Trapped in Debt: Payday lenders, Tennessee politics, and fallout from the 'flex loan'

This Is Nashville · Sep 16, 2025 · 50m

Predatory lending practices are not new. Think salary buying and loan sharks of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

But the modern version was born in the 1990s right here in Tennessee. Sometimes called "payday loans," many who use the service are in a financial crisis and need quick cash — often leading to a trap of high interest debt. Today we speak with Tennessee Lookout reporter Adam Friedman, who along with ProPublica, uncovered the scale of this lending model, the hidden dangers of the latest version called the "Flex Loan," and the toll the practice has taken on Tennesseans.

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