Unlicensed Entities
Unlicensed Entities
- What is this list?
- Who should check this list?
- How can you verify the legal status of a lender or loan-making entity?
- What if you spot a familiar or respected business name on this list?
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The Vermont Banking Division regularly receives word of, or spots existing advertising for so-called "advance fee loan" scams and other types of suspicious dealings. The purpose of this registry is to make such information available to the public as rapidly as we receive it, as an early warning system. Entities appear on this list for any of the following reasons: they are not licensed with the state to do business here; they have been reported to us as suspicious or illegitimate by other regulators; or they are using tactics that follow patterns often associated with fraudulent activities.
Consumers should check the list to avoid doing business with suspicious entities. Publishers of classified or broadcast advertising should check to block ads submitted by suspicious entities or clear them as legitimate.
How can you verify the legal status of a lender or loan-making entity?
If you have questions about any entity conducting business of this type in Vermont, you can check with the Vermont Banking Division. You can also file a complaint. Call 802- 828-3307 or e-mail: BISHCA-BnkConsumer@state.vt.us [If e-mailing, for security reasons, we ask that you please specify the nature of your inquiry in the subject line. That way we can more readily distinguish it from spam, and ensure you receive a reply.]
What if you spot a familiar or respected business name on this list?
Bear in mind that it's a common tactic for illegitimate operators to appropriate the name, in whole or part, of a known legitimate business. This is a type of identity theft used to gain a consumer's confidence. Be sure to make a distinction between legitimate businesses in our Vermont communities and the unauthorized use of their names. If you have any doubts, check with the Vermont Banking Division using the contact information provided.