usurious fee

[/juːˈʒʊəriəs fiː/]
nounpl: usurious fees
taxa usurária
1. An exorbitantly high fee or charge that is considered excessive, exploitative, or unconscionable, often associated with lending practices or financial services
The payday lender was criticized for charging usurious fees that trapped borrowers in cycles of debt.
O credor de dia de pagamento foi criticado por cobrar taxas usurárias que prenderam os mutuários em ciclos de dívida.
2. A fee that violates usury laws by exceeding the legal maximum interest rate or charges allowed by jurisdiction
The court ruled that the bank's usurious fees violated state usury regulations.
O tribunal decidiu que as taxas usurárias do banco violavam as regulamentações estaduais de usura.
In both Brazil and the USA, usurious fees are strongly regulated by consumer protection laws and financial regulations. In Brazil, the Central Bank and consumer protection agencies actively monitor lending practices. In the US, usury laws vary by state, and the term is particularly relevant in discussions about payday lending, credit cards, and predatory lending practices affecting low-income communities. This term carries strong negative connotations in both cultures and is often used in consumer advocacy and legal contexts.
NYC Slang
sky-high fee / highway robbery
Synonyms / Sinônimos
extortionate feeexorbitant chargepredatory feeexploitative chargeexcessive interest
Antonyms / Antônimos
reasonable feefair chargecompetitive ratemodest fee

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
taxa usurária
Standard term used in financial and legal contexts
Rio de Janeiro
taxa usurária / cobrança abusiva
May also use 'cobrança abusiva' (abusive charge) colloquially
São Paulo
taxa usurária
Formal usage in business and legal documents
Portugal
taxa usurária / juro usurário
Often referred to as 'juro usurário' (usurious interest) in Portuguese legal terminology

Related Words

usuryusurerpredatory lendinginterest rateexploitationloan shark

Related Idioms & Phrases

charging an arm and a leg
daylight robbery
bleeding someone dry
robbing Peter to pay Paul
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