Awards

• Winner of Independent Publisher Book Awards (Finance/Invest/Econ) 2006

Overview

"Every day, this alluring come-on entices unsuspecting consumers into the depths of the ""fringe economy""-a parallel economic universe of pawnshops, payday lenders, check cashers, and other businesses that prey on the financially desperate. These people are duped by clever slogans that promise to alleviate their financial woes and help them gain access to the American Dream. Instead they find themselves in an economic netherworld of spiraling, sky-high interest rates and ever-increasing debt. Once there, the road out is nearly impossible to navigate. This compelling look at the dark side of the American economy chronicles how these predatory businesses ruthlessly and systematically exploit the poor and middle classes. And it proposes practical reforms that could prevent the ruination of millions of lives."

Full Product Details

9781576753361

Table of Contents

Reviews

A must-read for anyone who wants to understand the impact of predatory economic practices on the poor and credit-challenged in the United States. --Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1997) Like such classics as Nickel and Dimed, this book is a wake up call for action to redirect our economy towards fairness and ethics. --John de Graaf, coauthor of Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic Shortchanged exposes a side of American economic life that would appall even the most cynical observers. Its incisive analysis offers powerful and somber insights into the underworld of predatory finance capitalism. It is rich in detail, eloquent and steadfast in its commitment to change. It deserves to be widely read. --James Midgley, Specht Professor and Dean, School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley If you think you know all about the credit industry and how the poor are getting ripped off, think again. Howard Karger's masterful new book shows how the poor and middle class are being conned by increasingly clever scams....This book is highly recommended to all those who care about social justice. --Steven Rose, PhD, Professor of Social Work, George Mason University Shortchanged charts the perfect economic storm...financial deregulation, predatory companies, and consumer vulnerability... It is required reading for anyone concerned about economic justice in America. --David Stoesz, Ph.D., Director, policyAmerica

A must-read for anyone who wants to understand the impact of predatory economic practices on the poor and credit-challenged in the United States. -Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1997) Like such classics as Nickel and Dimed, this book is a wake up call for action to redirect our economy towards fairness and ethics. -John de Graaf, coauthor of Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic Shortchanged exposes a side of American economic life that would appall even the most cynical observers. Its incisive analysis offers powerful and somber insights into the underworld of predatory finance capitalism. It is rich in detail, eloquent and steadfast in its commitment to change. It deserves to be widely read. -James Midgley, Specht Professor and Dean, School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley If you think you know all about the credit industry and how the poor are getting ripped off, think again. Howard Karger's masterful new book shows how the poor and middle class are being conned by increasingly clever scams....This book is highly recommended to all those who care about social justice. -Steven Rose, PhD, Professor of Social Work, George Mason University Shortchanged charts the perfect economic storm...financial deregulation, predatory companies, and consumer vulnerability... It is required reading for anyone concerned about economic justice in America. -David Stoesz, Ph.D., Director, policyAmerica

A must-read for anyone who wants to understand the impact of predatory economic practices on the poor and credit-challenged in the United States. --Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1997) Like such classics as Nickel and Dimed, this book is a wake up call for action to redirect our economy towards fairness and ethics. --John de Graaf, coauthor of Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic Shortchanged exposes a side of American economic life that would appall even the most cynical observers. Its incisive analysis offers powerful and somber insights into the underworld of predatory finance capitalism. It is rich in detail, eloquent and steadfast in its commitment to change. It deserves to be widely read. --James Midgley, Specht Professor and Dean, School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley If you think you know all about the credit industry and how the poor are getting ripped off, think again. Howard Karger's masterful new book shows how the poor and middle class are being conned by increasingly clever scams....This book is highly recommended to all those who care about social justice. --Steven Rose, PhD, Professor of Social Work, George Mason University Shortchanged charts the perfect economic storm...financial deregulation, predatory companies, and consumer vulnerability... It is required reading for anyone concerned about economic justice in America. --David Stoesz, Ph.D., Director, policyAmerica

Author Information

Howard Karger is a professor of social policy at the Graduate School of Social Work, University of Houston. He is a two-time Fulbright Scholar and has written nine books and more than 80 articles or book chapters in various national and international journals. His articles have also appeared in The Washington Monthly, The Jerusalem Report, Tikkun, and Ram- parts. Howard and his wife, Anna, live in Houston, Texas.

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