Is EZCorp registered and operating legally

Yes. EZCORP, Inc. is a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker symbol EZPW . It is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and has operated legally in the United States since 1974.

However, being "legal" and being "ethical" are not the same thing. EZCorp's history includes a major enforcement action by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) for illegal debt collection practices .

What Kind of Company Is EZCorp?

EZCorp is not a mobile app. It is a pawn shop operator and a former payday lender :

• 1,506 total pawn stores as of May 2026 
• 638 stores in the United States
• 624 stores in Mexico
• 155 stores in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras
• 20 stores in other countries

They operate under multiple brand names including EZPAWN, EZMONEY, CashWiz, and La Familia Pawn and Jewelry .

The company generates revenue from three main sources:

• Pawn service charges (interest on pawn loans)
• Merchandise sales (items forfeited from pawn loans)
• Jewelry scrapping sales 

The 2015 CFPB Enforcement Action (You Must Know About This)

Here is the most important historical fact about EZCorp. Every borrower should know this before doing business with them.

In December 2015, the CFPB ordered EZCorp to pay $10.5 million for illegal debt collection practices. The CFPB's investigation found that the company :

• Visited consumers' homes and workplaces to collect debt in an unlawful way that risked exposing their debt to third parties (neighbors, coworkers, employers)
• Illegally contacted third parties about consumers' debts, including credit references, supervisors, and landlords
• Called consumers at work even after being told to stop
• Threatened legal action that they never intended to take — empty threats to scare borrowers into paying
• Lied about not conducting credit checks on loan applicants
• Made multiple, simultaneous electronic withdrawal attempts — often three attempts at once (50%, 30%, and 20% of the total due) — causing mounting bank overdraft fees
• Made withdrawals earlier than promised
• Lied to consumers that they could not stop electronic withdrawals or repay loans early

The penalties were severe :

• $7.5 million refunded to 93,000 consumers
• $3 million civil penalty
• Forced to stop collecting on remaining payday and installment loan debts owed by roughly 130,000 consumers
• Forced to request credit bureaus to delete negative information related to those debts
• Barred from future in-person debt collection

What EZCorp Did After the CFPB Action

The company responded by getting out of the payday lending business in the United States. On July 29, 2015 — while the CFPB investigation was underway — EZCorp announced it would cease offering payday, installment, and auto-title loans in the US .

Today, EZCorp focuses almost entirely on pawn loans :

• Non-recourse loans — If you do not pay, the only thing they can take is the item you pawned
• No credit checks
• No collection activity or reporting to credit bureaus
• No bank account required

Latin American operations also include auto pawn and auto title loans in Puerto Rico .

Your Rights as a Borrower (This Is What Matters Most)

Regardless of whether you use EZCorp or any other lender, here are your fundamental rights:

Right 1: The right to know the full cost of your loan before you sign

Right 2: The right to be free from harassment, threats, and intimidation

Right 3: The right to be free from calls to your workplace after you have asked them to stop

Right 4: The right to be free from electronic withdrawal attempts after a failed attempt without your permission

Right 5: The right to repay your loan early without penalty (in most cases)

Right 6: The right to dispute any charges you believe are incorrect

Right 7: The right to file complaints with the CFPB, FTC, or your state attorney general

Step-by-Step Action Before Using EZCorp

• Step 1: Understand the difference between pawn loans and other loans. With a pawn loan, you give them an item as collateral. If you do not repay, you lose the item — but nothing else. It is non-recourse .
• Step 2: Read your pawn ticket carefully. It will state the loan amount, interest rate, due date, and what happens if you default.
• Step 3: Ask about the interest rate before you sign. Pawn loans are regulated by state law, but rates can still be high.
• Step 4: Know your due date. Pawn loans typically last 30 to 90 days . If you cannot pay on time, ask about extension options.
• Step 5: Remember that EZCorp has a past of aggressive collection. While they claim to have changed, document all interactions.
• Step 6: If you feel harassed at any point, report it immediately to the CFPB or your state attorney general.
• Step 7: Keep all receipts, pawn tickets, and written communications. These are your evidence if something goes wrong.