Action 9: Man warns of online lender

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — "It hurts a lot, very much," said Jason Morris.

Morris is back living with his parents and not by choice.

He said responding to an online loan offer for emergency cash almost left him bankrupt.

"You can have up to $1,000 in your checking account by tomorrow," he said.

Talk show host Montell Williams is the pitch man for Money Mutual, a loan broker that matches you with payday lenders that actually send the cash.

"He is a trusted Hollywood star and you would think, OK, now look where I am," said Morris.

Mooris said he borrowed $2,000 last year.

"We were so behind on some things that we needed to catch up," he said.

Loan payments were automatic, taken directly from his bank account.

Morris said his loan payments totaled more than $6,000 in just 10 months of a loan of $2,000 -- and after all that he still had a loan balance of $1,000.

That equals an interest rate of more than 625 percent.

"I kick myself in the butt," said Morris.

Morris claims the interest rates were buried in fine print. Consumer groups agree and said online loans can wipe you out.

"They are getting through direct access to your bank account before the mortgage, before rent, before groceries, before all of the other bills," said a Consumer Loan Federation spokesperson.

The actual lender was Plain Green Loans based at a Montana Indian reservation.

The company claims it is not loan sharking, but Morris said based on his experience, and the complaints of other postings, that he is now telling consumers to beware of this online lender.