In 2001, the payday lending laws were allowed to expire. Payday lenders tried to circumvent the law and in 2006, the NC Attorney General was able to work out a deal with payday lenders who thereafter ceased doing business in North Carolina. You can read about it here: http://www.ncdoj.gov/News-and-Alerts/News-Releases-and-Advisories/Press-Releases/Payday-lending-on-the-way-out-in-NC.aspx. Unfortunately, North Carolina has not seen the last of payday lenders. Banks are now getting into the act and coming up with their own creative ways to evade the prohibition on payday lending, as evidenced by this recent story: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/09/19/3539841/regions-bank-assailed-for-payday.html. Again, if you are threatened by a payday lender, a lawsuit is very unlikely to occur because the loans are illegal here. Copyright (c) 2012 by Rachel Lea Hunter All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or utilized in any form, other than for the reader's sole personal use, without permission in writing from the author. NOTICE: The information in these articles is provided for general informational purposes only as a public service. You are advised to check for changes to current law and to consult with a qualified attorney in your state of residence on any legal issue. The use of this material does not create an attorney-client relationship with the Rachel Lea Hunter Law Office. The material in this website may be considered advertising under applicable rules.