Short-term loan lenders have been criticized for their fees and aggressive marketing but in spite ofnegative attention in media we have a significant number of short-term loan lenders in Sweden. This study examines communicative strategies of short-term lenders online, focusing on verbal languageand pictures. The method is a combination of discoursetheory and semiotic theory. The empiricalmaterial consists of selected parts from five corporate websites. Words as “quickly and simple”permeates the entire material. It can almost be regarded as a corporate trademark and business concept.The concept of "quick and simple" includes a radical approach to credit assessment and credit historywhich is also used to position themselves against traditional banks. Customers are portrayed asunlucky figures with urgent bills and a salary that is not enough. It is emphasized that the loan is smalland therefore should not be linked with security, credit review by the UC or non-payment records.Loan application is a rapid process in three steps which are completed within minutes. The customer isoffered to assume certain identities which includes positions of disadvantage and innocence.A common denominator is responsibility, which the customer is disclaimed from. Possible conflictsoccurs when identities collide with each other, such as when the customer is encouraged to think twicebut as soon as possible hit the button of the colorful loan offer on the website's front page. Companiesstrives to maintain a certain "story" about themselves, the customers and the loans. Some signs areconnected and some excluded to create clarity in the discourse.

The extensive literature on financial literacy has sought to explain financial behaviours and decisions. On the asset side of the balance sheet, financial literacy is associated with good financial practice and wealth accumulation. On the liability side, however, the contribution of financial literacy to individuals’ financial decisions is not entirely clear. To add to this literature, as well as that of behavioural finance and alternative financial services, this research develops a conceptual framework based on Ajzen’s (1991) theory of planned behaviour (TPB). This framework links individuals’ attitudes to financial matters, subjective norms, perceived feasibility, financial knowledge, and behavioural biases that include overconfidence and present bias on the decision to obtain high-interest loans. The empirical tests of the developed framework suggest that individuals in distinct socio-economic groups have different antecedents that lead to borrowing from alternative financial services. For instance, individuals from low-income households are more likely to obtain these loans if they: do not have access to other forms of credit; struggle to pay their bills; are unemployed; or do not have access to advice from finance professionals. In turn, individuals from high-income households are more likely to obtain these loans if they lack financial knowledge or have behavioural biases like overconfidence or present bias. These results suggest the importance of access to professional advice while ensuring access to traditional means of obtaining credit for low-income individuals in order to reduce the negative effects of these high-interest loans. The results also confirm the importance of current policy initiatives to implement basic finance education in public school curriculums, and the urgency to seek effective approaches to address individuals’ cognitive assumptions.

Utveckling på kreditmarknaden har gett upphov till nya kreditformer. Ett exempel på en sådan kredit är snabblån. Snabblån utmärks av att det är kortfristiga lån på låga belopp som konsumenterna erhåller inom en kort tidsperiod. Vidare är låneprocessen enkel. Statistik från Kronofogdemyndigheten visar att antalet betalningsförelägganden med grund i snabblån har ökat (se bilaga) och regeringen hävdar på basis av statistiken att samband mellan snabblån och överskuldsättning föreligger. Lag om viss kreditgivning till konsumenter har därmed blivit antagen och ska införas. Lagen innebär att snabblångivares verksamhet blir tillståndspliktig samt omfattas av Finansinspektionens tillsyn. Förändringen innebär även att ytterligare krav ställs på snabblångivares bolagsordning, ägare och ledning samt att verksamheten bedrivs på ett sätt som är sunt. Avsikten med denna uppsats är att fastställa gällande rätt beträffande snabblångivares verksamhet. Vidare diskuteras huruvida konsumentskyddet på snabblånemarknaden är bristfälligt och om snabblångivares verksamhet därmed bör bli tillståndspliktig samt omfattas av Finansinspektionens tillsyn. Snabblångivare är finansiella institut och omfattas därmed av AnmL. Detta innebär att snabblångivare ska anmäla sin verksamhet till Finansinspektionen innan verksamhet får börja bedrivas. Finansinspektionen har begränsade ingripandemöjligheter och utför endast en kontroll över snabblångivarnas ägare och ledning. Snabblångivare omfattas även av skyldigheter som följer av KkrL såsom kravet på god kreditgivningssed, information om effektiv ränta, avgifternas utformning och kreditprövning. Snabblångivare har brustit i sina skyldigheter i KkrL vilket följer av domar från MD och flertalet viten och förelägganden från Konsumentverket. I analysen fastställs att Kronofogdemyndighetens statistik inte enskilt kan användas som grund till en förändring men i kombination med gällande rätts bristfällighet, snabblånets egenskaper och samhällets utveckling påvisas att konsumentskyddet är bristfälligt och att en förändring behövs. Vidare fastställs att systemstabiliserande regler har en indirekt inverkan på konsumentskyddet och kan införas för att förbättra denna. Efter en avvägning mellan förändringens betungande verkan för snabblångivarna och det skydd som konsumenterna erhåller ska förändringen i fråga ses som proportionerlig. Snabblångivares verksamhet bör således vara tillståndspliktig och omfattas av Finansinspektionens tillsyn. / Evolvement on the credit market has caused the rise of new forms of credits. An example of a credit of such is the payday loan. The payday loan is distinguished by its short-term, low amount and that the customers obtain the loan in a short matter of time. Furthermore, the process of obtaining the loan is simple. Statistics from the Swedish Enforcement Authority shows that the amount of injunctions to pay based on payday loans has increased (see attachment) and that the Government claims on the basis of the statistics that a connection between payday loans and overindebtness exists. A new act regarding some credits to consumers has therefore been adopted and is to be introduced. The new act means that the payday lender´s business becomes licensed and are subject to the supervision of the Swedish Financial Service Authority. The change also means additional demands on the payday lender´s articles of associtation, owners and management, and that the business is conducted in a healthy manner. The purpose of this essay is to determine the law as it exists regarding payday lender´s business. Further discussed is whether the consumer protection on the payday market is inadequate and if the payday lender´s business, thus, should be licensed and be subject to the supervision of the Swedish Financial Service Authority. Payday lenders are financial institutions and are therefore subject to the Act regarding the notification duty for some financial businesses. This means that the payday lenders shall report their business to the Swedish Financial Service Authority before operations may start. The Swedish Financial Service Authority has limited intervention possibilities and performs only a control of the owners and management. Payday lenders are also subject to obligations arising from the Consumer Credit Act such as the requirement of good creditors, information about the annual percentage rate, fees designing and credit review. Payday lenders has failed to fulfill its obligations in the Consumer Credit Act which follows from judgements from the market court and several penalties and injunctions from the Consumer Agency. In the analysis it is established that the statitistics from the Swedish Enforcement Authority alone can not be used as the basis for a change, but in combination with the existing legal deficiency, the characteristics of the payday loan and the development of the society it demonstrates that the consumer protection is inadequate and that a change is needed. Further, it is established that rules of system stabilising nature has an indirect effect on consumer protection and can be used to improve it. After striking a balance between the burdens the payday lenders suffer from the change with the increased consumer protection that the change will result in, the change in question is to be seen as proportionate. Payday lender´s business should therefore be subject to license and supervision of the Swedish Financial Service Authority.