The payday loan industry has had a surge in recent months due to the downturn in the economy. It seems like there is an advance payday lender on every corner of every town and every city ready to give you a loan on your next paycheck. You can bet that where there are people struggling to make ends meet there is a payday loan shop set up nearby. And if that weren't convenient enough there are a million websites ready to serve this need.

But it is exactly this environment of urgent need that makes the online payday industry such a fertile ground for online scammers and frauds. Websites that are guilty of everything from tricking people into signing up for 30 day trials that end up charging when the trial date is up to flat out identity theft.

But if you are looking to get a payday loan, yes you can do it without getting taken. The solution is so easy no one should ever have to worry about being taken while searching for a loan. The problem is consumers just don't know to look for it.

What I am talking about is the CFSA seal. The CFSA , which stands for "The Community Financial Service Association" is a regulatory service set up to oversee the loan payday industry. Simply Put, they are there to help keep you from getting robbed. Every payday loan service and website that the CFSA monitors is required to place the CFSA seal on their website in plain view. This ensures that consumers who know will be able to find whether or not the websites they are searching are covered. If you are searching the Internet for a payday loan, yes you can feel safe provided you know to look for the CFSA seal while you are doing so.