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If you took out an online payday loan from a company affiliated with AMG Services, you may be getting a check in the mail from the FTC. The $505 million the FTC is returning to consumers makes this the largest refund program the agency has ever administered.

The FTC sued AMG and Scott A. Tucker for deceptive payday lending. When consumers took out loans, AMG said they would charge a one-time finance fee. Instead, AMG made multiple illegal withdrawals from peoples’ bank accounts and charged hidden fees. As a result, people paid far more for the loans than they had agreed to.

In 2016 the FTC won a court case against AMG and Scott Tucker. Then in 2017, a jury convicted Tucker and his attorney of crimes related to the lending scheme. The FTC and Department of Justice are using money obtained in both court actions to give refunds to consumers.

Here are answers to questions about AMG refunds.

Who will get a refund? Checks are being sent to consumers who took out loans between January 2008 and January 2013 from these AMG-related companies: 500FastCash, Advantage Cash Services, Ameriloan, OneClickCash, Star Cash Processing, UnitedCashLoans, and USFastCash.

How many people will get refunds? More than 1.1 million people will get refunds.

How does the FTC know who to send the checks to? The FTC and a refund administrator have used AMG’s business records to identify eligible consumers and calculate their refunds.

I’m eligible for a refund. What do I need to do? If you borrowed from one of the lenders listed above between January 2008 and January 2013, you don’t need to do anything. The checks are being mailed to eligible consumers automatically. There is no application process. If you borrowed from one of those lenders before January 2008, please call 1-866-730-8147.

How can I get more information? Visit the FTC’s AMG refund page or call 1-866-730-8147.

Three tips from the FTC:

  1. If you get a check, deposit or cash it within 60 days.
  2. The FTC never asks people to pay money or give information to cash refund checks. If someone asks you to pay to get a refund from the FTC, it’s a scam.
  3. The FTC has advice if you’re thinking about a payday loan or an online payday loan.
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FTC Staff
November 08, 2018

In reply to by Lm225

I can't tell you exactly when you'll get a replacement check, but here's what's involved:

  • You send a letter to Rust with your information
  • Rust verifies your information and amount for your check
  • Rust reviews & verifies other letters to make a batch
  • Rust processes checks for a large batch of people and mails them out.

Rust doesn't mail checks one-by-one; they mail them in batches, and that could be every 2 or 3 weeks.

Lm225
November 09, 2018

In reply to by FTC Staff

Thank you Bridgette, that really explained why we are all still waiting for our reissued check. Makes sense to send out in batch instead of one by one. At least we are getting one and that's what matters, hopefully before Christmas .
Debtmartin
October 30, 2018
They were supposed to resend my check out on 10/27 haven't received it yet.
mimi
October 31, 2018
I received my check it was for $1300 I didn’t have an issue with depositing at my bank which is Chase.
Vinitaneal
October 31, 2018
I got a check on 10-1 deposited and it still hasn't cleared. 10-31. What a let down. I have called like 15 times it's either busy or they put me on hold twice for over 20 min. This is terriable!
Renica100
October 31, 2018
I have not received my check yet.
Sully
October 31, 2018
If I moved since taking out several loans, how will they know where to send the check? Do they look up by SS#?
FTC Staff
November 08, 2018

In reply to by Sully

  If you have a question about a refund, you can call the company that the FTC hired to manage the refund process at 1-866-730-8147.

Rayetteq
November 01, 2018
I do appreciate the fact that I'm getting a check at some point but this whole thing has been so frustrating. The first person I spoke to said to submit a letter for a reissue check and I did. She told me that I would receive a check when they mailed out October 27th. since days went by and I didn't receive a check I decided to call again this time I was told they received my paperwork on October 16th and I would get a check within 4 to 6 weeks Let's see what happens. plus I don't understand why they say they can't tell me the amount on the phone
Jo
November 01, 2018
How long did it take you guys to get your check after you had to have it reissued?
happy day
November 02, 2018
Received the check, deposited it at my credit union, already spent. Thank you FTC!
Samanthat
November 02, 2018
Has anyone received a reissue check yet?
Carolina Gypsy
November 02, 2018
If I had loans from Ameri-Loan and United Cash will I get a check form both places?
Demond
November 02, 2018
I almost threw mine away!! Just cashed it today! NICE!!!
ladybug W.
November 06, 2018
I am on the list and i did not get my check yet. That is for the AMG payday loan with Tucker
AmandaVA
November 06, 2018
Has anyone received the reissued check as of today 11/06/2018?
Ed
November 06, 2018
It is legit!, I went to a US Banks and cashed it since I don't have an account with them they'll charge you a $7 fee.
Smiles
November 06, 2018
I thought this was junk mail and never opened it until today. I guess I'll deposit it tomorrow. I hope it clears.
Toejahb4
November 07, 2018
I got my check in 10/12 came in handy. I deposit in my account it cleared the next day
Snoopy
November 07, 2018
Are they still sending checks out. I never received one and probably should.
ACMoe
November 07, 2018
I called and inquired about receiving a refund and found out that it was sent to the wrong address. I was told to put my new address in writing. So I did. I was told the letter was received October 17th. Here it is November 7 and whenever I call to inquire about receiving the refund they tell me 4-6 weeks. What days are refunds mailed each week. Or are there specific days?
Rayetteq
November 07, 2018

In reply to by ACMoe

My experience is very similar to yours. They received my information on October 16th and I keep telling me four to six weeks. Yet I keep reading about other people getting checks.
Racheljp
November 07, 2018
I received my check and it cleared. The letter attached said it was a partial payment. Did anyone else's letter say they were receiving partial payment?
FTC Staff
November 08, 2018

In reply to by Racheljp

All the letters said partial refund. The letter you got from the FTC said your check is a partial refund. It says that because the amount of your check is less than the total amount you paid to AMG Services, Inc. when it illegally charged you undisclosed and inflated fees. The FTC has sent out all the money that is available.

Chief
November 08, 2018
It said partial payment does that mean more to come?
FTC Staff
November 08, 2018

In reply to by Chief

The letter you got from the FTC said your check is a partial refund. It says that because the amount of your check is less than the total amount you paid to AMG Services, Inc. when it illegally charged you undisclosed and inflated fees. The FTC has sent out all the money that is available.

welcome1
November 08, 2018
When will the reissue checks be sent out?
Sgonz
November 08, 2018
Will there be a second payout? Or was it a one time payout?
FTC Staff
November 13, 2018

In reply to by Sgonz

The letter you got from the FTC said your check is a partial refund. It says that because the amount of your check is less than the total amount you paid to AMG Services, Inc. when it illegally charged you undisclosed and inflated fees. The FTC has sent out all the money that is available.

maryh@lummi
November 13, 2018
Mine came and cashed same day at US bank, also mine said partial payment and now I lost letter that said that , did anyone else say that
jad2222
November 09, 2018
I called I guess they haven't sent out the reissued checks yet now they saying earliest end of November or early December. Cmon!
ibueno
November 09, 2018
I almost threw mine away, the letter and the check seemed so fake. Glad I didn't, I did my research and I walked in to US Bank the bank administering the Class Action Law Suit account to make sure the check was legitimate and not a scam, they said yes and I cashed right there and walked away with cash.
Mammawendy21
November 10, 2018
Did anyones say theirs was a partial payment? Thats what mine said.
FTC Staff
November 13, 2018

In reply to by Mammawendy21

All the letters said the check is a partial refund. They say that because the amount of your check is less than the total amount you paid to AMG Services, Inc. when it illegally charged you undisclosed and inflated fees. The FTC has sent out all the money that is available.

Rayetteq
November 12, 2018
Since they're so big about mailing dates I feel I may miss again. I must have thought it was junk mail and throwing it out. It's really giving me a lot of anxiety and I feel like I might do it again if I'm not careful.
Wiscat
November 13, 2018
The check was issued in my late husband's name.I sent it back with a death certificate and prof of my being his spouse.I sent it several weeks ago How long does it take to be reissued???
FTC Staff
November 13, 2018

In reply to by Wiscat

The refund company does not send checks one at a time. They review the information people send in, and prepare a batch of checks, then send them out. They send a batch of checks every two to three weeks. Please allow time for them to review your information, prepare a batch of checks and mail the check to you.

Rayetteq
November 14, 2018

In reply to by FTC Staff

Thank you for your information. I understand the logistics of it but I just wonder why they're so vague about when the payments going to be made. I'm just afraid that I'm going to miss it again and have to go tjru this process over and over again.
Bamavan
November 15, 2018

In reply to by Wiscat

I had the same situation. I sent the check back with a copy of the Death Certificate on October 10th and have not heard a thing or gotten the replacement check.
Aaron Esparza
November 13, 2018
I received a check but lost it. How can I request a check to be reissued?
FTC Staff
November 13, 2018

In reply to by Aaron Esparza

You can call the company that the FTC hired to manage the refund process at 1-866-730-8147.

wea18
November 14, 2018
When will you receive your partial refund or the 2nd disbursement of the lawsuit?
FTC Staff
November 14, 2018

In reply to by wea18

The letter you got from the FTC said your check is a partial refund, but that doesn't mean you are going to get another check.

The letter said your check is a partial refund, because the amount of your check is less than the total amount you paid to AMG Services, Inc. when it illegally charged you undisclosed and inflated fees. The FTC has sent out all the money that is available.

Dally@12227
November 15, 2018
If are not going to get anymore checks then whos' getting all that money that is claim on customer name?
Dally@12227
November 16, 2018
They are vegue about it, because penny of hundredth million given us that all we're going to get. The whole lawsuit is for their fat pocket. And claim it on our name.
FTC Staff
November 16, 2018

In reply to by Dally@12227

The FTC has a clear statment about the refunds at www.FTC.gov/AMG. The FTC mailed  1,179,803 refund checks totaling more than $505 million to people who were deceived by AMG Services, Inc. and Scott A. Tucker, who operated a massive payday lending scheme.

The letter that came with your check is a partial refund. It says that because the amount of your check is less than the total amount you paid to AMG Services, Inc. when it illegally charged you undisclosed and inflated fees. The FTC has sent out all the money that is available.

welcome1
November 16, 2018
Any dates on reissue checks.