and fully educate eligible borrowers who may have moved, or who may ignore legal notices they received from the claims administrator. We hope this outreach effort matches the success we saw with our Money Mart/Loan Mart refund drive last year."
A previous three-month outreach push that targeted Money Mart and Loan Mart borrowers last year employed a highly successful viral video whose "Pay Me Maybe" lyrics were set to the tune of Carly Rae Jepsen's catchy hit song, "Call Me Maybe." The online video offered a clever send-up of one of last year's most oft-repeated Internet memes, while effectively spreading the message about a similar consumer loan refund program for borrowers who were overcharged on loan interest rates. The Money Mart/Loan Mart effort netted more than $5.5 million for more than 8,100 eligible claimants statewide, with restitution payments averaging nearly $700.
Both the Check 'n Go and Money Mart/Loan Mart efforts arose out of litigation that Herrera's Consumer Protection Unit filed on April 26, 2007. Herrera alleged in his complaint that Check 'n Go engaged in an illicit "rent-a-bank" scheme to skirt the California law limiting allowable annual interest rates for those types of loan to no more than 36 percent. According to records Herrera's office obtained before and during the course of litigation, Check 'n Go made online installment loans to California consumers with interest rates as high as 400 percent -- far in excess of what state law allows -- as late as June 2008. Check 'n Go denied wrongdoing in agreeing to settle the case.
Check 'n Go claimants may be qualified for restitution if they obtained a four-month installment loan online between Nov. 2006 and June 2008 through the websites: checkngo.com, ilp.fbdel.com, and commandloans.com. To be eligible for repayment, borrowers must mail a claim form and a copy of the required form of identification to the settlement administrator, postmarked by March 28, 2013. Herrera is urging potential claimants who think they may be qualified for restitution to visit, email or call for more information:
- www.caloanrefund.org
- CALoanRefund@sfgov.org
- (Toll Free) 1-855-581-2350
The litigation involving the Check 'n Go loan settlement is: People of the State of California ex rel. Dennis Herrera v. Check N' Go of California, Inc., et al. (San Francisco Superior Court Case No. CGC-07-462779).
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Herrera kicks off $4.3 million refund drive for Check 'n Go borrowers over next three months
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, DEC. 27, 2012
CONTACT: JACK SONG (415) 554-4653
Herrera kicks off $4.3 million refund drive for Check 'n Go borrowers over next three months
Statewide outreach effort seeking to ID eligible claimants seeks to mirror success of similar program for Money Mart borrowers
SAN FRANCISCO (Dec. 27, 2012) -- City Attorney Dennis Herrera today announced a three-month outreach effort targeting Check 'n Go borrowers in California whose online installment loans at exorbitant interest rates may entitle them to significant repayments for the interest, fees and finance charges they paid on their loans. The 90-day refund program, which begins tomorrow and will end on March 28, 2013, is among the terms of an agreement Herrera negotiated with the payday lender in June to settle litigation filed by the City Attorney's Consumer Protection Unit on behalf of state consumers. Check 'n Go has agreed to commit up to $4.3 million toward restitution as part of that settlement, with refunds expected to range from $20 to more than $4,600 for each eligible claimant.
Herrera's 2007 civil action alleged that the Cincinnati-based Check 'n Go engaged in an illicit "rent-a-bank" scheme aimed at skirting California's maximum allowable annual interest rate of no more than 36 percent for this type of loan. According to records obtained before and during the course of the litigation, Check 'n Go made online installment loans to California consumers with interest rates as high as 400 percent -- far in excess of what state law allows -- as late as June 2008. While Check 'n Go has acknowledged no wrongdoing in agreeing to settle the case, Herrera has hailed the agreement (together with a similar stipulation with payday lender Money Mart/Loan Mart) as a major victory for consumers.
"The strongest statement we can make against predatory lending in California is to maximize restitution for every borrower who deserves it," said Herrera. "That's why this outreach push for eligible Check 'n Go borrowers is so important, and it's why we intend to work so hard with community partners and elected leaders throughout California to make it a success. Under our settlement agreement, Check 'n Go has committed $4.3 million for refunds for eligible borrowers -- but they need only make a 'reasonable effort' to notify their borrowers. We know from experience that it often takes an extra effort to locate and fully educate eligible borrowers who may have moved, or who may reasonably ignore arcane legal notices from an unknown claims administrator. We intend to work tirelessly over the next three months to get the word out to consumers about their rights, and to identify as many potential claimants as possible. We hope this outreach effort for Check 'n Go borrowers matches the success we saw with Money Mart/Loan Mart earlier this year. Together, they should send a strong message to financial institutions about the need to adhere to lawful lending practices in California."
A prior three-month outreach drive earlier this year targeting Money Mart and Loan Mart borrowers partnered with elected officials, consumer advocacy groups, community, faith and labor organizations statewide netted more than $5.5 million that is currently in the process of being paid to more than 8,100 eligible claimants. The average restitution payment obtained in the Money Mart/Loan Mart efforts was nearly $700.
Both the Check 'n Go and Money Mart/Loan Mart efforts arose out of litigation that Herrera's Consumer Protection Unit filed on April 26, 2007. That civil action named the payday lenders, their online affiliates and an associated out-of-state bank for unlawful, unfair and fraudulent business practices stemming from short-term installment loans (typically marketed to low-income borrowers) at unlawful interest rates. In addition to Check 'n Go and Money Mart/Loan Mart, the original lawsuit named Wilmington, Del.-based First Bank of Delaware as a defendant for aiding and abetting the predatory lending schemes. Herrera's complaint alleged that Check 'n Go offered installment loans of up to $1,500, with annual percentage rates exceeding 300 percent, through a questionable arrangement with First Bank of Delaware, in a deliberate effort to circumvent California's interest rate and loan principal limits.
Check 'n Go claimants may be qualified for restitution if they obtained a four-month installment loan online between Nov. 2006 and June 2008 through the websites: checkngo.com, ilp.fbdel.com, and commandloans.com. To be eligible for repayment, borrowers must mail a claim form and a copy of the required form of identification to the settlement administrator, postmarked by March 28, 2013.
Herrera is urging potential claimants who think they may be qualified for restitution to visit, email or call for more information:
- www.caloanrefund.org
- CALoanRefund@sfgov.org
- (Toll Free) 1-855-581-2350
The litigation involving the Check 'n Go loan settlement is: People of the State of California ex rel. Dennis Herrera v. Check N' Go of California, Inc., et al. (San Francisco Superior Court Case No. CGC-07-462779).
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City Hall news conference Thursday to launch $4.3 million refund drive for loan borrowers
MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 26, 2012
CONTACT: MATT DORSEY
(415) 554-4662
City Hall news conference Thursday to launch $4.3 million refund drive for loan borrowers
Settlement with major payday lender includes three-month outreach effort to ID, educate eligible claimants statewide
SAN FRANCISCO (Dec. 26, 2012) -- City Attorney Dennis Herrera will host community leaders and consumer advocates for a City Hall news conference Thursday morning, Dec. 27, to announce a three-month outreach effort aimed at borrowers of one of the nation's largest and most widely-recognized payday lending institutions. The statewide program, which could refund as much as $4.3 million to eligible consumers, is a settlement provision of a lawsuit filed by Herrera's Consumer Protection Unit.
WHEN:
Tomorrow morning
Thursday, December 27
11:00 a.m.
WHERE:
City Attorney's Conference Room
San Francisco City Hall, Room 234
WHO:
City Attorney Dennis Herrera
Community leaders
Consumer advocates
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