{"success":true,"data":{"id":"fake-advance-fee-personal-loan-approval-scam","label":"Fake advance-fee personal loan approval scam — loan approved for $N regardless of credit + pay insurance/processing/origination fee upfront to receive/unlock/release funds","description":"Fake advance-fee personal loan scam — email claiming the victim has been \"approved\" or \"pre-approved\" for a personal loan ($5,000–$50,000) regardless of their credit score, requiring an upfront \"loan insurance fee,\" \"processing fee,\" \"origination fee,\" or \"advance fee\" ($99–$500+) before the funds are \"released\" or \"deposited.\" No loan exists; the fee payment is the entire scam. Red flags: guaranteed approval regardless of credit, fee required before receiving funds, disbursement \"within 24 hours of fee payment.\" Legitimate lenders never require upfront fees before loan disbursement — origination fees are deducted from the loan proceeds after disbursement. FTC 2024: advance fee loan fraud caused $62M in reported losses, disproportionately targeting people with poor credit who have limited borrowing options.","tier":"danger","category":"scam","isThin":false}}