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China’s SMEs head for pawnbrokers as credit tightens
China’s tight credit environment has fostered some interesting financial innovation. In some cities, stacks of wool can be traded for an apartment. Amid this desperate demand for capital even pawnshops, a traditional lending channel, are changing how they operate....
Gold settles lower after jump in consumer prices
Drop in U.S. jobless claims also keeps gold under pressure SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Gold prices on Thursday gave back some of the gains they notched a day earlier and then some after a jump in consumer prices in the U.S. and a drop in jobless claims pointed to an...
Home care nightmare: Family heirlooms pawned for cash as questionable caregiver slips through cracks
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It is one of the toughest decisions families can make: trusting someone enough to care for loved ones inside their homes. There are systems in place intended to add security and peace of mind to those choices. However, a 41 Action News investigation...
Sarasota pawn shop shut down after sheriff’s office investigation
SARASOTA, FL. – A Sarasota pawnbroker's license is being revoked following an investigation by the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office. Jim Smith, owner of Jim's Pawn, 6526 B, South Tamiami Trail was notified by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer...
How To Use Technology for Its Highest and Best Use
For many of us, a standard calculator was our first introduction to technology. Therefore, it’s understandable why we still use technology predominantly for the purpose of automating mundane tasks such as mathematical functions, when we can be accomplishing so much...
The Big Picture in Precious Metals
We’ve been focusing in on the shorter term charts for the precious metal complex for some time now which is important but we also need to keep a very close eye on the bigger picture as that over rides the shorter term charts. You really have to know the big picture...
$20K reward offered to solve smash-and-grab firearms theft
A $20,000 reward is being offered to find the person responsible for burglarizing a northeast Georgia pawn shop and making off with firearms. Investigators believe that a church van stolen from Atlanta was used in a smash-and-grab burglary at Gene’s Pawn Shop in...
19 Words That Will Make People Like You More
Want to make a better first impression and engender positive feelings that last a long time? Focus on what you say as much as what you do. First impressions can lead to lasting impressions. So to improve, a lot of people will tell you to dress better, read more (so...
Hot Ice: The Tortuous Tale of the Pear-Shaped Diamond
The thought struck Steven Zaretsky during a party two years ago, when he looked over at his wife and the 7.35-carat, pear-shaped diamond hanging on a thin chain around her neck. It had been a gift from her father to her mother, and later, to her. What was it insured...
Mayfield Heights woman tracks stolen cellphone to Richmond Heights mall machine
MAYFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio — Police are looking for a man who picked up a woman's cellphone and sold it at a kiosk at Richmond Town Square mall. Darrell Allen, 21, of Mayfield Heights, faces a charge of first-degree misdemeanor receiving stolen property, police reports...
EZCorp investigated by Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
In a filing with the SEC, payday lender and pawn shop chain EZCorp Inc. disclosed it has received a civil investigative demand from the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The action by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, taken in February, is part of an...
Man who rammed car into pawn shop faces prison sentence of 15 years or more
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A federal jury convicted a man from Lebanon on Wednesday for illegally possessing a firearm and attempting to acquire a firearm. James Jacoby, 31, is guilty of both counts of a federal indictment handed up on May 8, 2013, that charges him with...
Empire Loan pawn shop chain launches mobile app to find its ‘competitive edge’
Empire Loan, a Boston-based chain of pawn shops around New England, has developed a mobile app that allows users to upload photos of items such as paintings, jewelry and instruments, to discover whether they're valuable. The app, which launched in the Apple App Store...
HOW TO CHOOSE A DIAMOND
With so many diamonds to choose from, finding the one that’s right for you can feel overwhelming.
Top 10 Benefits to Working in a Pawn Shop
Being a pawnbroker means to be a lender, a banker of sorts. Pawnbroking is the oldest form of consumer credit. Pawnbrokers extend cash loans secured by merchandise which is pledged. The borrower has a fixed amount of time to come back and repay the loan and redeem...
Rewards offered for leads in pawn shop gun theft
CORNELIA, Ga. (AP) — Federal agents and a trade group for the gun industry are offering $20,000 in rewards in hopes of solving the theft of firearms from a pawn shop in the northeast Georgia town of Cornelia. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and...
2014 Spring Seller Update: Seller standards update
Updates to seller standards designed to reward great service with more sales. Sellers who provide the great service that creates better shopping experiences and repeat sales stand to benefit from updates to seller performance standards coming with the August 20 seller...
Jawbone’s Jambox Mini: Still Single, But Looking to Hook Up
Can a Bluetooth speaker be social? That is, can the technology on board help you discover or deepen a connection with others? Read on