Household HSBC Watch

In November, Retail Services launched kiosks in Maryland- and Virginia-based Marlo Furniture stores.“In the second quarter of 2005, we hope to expand kiosk functionality to include joint applications and to allow existing cardholders to review their available credit prior to purchasing.”Amy Renshaw, vice president/account management-Retail Services said. Credit kiosks enhance customer and merchant satisfaction according to the company.

Retail Services is actually Household Retail Services, a division of predatory lender Household International. They are now owned by HSBC. Florida began investigating Household International, after Madie Bell Wilson, 89, was evicted from her Miami home. She had taken out a $27,000 home-equity loan, thinking it was a home repair grant that did not have to be paid back. The case piqued Florida officials’ interests and helped lead to a $484 million multi-state predatory lending settlement.