Originally Posted: August 14, 2014
Updated: June 03, 2016

Also Doing Business As:

• Castle Payday

The Washington State Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) warns consumers to verify that any lender from which they consider obtaining a payday loan holds a Washington State license for providing payday loan services. Before doing business with a financial institution, company, or individual, they should make sure that the entity is properly licensed. Consumers are urged to verify license status prior to giving the financial institution, company, or individual any nonpublic personal information, such as social security number or bank account number or access.

Recently, DFI received complaints against Red Rock Tribal Lending, LLC d/b/a Big Picture Loans (Big Picture Loans). It appears that Big Picture Loans is operating as an online tribal payday lender. Big Picture Loans claims to be owned the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, a federally recognized Indian Tribe.

In the past, DFI received complaints against Red Rock Tribal Lending, LLC d/b/a Castle Payday (Castle Payday). It appears that Castle Payday has also operated as an online tribal payday lender. In addition, Castle Payday claimed to be owned by the same federally recognized Indian Tribe.

Castle Payday operated a website at castlepayday.com which now redirects to http://www.bigpictureloans.com (Big Picture Loans). The website lists its contact information as:

Red Rock Tribal Lending, LLC
Attn: Big Picture Loans
PO Box 704
Watersmeet, MI 49969
Phone: 800-584-4880
Fax: 906-358-2010
Email: support@bigpictureloans.com

Big Picture Loans and Castle Payday are not licensed by DFI nor registered to conduct business in Washington State by the Department of Licensing, the Department of Revenue, or the Secretary of State.

Washington State residents are informed that state law provides in RCW 31.45.105(1)(d) and (3) that a small loan made by an unlicensed entity to a person physically located in Washington State is uncollectible and unenforceable in Washington State. A “small loan” is defined in RCW 31.45.073 and does not exceed $700.

Verify License

DFI strongly recommends that consumers deal only with those lenders that are properly licensed to conduct business. Consumers can determine whether lenders are properly licensed using the “Verify a License” feature on the DFI’s website at www.dfi.wa.gov/consumers/findcompany.htm.

Payday Loan Debt Collection Laws

Collection activities are subject to the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Therefore, if you have questions regarding debt collection laws please contact the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC HELP, or online at www.ftc.gov(link is external).

Debt collectors cannot state or imply that failure to pay a debt is a crime. They cannot call before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m. They cannot harass or abuse consumers, or contact consumers’ places of employment.

Report Fraud

Washington State residents, if you are suspicious of unlicensed activity by a payday lender please contact the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions at 1-877-RING-DFI (746-4334), or online at www.dfi.wa.gov.

If you live in another state, find your state regulator(link is external).

If you feel you have been the victim of a loan scam please contact the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357) or online at www.ftc.gov(link is external); or contact the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (855) 411-CFPB or online atwww.consumerfinance.gov(link is external). Because the scammers have access to bank account information and social security numbers, victims should consider themselves victims of identity theft and take appropriate precautions. The Federal Trade Commission has information for victims of identity theft available online at www.ftc.gov(link is external).

If you feel you have been the victim of a loan scam involving the Internet please contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center online at www.ic3.gov(link is external).

If you feel you have been the victim of a loan scam and are concerned about your personal financial information, contact your banking institution, and the three major credit bureaus.