One case produced real relief for Harvest Moon Financial borrowers. Relief in this industry is almost always limited to loans taken inside a specific window, and the settlement sites that would let you check are usually gone. The dates below are the part that decides whether it reaches you.
The cases
FTC v. La Posta lending brands
enforcementIllegal debt forgiven; brands banned
The FTC banned the La Posta Band’s payday operation — Gentle Breeze Online, Harvest Moon Financial and Green Stream Lending — from the industry in 2021 and forgave the illegal debt it had generated.
✓ Produced relief for borrowers
What happened to Harvest Moon Financial balances
What to do if you are still being collected from
- Check your loan date first. Relief in this industry is bounded by a window, and the boundary is where people lose. A Mountain Summit loan from February 2021 was not cancelled while its sister brands' were; a Lac du Flambeau loan after 1 October 2023 falls outside the $1.4 billion Fitzgerald cancellation.
- Check your state before you negotiate. In nine states, loans above the rate cap are void — nothing is owed regardless of the contract or any settlement. See where tribal loans are void.
- Do not pay to make it stop. A payment can restart the statute of limitations on a debt that may already be unenforceable. It is the most expensive reflex in debt collection.
- Demand written validation within 30 days of first contact: the original agreement, the full payment history, and proof the collector owns the debt. Chains of sale on tribal loans are frequently incomplete.
- Revoke ACH authorisation in writing — to the lender and, separately, to your bank. Telling only one of the two is the common mistake.
Our full walkthrough is in how to get out of a tribal loan, and can tribal lenders sue you covers what they can and cannot actually do.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a lawsuit against Harvest Moon Financial?
Yes — FTC v. La Posta lending brands (Federal Trade Commission). Outcome: Illegal debt forgiven; brands banned. It did produce relief for borrowers.
Do I still owe my Harvest Moon Financial loan?
Yes — the February 2021 FTC order deemed nearly all outstanding debt paid in full, because the finance charges were entirely illegal. Operators (Takehisa Naito, Keishi Ikeda and eight companies) were permanently banned from lending. If your loan falls outside that, or a collector contacts you anyway, demand written validation and proof of ownership before paying anything.
Can I claim money from a Harvest Moon Financial settlement?
None for borrowers. The $114.3M judgment was largely suspended for inability to pay; a separate $5,073,597 disgorgement was ordered against the La Posta Tribal Lending Enterprise, which told the FTC it would dissolve.