Sharks in Sheep’s Clothing: Modalities of Predatory and Illegal Lending in Bulgaria

Consumer Credit in Comparative Perspective

“…Increasingly, collectors use their own scoring techniques to guide them in finding the most promising line of action(Deville 2012). In informal or predatory lending, collection can involve violence(Ellison et al 2010, Kojouharov andRusev 2016), and in countries like India, even legally registered lenders can resort to physical force(Guérin et al 2014).…”

“…Loan sharking is a term coined in the U.S. in the late 19 th century but this kind of lending is pervasive around the world and carry similar traits. Be it Roma usurers in Hungary, Slovakia or Bulgaria(Durst 2015, Hrustič 2015, Kojouharov and Rusev 2016, Chinese "vest-pocket" lenders in Holland(Soudijn and Zhang 2012), mashonisas -the neighborhood money lenders -in South Africa(James 2014), or the Italian, Jewish, Chinese and African American mafia in American cities…”