Bears Lending
A licensed lender is examined by a state regulator, bound by fee caps and collection rules, and answerable to a complaint process. An unlicensed one is a website. The check takes two minutes and works for any company.
Step 1: find the license number
Look at the website footer and the loan agreement. Licensed lenders print the state license number. Bears Lending's are on the licenses page and in every footer: Florida Consumer Finance and Deferred Presentment licenses, Georgia Industrial Loan license, Alabama Deferred Presentment and Small Loan licenses, plus NMLS ID 1928374.
Step 2: look it up at the regulator
| State | Regulator | Lookup |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | Office of Financial Regulation | flofr.gov |
| Georgia | Department of Banking and Finance | dbf.georgia.gov |
| Alabama | State Banking Department | banking.alabama.gov |
| All states | NMLS Consumer Access | nmlsconsumeraccess.org |
Search by company name or license number. The record shows the licensed entity, its address, license status and any regulatory actions.
Step 3: match the name and address
The entity on the license should be the entity on the website: Bears Lending, LLC, Jacksonville, Florida. Look-alike names at PO boxes or out-of-state addresses are the most common impersonation pattern.
Step 4: check the complaint history
Our BBB profile (A+ accredited since 2012), Trustpilot (4.8, 6,412 reviews) and the CFPB complaint database are public. We answer every one- and two-star review with the store name and what was done. A lender with no public complaint history usually has no public presence at all.
Five red flags of a loan scam
- A fee before funding — "processing," "insurance," "verification." Legitimate fees are part of the loan, never paid to get one.
- Payment by gift card, prepaid card or wire.
- Guaranteed approval. No licensed lender can promise it.
- A request for your online banking password. Legitimate applications use a read-only connection.
- Threats of arrest over a loan. Default is civil; the threat is illegal.
Licensed in FL, GA and AL (numbers on the licenses page). NMLS 1928374. INFiN and NPA member. BBB A+. Direct lender — we fund every loan ourselves and never sell applications. Fees printed on every agreement and read aloud before signing.
Questions
Is Bears Lending a direct lender?
Yes. Every loan is funded with our own capital and serviced in-house.
Does Bears Lending sell my application?
No. Never to other lenders, lead buyers or marketers.
Where do I complain if something goes wrong?
The store first; then [email protected]; then your state regulator. All three are listed on the responsible lending page.