Would you pledge your soul as loan collateral?

Ready to give your soul for a loan in these difficult economic times?





In Latvia, where the crisis has raged more than in the rest of the European Union, you can.





Such a deal is being offered by the Kontora loan company, whose public face is Viktor Mirosiichenko, 34.





Clients have to sign a contract, with the words "Agreement" in bold letters at the top. The client agrees to the collateral, "that is, my immortal soul".





Mirosiichenko said his company would not employ debt collectors to get its money back if people refused to repay, and promised no physical violence. Signatories only have to give their first name and do not show any documents.





"If they don't give it back, what can you do? They won't have a soul, that's all," he told Reuters in a basement office, with one desk, a computer and three chairs.





Wearing sunglasses, a black suit and a white shirt with the words "Kontora" (office) emblazoned on it, he reaches into his pocket and lays out a sheaf of notes on the table to show that the business is serious and not a joke.





Latvia has been the EU nation worst hit by economic crisis.


Unemployment is soaring and banks have sharply reduced their lending, meaning that small companies offering easy loans in small amounts have become more popular.





Mirosiichenko said his company was basically trusting people to repay the small amounts they borrowed, which has so far been up to 250 lats ($500) for between 1 and 90 days at a hefty interest rate.


He said about 200 people had taken out loans over the two months the business was in operation.|||Faith,if there were a Heaven and Hell,Satan would have had my soul years ago.Luckily for me,I don't have one,except for an ar*ehole! ;)|||Ha ha! Really!?


I just signed for a mortgage application today, it felt like they wanted my soul. Although having only skim-read the small print they might have the rights to it yet!


My soul is all black and wizened, who would want it?|||I would but it already belongs to my girlfriend.|||I would not give my soul to anybody, and nor would I dole out anymore money from this Nation of ours. All these Countries do nothing but buy arms to fight with and then when they get in a mess they turn to the UK. Do they think we have a bottomless pit in the UK, because we would be in a sorry state if the shoe was on the other foot and we needed bailing out every year.We were always known as a rich Country, but I would think that it was many years ago when we had that name, because now it would seem that if the British people needed anything we have no where to turn.This is the question, but there does not appear to be any answers to that because by then we will be destitute ourselves, as we seem to be keeping the rest of the World in everything they want from us.|||Yes.


I'm cheap!