Rhiannon Stanger, a 31-year-old single mother of three girls who wanted a chihuahua for her family, discovered one while visiting Miami in a pet shop.
Despite the requests from her daughters, Stanger was aware that she couldn't afford the puppy.
She was a full-time online college student while working as a veterinary technician in Pompano Beach, Florida, and earning $30,000.
She was then informed by a store staffer about a simple instalment loan option that would cost her $158 every two weeks.
Stanger claimed that she completed a loan application on a mobile tablet, signed it.
Consumer advocacy groups express concern as more people turn to high-interest "rent-a-bank" loans.