Is AmONE a Scam?

If you’re thinking of using AmONE, you need to know whether it’s safe. Is AmONE a scam? 

Below, we explain whether AmONE is a scam and discuss some steps you can take to improve your safety when using this loan marketplace.

What Is AmONE?

AmONE is a free online service that matches borrowers with lenders. 

It doesn’t lend money itself. The service uses proprietary software to match consumers with banks, credit union partners, and debt relief companies. 

Users fill out one form to receive offers from multiple lenders. AmONE uses a soft credit pull to show potential loan offers.

The company is owned by marketing firm QuinStreet, which operates lead‑generation sites across finance and education. 

Is AmONE a Scam?

No, AmONE is not a scam. Based on publicly available information and reviews, AmONE is generally considered a legitimate loan-matching marketplace.

Several third-party publications and review sites have reviewed AmONE. 

For example, a Business Insider review of AmONE lists pros such as flexible loan amounts, multiple offers, and free service, but warns that AmONE is not a lender, terms and rates vary by partner, and some lenders may charge origination fees. Business Insider gives AmONE a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars. 

FinanceBuzz notes that AmONE is easy to use but offers a limited roster of lenders (and reportedly does not include big-name lenders like Bank of America). It will only connect you with lenders in its network and may not show the lowest rates available. It gives AmONE a rating of 3.7 out of 5 stars. 

LendEDU is more generous, giving AmONE a 4.4 out of 5 stars rating. Its list of pros includes the ability to get loans in two minutes, some lenders offering loans as fast as one day, and partnering with lenders that offer loans to people with low credit scores. Cons listed include AmONE not being transparent about its lending partners and potential origination fees. 

A Money review notes that the AmONE service is good for people with poor credit because it can find offers others might miss. However, it says many customers complain about spam contacts and limited transparency about lending partners.

User reviews of AmONE are mixed at the time of writing: 

• 2.8 out of 5.0 stars (from over 300 reviews) on Google.
• 4.1 out of 5.0 stars (from over 3,000 reviews) on Trustpilot.
• 3.8 out of 5.0 stars (from over 300 reviews) on ConsumerAffairs.
• 2.58 out of 5.0 stars (from over 40 reviews) on Better Business Bureau. 

People praise the quick and easy process, helpful and polite representatives (in most cases), and time saved searching for lenders.

Complaints mention repeated denials, being pressured into credit repair services, and limited approvals. 

Many negative reviews also come from individuals not realizing that AmONE is a matching service, not a lender itself. 

AmONE responds to most negative reviews and consistently clarifies that it is not a lender. 

On online forums like Reddit, people share varied experiences. 

Some users appreciate the soft credit check, while others say they were offered high interest rates.

One person says:

“Got connected with a decent lender through them, but had to deal with a lot of junk offers too. Process worked but was annoying.”

Another says:

“They’re alright, not horrible. Anywhere from 15-30%. If you miss payments or try to draw out too long, it can shoot cost thru the roof. They are the type of loan company you go to when desperate.”

Many users say that if you apply through AmONE, you should be prepared for a wave of calls and texts.

One individual writes:

“They do a soft pull initially which is nice, but be prepared for your phone to ring constantly once you submit your info.”

AmONE is not Better Business Bureau accredited as of this writing, but holds an A+ rating. BBB ratings represent how the BBB thinks the business is likely to interact with consumers.

As of this writing, the BBB complaint summary lists 29 complaints in the past three years, with 14 complaints closed in the past 12 months. 

Consumers complain about receiving repeated calls to complete a loan application they didn’t request and difficulties unsubscribing from marketing lists. 

AmONE regulatory actions and lawsuits

In 2022, a proposed class action alleged that AmONE collected phone numbers through its site and used prerecorded robocalls without consent, violating the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

AmONE security 

In its privacy notice, AmONE briefly describes its security measures.

It says it has implemented “certain physical, technical, and administrative steps to protect the data we collect from and about Site users.”

There have been no major publicly disclosed breaches associated with AmONE at the time of writing.

AmONE privacy

AmONE describes in its privacy notice the kind of data it collects, why, and with whom it shares it.

It may collect the following personal information:

• Identifiers: Name, phone number, email address, postal address, zip code, IP address, unique personal identifier, online identifier, account name, and other similar identifiers. 
• Financial and insurance data: Insurance policy number, bank account information, credit card or debit card number, financial information, outstanding loan amount, employment status, homeowner status, health insurance information, number of vehicles you own, vehicle identification number, and credit information. 
• Demographics: Age, marital status, gender, veteran or military status, and medical condition. 
• Commercial information: Information related to services and/or products considered or obtained, as well as other purchasing or consuming histories or tendencies. 
• Online activity: Information related to your browsing history and search history.
• Technical Information: Browser type, referrer URL, MAC address, device type, screen resolution, OS version, date and time of your visit.
  Geolocation data: IP location. 
• Visual and audio information: Your interactions with the Site and Media Partner sites, such as mouse movements, keystrokes, and form field entries, as well as marketing calls content.
• Employment information: Current or past job history. 
• Education information: Information related to your educational level. 
• Inferences: AmONE draws this data from your information and web activity.
• Sensitive personal information: Driver’s license number, Social Security number, medical information, and medical condition. 

AmONE may collect this data from you (automatically when you visit the site and when you fill out forms or inquire about products), from third parties such as media partners, advertisers, and credit agencies (with your consent where required), and across devices (using cookies and similar tracking technologies). 

The company may use this information to connect you with advertising and marketing partners, match you to products/services, and respond to inquiries.

Plus, for marketing and promotional communications as well as for analytics, site performance monitoring, and fraud/compliance verification.

Additionally, it may use your data for aggregated analytics and demographic analysis, and, in some cases, for automated decision-making in ad matching. 

AmONE sells and shares personal information, including for targeted advertising. 

The categories of data sold or shared include identifiers, credit data, demographics, online activity, location data, education data, and inferred profiles. 

It may share data with: 

• Advertising partners.
• Data aggregators.
• Service providers.
• Affiliates.
• Buyers in a merger or sale.

The company says it may receive fees or commissions from these data transfers. It does not knowingly collect or sell data from individuals under 18. 

AmONE uses cookies, pixels, and similar tracking tools and says that tracking may occur across devices. Site interactions may be recorded, including screen activity, and third-party advertisers may also track users.

You can opt out of some tracking via industry tools (e.g., Google and the NAI).

Depending on where you reside, you may have privacy rights, like the right to know what data is collected, sold, or shared, as well as the right to access your personal information, request deletion or correction, and request a list of third parties who received your data. 

You may also have the right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information and targeted advertising and appeal privacy-rights decisions. 

However, AmONE notes that because users do not have accounts and identities are hard to verify, it may not be able to fully honor individual data requests and may instead provide general practice descriptions.

You can also opt out of marketing emails, phone calls, text messages, the sale/sharing of personal data, and targeted advertising. You can do this through the links on AmONE’s website or by replying “STOP” to texts. 

Note that opting out does not remove your data from third-party databases.

AmONE keeps your data for as long as reasonably necessary or legally required. 

Data may be transferred across international borders, and by using the AmONE site, you consent to these transfers.

So, Should You Use AmONE?

Depends.

AmONE may be useful for borrowers who want to compare multiple loan offers quickly, have fair credit, and prefer a single soft credit inquiry. 

AmONE may not be the best choice if you prefer to avoid spam calls, want a guaranteed rate, or need to know exactly which lenders will see your application. 

How to Use AmONE Safely and Privately 

• Share the least amount of information necessary. AmONE collects very broad personal, financial, and sensitive data, including SSN, driver’s license number, employment details, and credit information. To reduce data sharing, complete forms only when you are actively seeking a specific product, and skip optional fields whenever possible.
• Assume your data may be sold or shared. AmONE sells and shares personal information, including for targeted advertising, so assume that any data you submit may be shared with multiple advertisers and data partners.
• Use a masked phone number. Use a separate or masked phone number when using the site to reduce how much information AmONE and its partners have about you and reduce unwanted calls. Submitting your information may result in calls and text messages from AmONE or its advertising partners. Even if you opt out later, your data cannot be removed from third-party databases.
• Opt out. Turn on the Global Privacy Control (GPC) in your browser before visiting the site (AmONE says it acknowledges it) and use the “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” link in the footer of the AmONE site. 
• Limit tracking and behavioral recording. Use a privacy-focused browser or private browsing mode and turn off third-party cookies where possible. 
• Understand that deletion requests may be limited. In its privacy policy, AmONE says that it may not be able to verify user identity, making it difficult to fully honor deletion or access requests. In many cases, they may only provide a general description of practices instead of removing data. Consequently, it’s a good idea to treat submission of data as effectively permanent. Decide upfront whether the potential offers are worth the privacy tradeoff.
• Expect third-party follow-up (and opt out when it happens). Your data may be shared with advertising partners, data aggregators, and service providers. Those third parties have their own privacy policies. Read the privacy policy of any lender or advertiser that contacts you and opt out separately from each third party you hear from.
• If you’re privacy-sensitive, consider alternatives. AmONE is an advertising and lead-matching platform, not a neutral comparison tool. If privacy is a top concern for you, you may prefer to contact lenders directly rather than using lead-generation sites.