2026 data Public-data reference. official source

Populus Financial Group, Inc. (F/K/A Ace Cash Express)

Open-data reference.

Debt Collector — CFPB Complaint Profile Specializes in: Payday loan debt

1,043
Debt Collection Complaints
50%
of All Complaints
98.3%
Timely Response
0.3%
Closed with Relief

Debt Collection Complaint Breakdown

Payday loan debt 484
Payday loan 357
I do not know 111
Other (i.e. phone, health club, etc.) 45
Other debt 36
Auto debt 3
Credit card 3
Auto 2
Mortgage debt 1
Telecommunications debt 1

Top Complaint Issues

1.Took or threatened to take negative or legal action 295
2.Communication tactics 222
3.False statements or representation 141
4.Struggling to pay your loan 132
5.Taking/threatening an illegal action 131
6.Charged fees or interest I didn't expect 113
7.Can't contact lender 95
8.Charged fees or interest you didn't expect 82
9.Attempts to collect debt not owed 76
10.Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed 65

Company Responses

Closed with explanation 2,012
Closed 65
Closed with monetary relief 4
In progress 3
Closed with non-monetary relief 2
Consumers who disputed the response 10.2%
Credit utilization context for debt-collection consumers

Most consumers facing collection complaints carry utilization in the Fair-Poor band. FICO bands per myFICO + Experian guidance.

Ideal (+0 to +10)0-10Healthy (~0 to -10)10-30Moderate (-10 to -30)30-50High (-30 to -50)50-75Very high (-45 to -70)75-100Maxed (-60 to -100+)100-12030%

FICO impact ranges synthesize myFICO + Experian + Equifax consumer-education materials. Individual results vary.

Complaints by Year

Year Complaints
2013 53
2014 207
2015 227
2016 294
2017 189
2018 171
2019 221
2020 243
2021 202
2022 76
2023 40
2024 48
2025 93
2026 22

Complaints by State (Top 15)

Texas 660
California 315
Ohio 124
Florida 114
Colorado 71
Missouri 60
Tennessee 55
Louisiana 52
Virginia 43
Oregon 42
Arizona 37
Washington 35
Minnesota 34
North Carolina 29
Pennsylvania 29

Other Complaint Types

Payday loan 326
Payday loan, title loan, or personal loan — Payday loan 280
Payday loan, title loan, or personal loan — Installment loan 70
Consumer Loan — Installment loan 69
Payday loan, title loan, personal loan, or advance loan — Payday loan 60
Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Check cashing service 44

Your Rights with Debt Collectors

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) protects you from abusive, unfair, and deceptive collection practices.

  • Request written verification of any debt within 30 days of first contact
  • Dispute a debt if you believe it is incorrect or does not belong to you
  • Demand the collector stop contacting you (in writing)
  • File a complaint with the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint

What the CFPB Record Shows for Populus Financial Group, Inc. (F/K/A Ace Cash Express)

Populus Financial Group, Inc. (F/K/A Ace Cash Express) has 1,043 debt-collection complaints on file with the CFPB, which represents 50% of the 2,086 total complaints the Bureau has received about this entity. Reports have originated from consumers in 51 states and territories, making this a nationwide collection operation as measured by complaint volume. The most common debt type behind these complaints is "Payday loan debt," which is the category consumers most often describe when they file a CFPB report about this collector. The single most-cited specific issue is "Took or threatened to take negative or legal action" — a useful starting point for understanding where the friction between this collector and consumers most frequently occurs.

The company's timely response rate is 98.3%, meaning that share of CFPB-forwarded complaints received a reply within the 15-day window the Bureau expects. That figure meets the industry benchmark and indicates an intake process that is functioning on schedule. Of resolved cases, 0.3% closed with monetary or non-monetary relief to the consumer, which is a notably low relief ratio and worth weighing against the disputed-response percentage. Consumers formally disputed the company's response in 10.2% of resolved cases, signalling how often the initial resolution failed to satisfy the complainant.

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), consumers have the right to request written verification of a debt within 30 days of first contact, to dispute debts they believe are incorrect or not theirs, and to demand in writing that a collector cease contact. Complaint volume alone does not prove wrongdoing — larger collection portfolios naturally produce more complaints — but the combination of timely-response rate, relief ratio, and dispute rate above gives a reasonable empirical picture of how this collector handles consumer interactions. Anyone in active dispute with this company should keep written records, use certified mail for verification requests, and consider filing a CFPB complaint if standard resolution channels stall.

Educational data summary, not financial or legal advice. Individual complaint outcomes vary. Consumers with an active dispute should consult a qualified consumer-protection attorney.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many debt collection complaints does Populus Financial Group, Inc. (F/K/A Ace Cash Express) have?

Populus Financial Group, Inc. (F/K/A Ace Cash Express) has 1,043 debt collection complaints filed with the CFPB, representing 50% of all complaints against this company.

Does Populus Financial Group, Inc. (F/K/A Ace Cash Express) respond to complaints on time?

Populus Financial Group, Inc. (F/K/A Ace Cash Express) has a 98.3% timely response rate. This is considered excellent.

Does Populus Financial Group, Inc. (F/K/A Ace Cash Express) provide relief to consumers?

0.3% of resolved complaints against Populus Financial Group, Inc. (F/K/A Ace Cash Express) were closed with some form of consumer relief (monetary or non-monetary).

What type of debt does Populus Financial Group, Inc. (F/K/A Ace Cash Express) primarily collect?

Populus Financial Group, Inc. (F/K/A Ace Cash Express) primarily collects "Payday loan debt" based on CFPB complaint data. The full breakdown of debt types is shown above.

What rights do I have against Populus Financial Group, Inc. (F/K/A Ace Cash Express)?

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), you can request written debt verification within 30 days, dispute debts you believe are incorrect, demand the collector stop contacting you in writing, and file a complaint with the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint.

In how many states is Populus Financial Group, Inc. (F/K/A Ace Cash Express) active?

Populus Financial Group, Inc. (F/K/A Ace Cash Express) has received consumer complaints from 51 states and territories, based on CFPB data.

Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Consumer Complaint Database · Q1 2026 Complaints filed against firms, not individuals. Data through March 2026.

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Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the CFPB Consumer Complaint Database. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.