"Welcome to the new-and-not-so-improved world of payday lending, which has adopted more sophisticated sales pitches and branding to lure unwary consumers into loans that can trap them in endless cycles of debt," writes the Times.
So what's the alternative? The U.S. post office has an idea:
"Have post offices partner with banks to offer basic financial services, such as check cashing and short-term loans, for a fraction of the cost that payday lenders charge."
It's sort of two payday-lending articles in one. Read more here.