Americans are racking up more ‘phantom debt’ — why that’s a problem – By Jessica Dickler (CNBC) / Jan 7, 2024
- Over the holidays, the use of “buy now, pay later” loans hit an all-time high.
- Because the lenders generally don’t report to the major credit-reporting companies, it’s hard to know exactly how much of this debt is currently out there.
- These loans can also be hard for consumers to keep track of, which can lead to debt problems, experts say.
Some types of debt can haunt you.
“Buy now, pay later” loans, especially, can be hard to track, making it easier for more consumers to get in over their heads, some experts say — even more than credit cards, which are simpler to account for, despite sky-high interest rates.
Over the holidays, the use of installment payments hit an all-time high, up 14% year over year, according to Adobe’s latest online shopping data.
Buy now, pay later is now one of the fastest-growing categories in consumer finance, according to a separate report by Wells Fargo.
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