• wahming@monyet.cc
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    1 year ago

    I’m not sure this qualifies as sophisticated - or even a scam, when everything is specified in plain text.

    • Tankiedesantski [he/him]@hexbear.net
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      1 year ago

      Except obviously it is because nothing on that website alerts the buyer to the possibility of paying 4x the price of the good as the total cost of transaction. 33% to 38% interest pa is already egregious enough as it is but 4x the base cost of the good is absurd and usurus.

      Sounds like you just have an ideological bias against consumer regulation and are trying to fit the facts into your framework.

      • wahming@monyet.cc
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        1 year ago

        Sounds like you just have an ideological bias against consumer regulation

        I’m in favor of consumer protection laws on aspects like quality, safety, etc. Things that are more nebulous and harder or impossible to check. But at some point, I do believe consumers have a responsibility as well. I understand that convenience stores charge me more than groceries, and it’s fully on me if I shop there. In the same vein, if I buy a car that’s going for 50% above market value, I’m not about to scream fraud, provided all information on costs and fees were given to me.

        • BelieveRevolt [he/him]@hexbear.net
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          1 year ago

          You can look at this from another perspective, which is the benefit of allowing a scam like this to continue vs. regulating it out of existence. The only upsides of allowing this to continue is the company perpetuating it making money and a smug lemmitor getting to feel superior to the poors and disabled people, so it’s obvious that it shouldn’t be allowed to exist.

          • wahming@monyet.cc
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            1 year ago

            It’s amazing how many hexbears can’t have a simple discussion without getting personal.

            I agree this BS needs to stop. I disagree on HOW it should be stopped. The market (and people out to make a quick buck) will always move faster than the govt can respond. Especially when the victims involved here have shown absolute zero financial literacy. Rather than treating the symptoms, I believe there should be more focus on education.

            • Tankiedesantski [he/him]@hexbear.net
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              1 year ago

              It’s amazing how many hexbears can’t have a simple discussion without getting personal.

              Not really much of a discussion to be had. You just keep alleging facts without evidence. I don’t think many people consider “Uh huh!” and “Nuh uh!” to be a form of discussion.

        • Tankiedesantski [he/him]@hexbear.net
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          1 year ago

          Things that are more nebulous and harder or impossible to check.

          Then please demonstrate how easy it is for the consumer to check their total payments by posting a screenshot from that website that alerts the consumer to the possibility of paying 4x the cost of the device as the total cost of transaction.

          • wahming@monyet.cc
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            1 year ago

            check their total payments

            If you’re signing a contract with no idea how much you’re going to be on the hook for, no amount of govt protection will keep you solvent.

            • Tankiedesantski [he/him]@hexbear.net
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              1 year ago

              The government could very much keep them solvent by, for example, mandating that consumer credit contracts must show tables of total payments including all fees and interest over time. Does the credit contract in question display such information? Onus is on you to provide proof if you’re alleging that it does.

              • wahming@monyet.cc
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                1 year ago

                Onus is on you to provide proof if you’re alleging that it does.

                At no point did I allege that, so no.

                The government could very much keep them solvent

                Doubt. They’ll find some other money trap to fall into in a week unless they’re taught to actually be smarter about their finances.

                • BelieveRevolt [he/him]@hexbear.net
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                  1 year ago

                  Doubt. They’ll find some other money trap to fall into in a week unless they’re taught to actually be smarter about their finances.

                  ”Poor people are poor because of their inferior nature” Fuck off.

                  • wahming@monyet.cc
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                    1 year ago

                    You could do with some lessons in reading comprehension.

                    “Poor people are poor because they’ve never had the chance to learn how to manage money, and I suggest teaching them.”

                  • BelieveRevolt [he/him]@hexbear.net
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                    1 year ago

                    The market (and people out to make a quick buck) will always move faster than the govt can respond.

                    ”The market” will do this anyway so we shouldn’t do anything smuglord galaxy-brain

                  • wahming@monyet.cc
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                    1 year ago

                    nothing should ever even be attempted … apathy

                    I certainly feel smarter in comparison to you. I’ve been advocating education the entire thread, and you’re claiming that I just want the status quo.

                • Tankiedesantski [he/him]@hexbear.net
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                  1 year ago

                  At no point did I allege that, so no.

                  You have been consistently been alleging that the woman in question could have easily checked the total cost of her payments, which you have just declined to provide proof for. I will take this as a concession from you on this point and move on.

                  Doubt. They’ll find some other money trap to fall into in a week unless they’re taught to actually be smarter about their finances.

                  This is an unfalsifiable counterfactual and I will dismiss it without further comment.

                  • wahming@monyet.cc
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                    1 year ago

                    You have been consistently been alleging that the woman in question could have easily checked the total cost of her payments

                    Yes? When faced with a ‘deal’ where you know the regular installment payment and the length of said debt, how difficult is it to figure out how much you need to pay by the end of it? Especially when everybody has a calculator in their pockets at every waking moment. If the answer is ‘too difficult’, I’m taking that as more reason for the education approach.