Crane Finance Active
Menominee Indian Tribe · lending since 2021
Crane Finance charges a $5 fee just to fund your loan the same day, advertises up to $15,000 for repeat borrowers, and is defending two separate federal RICO suits.
Crane Finance at a glance
- Owning tribe
- Menominee Indian Tribe
- Lending since
- 2021
- Loan amounts
- $100–$1,500
- APR range (reported)
- 637–700%+checked Jul 2026
- Product
- installment
- Website
- cranefinance.com
What a Crane Finance loan really costs
Crane Finance lends $100–$1,500 to new borrowers (first loans often $600–$1,500) and advertises up to $15,000 for repeat borrowers — far above the typical $3,000 tribal ceiling. APRs run around 700%+ (one complaint cites 637%), and the cost is disclosed only after approval.
Unusually, Crane charges a $5 fee specifically for same-day funding, a surcharge most peers bury. Complaints describe aggressive, repeated collection calls, pressure to re-borrow immediately after payoff, and garnishment threats for payments just one to two days late.
- Unusually large loans for repeat borrowers — advertised up to $15,000.
- Same-day funding available (for a $5 fee).
- BBB "C" rating — higher than most tribal peers (who are mostly "F").
- APRs around 700%+; cost disclosed only after approval.
- Charges a $5 surcharge for same-day funding.
- Garnishment threats reported for payments one to two days late.
- Two federal RICO class actions (2022 and 2024).
Skip Crane Finance if…
- You want to see the APR before you apply — it publishes none; the rate appears only in the agreement.
Where Crane Finance lends
Crane says it 'does not lend in states that have explicitly prohibited tribal lending' but publishes no fixed list. Washington's DFI issued an unlicensed-lender alert against it in April 2025.
Does Crane Finance report to credit bureaus?
Crane does not build mainstream credit; it underwrites through alternative bureaus (Clarity/FactorTrust are typical for this operator), though specifics are hard to verify because its FAQ blocks automated access. Assume on-time payments will not raise your score.
Who actually owns and runs Crane Finance
Crane Finance is operated by Crane Lending, LLC, an economic development arm of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, based in Keshena, Wisconsin. The non-tribal operator alleged in the RICO suits below is not definitively named in public sources.
Two federal RICO suits
Crane is defending two separate federal rent-a-tribe RICO class actions: Knots v. Crane Lending LLC (S.D. Ind., filed July 2022) and Steffen v. Crane Lending LLC (N.D. Ill., filed January 2024). That is more active litigation exposure than most single-brand tribal lenders carry, and Washington's DFI added an unlicensed-lender alert in April 2025.
What Crane Finance costs in dollars
Crane Finance's highest reported APR is 700% APR. Below is what that rate does to the amounts it actually lends, repaid over 12 monthly payments.
| You borrow | Monthly | Total repaid | Interest |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | $59 | $703 | $603 |
| $800 | $469 | $5,623 | $4,823 |
| $1,500 | $879 | $10,542 | $9,042 |
At 700%, a $100 balance accrues about $58 in interest every month. Any payment below that figure leaves you owing more than you started with, however long you pay.
Standard amortization at the published ceiling rate; fees are not included, and your actual rate and term may differ. Run your own numbers in the payoff calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the APR on a Crane Finance loan?
Around 700%+, with one complaint citing 637%. Crane discloses the cost only after approval, so read the APR box in your agreement before you accept the funds.
Does Crane Finance really lend up to $15,000?
It advertises up to $15,000 for repeat borrowers — far above the typical $3,000 tribal cap — though new borrowers are generally limited to $100–$1,500. At 700%+ APR, a five-figure balance would be extraordinarily expensive.
Why does Crane Finance charge a $5 fee?
The $5 fee buys same-day funding; without it, funding is next business day. It is a surcharge most tribal lenders fold into the rate rather than charge openly.
Is Crane Finance a tribal loan?
Yes. Crane Finance is a tribal lending brand owned by the Menominee Indian Tribe in WI. That means it lends under tribal law and claims sovereign immunity from your state's interest-rate cap, rather than holding a state lending license. It is also why its APR reaches 637–700%+ — far above the roughly 36% cap most states set for small loans. Whether the loan is enforceable where you live depends on your state.
What does a Crane Finance loan cost?
Crane Finance lends $100–$1,500 at 637–700%+ APR (reported — Crane Finance does not publish its rate). Near the top of that range, the total repaid on a loan run to term is several times the amount borrowed — check the total of payments in your agreement, not the monthly figure.
Is a Crane Finance loan legal in my state?
It depends entirely on your state. High-cost tribal loans are effectively banned in nine states, where a loan above the rate cap can be void and not legally collectible, and restricted in many more. Crane Finance claims tribal sovereign immunity from those caps — an argument courts have accepted in some cases and rejected in others. Check your state before you borrow, and especially before you pay a collector.
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