When One Debt Trap Lender Recommends Another

This Black Friday, a cartoon bear wants you to buy now and pay later

Email solicitation from Dave App

I’ve written a lot about the pain of buy now, pay later loans.

In short, while Buy Now, Pay Later CAN provide relatively easy access to small-dollar credit at rates that are comparatively better than payday loans, the profile of BNPL borrowers seems to suggest that these loans are adding to the burden borne by already overextended borrowers rather than alleviating a need for those not using other forms of credit.

I’ve also written about a cash-bearing cartoon bear— and the debt trap the Dave App can create.

Now, though, I get to combine the two.

It’s no surprise, really, that one payday predator embraces the antics of another.

In their Black Friday email encouraging users to take out a cash advance, the Dave App is also noting that consumers can increase the buying power of this high-tech payday loan by using buy now, pay later.

One of Dave’s “tips” for Black Friday spending

So, according to Dave, you should get a cash advance and then use a buy now, pay later loan (or a series of…