Frequently Asked Questions
Who is S.O.S. Loans? ▾
S.O.S. Loans, Inc. is a California corporation offering personal unsecured loans entirely through the internet and electronic banking system. We are NOT a bank or a financial institution, we are a direct finance lender licensed through the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) License No. 603-F428 . This allows us to make quick credit approval decisions and immediately fund your loan.
What type of loans does S.O.S. Loans offer? ▾
S.O.S. Loans primarily offers Unsecured Personal Installment Loans in California, ranging from $5,000 to $50,000, for debt consolidation, home improvements, or major purchases, providing quick online applications and funding. We also act as a Mortgage Broker, offering home purchase, refinance, HELOCs, and reverse mortgages, plus Auto Equity Loans and Credit Builder Loans.
Key Loan Types:
Personal Loans: Unsecured, fixed payments, no collateral, used for various needs like debt consolidation, home projects, or events.
Mortgage Services: Assistance with new home purchases (Conventional, FHA, VA) and refinancing.
Home Equity Loans & HELOCs: Options for using home equity.
Reverse Mortgages: For seniors seeking to access home equity.
Auto Equity Loans: Loans using your car's equity.
Credit Builder Loans: To help improve credit.
Key Features:
Direct Lender & Broker: Functions as both a direct lender for personal loans and a mortgage broker.
California Focus: Primarily serves California residents.
Fast Funding: Quick online process with same-day funding potential for personal loans.
Is "www.sosloans.com" secure? How secure is my information? ▾
Yes, our website is set up and maintained to ensure our customers' information is secure. Our website is secured with RapidSSL Web Server Certificate. Transactions on our website are protected with up to 128-bit Secure Sockets Layer encryption. This is the same level of security that banks and credit union's use for their online banking transactions. If you are still unsure about the security of doing business with S.O.S. Loans online, feel free to call one of our representatives between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time. Click to review our Privacy Policy
What is SSL? ▾
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is a protocol for enabling data encryption on the intranet and for helping web site users confirm the owner of the web site. SSL is most commonly used to protect communications between web browsers and servers. However it is increasingly used for server to server communications and for web-based applications.
What is encryption and why are there different levels? ▾
Encryption is a mathematical process of coding and decoding information. The number of bits (40-bit, 56-bit, 128-bit, 256-bit) tells you the size of the key. Like a longer password, a larger key has more possible combinations. When an encrypted session is established, the encryption level is determined by the capability of the web browser, SSL certificate, web server, and client computer operating system.
What amounts are offered? ▾
S.O.S. Loans offers unsecured loans of $5,000 to $50,000. As a new applicant our entry level loan is $5,000. If you need more than $5,000 just let us know and we will approve your account for as much as we can.
Does S.O.S. Loans check my credit? ▾
Yes. We check your credit with Experian one of the three major credit reporting agencies. However, your credit score is not the only determining factor for loan approval. They look at your income , expenses and ability to pay back the loan. Also, we look to see if your most recent credit history is trending in the positive direction as well.
How can I get a FREE copy of my credit score or report? ▾
How much is the application fee? ▾
Nothing -- our online application is FREE. You will not be charged an application fee for filling out the online application. If your loan application is approved, there will be certain finance charges imposed in connection with your loan, which will be disclosed to you before you sign your promissory note.
What are your minimum requirements to be considered for a loan with S.O.S. Loans? ▾
- are at least 18 years old
- have a Social Security Number
- verifiable source of income
- have a valid US checking account
- are a resident of the State of California
- are not serving in the Military
- have an e-mail account registered in your name
How do I apply for a loan through S.O.S. Loans? ▾
- Just complete the online application CLICK HERE: https://sosloans.com/application
- Call us at 1-800-503-6648 and one of our friendly loan advisors will pre-qualify your application.
When are you open? ▾
Our loan processing hours are Monday through Friday, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. We accept applications 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, online at www.sosloans.com. Any application not submitted during loan processing hours will be processed at the beginning of the next business day. We are closed on all banking holidays.
What documents will I need to provide? ▾
In most cases you will need:
- a copy of your driver's license
- a voided check from your active checking account
and may also be asked to supply us with:
- a W-2 form
- a payroll stub
- a bank account statement
- a utility bill
*Self-employed applicants may also need to supply us with certain tax documents and bank statements.
Is S.O.S. Loans licensed? ▾
What can I expect after my application is approved? ▾
We will ask you to FAX in (or scan and e-mail) a copy of your driver's license and a voided check. Once we receive ALL of your requested documents and they have been verified by our Loan Processing Department, a representative will contact you via telephone (usually within 15 minutes) to answer any questions you may have regarding the terms and conditions of your loan. You will then have an opportunity to review the payment terms and make a decision whether to accept or reject the loan offer. If you decide to accept our offer, the representative will also request a convenient billing cycle for your loan which will reflect on the Promissory Note as your loan payment due date. You will then receive an email from our office with a link to our document server, by clicking the link you will navigate to our Electronic Signing Room, so that you can review and electronically sign your Promissory Note.
What is an electronic signature (e-signature) and is it legal? ▾
An electronic signature is defined as an electronic symbol or process, attached to or logically associated with a record, and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the record. On June 30, 2000, President Clinton signed into law the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act ("ESIGN"), which made signed electronic contracts and documents as legally binding as a paper-based contract. This electronic signature technology has allowed S.O.S. Loans to offer their customers the ability to sign their loans quickly and conveniently through the internet.
How do I e-sign my loan documents? ▾
You will receive an email from our office with a link to our document server, by clicking the link (or by copying and pasting the link into your browser) you will navigate to our Electronic Signing Room, so that you can review and electronically sign your Promissory Note. You will first see a “Welcome to our Electronic Signing Room” screen, on the screen you will see a light green button, “Click here to review and sign”, click the button and you will then navigate to your “Promissory Note and Disclosure Statement”. PLEASE CAREFULLY READ AND REVIEW THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS LOAN. At this point you may still reject the loan offer by clicking the “Exit” button in the upper right hand corner of the screen. If you wish to accept the loan offer scroll down to “Page 3” and place your cursor into the “Initial” boxes (3) and type your initials as requested. Then place the cursor on the “Sign Here” boxes (2) and type your full legal name. At the bottom of the page there is a “SIGN HERE” box that is requesting your “Name:”, again, place your curser in the “Name:” field and type your full legal name. Finally, at the very bottom of your browser window above the task bar there is a gray footer entitled, “FINISH HERE”, click on the “Consumer Disclosure” link and review, then if you agree with the “Consumer Disclosure” click the box with your mouse next to the following, “I am applying a legally binding e-signature in my name to this document and have read the Consumer Disclosure.”, lastly, click the “Sign Electronically” button. You will then see a quick processing screen and a “Thank you for signing.” message, and you can print out a copy of your signed document for your records. You will also receive an e-mail with an attached PDF copy of your electronically signed Promissory Note.
How quickly will I get funded? ▾
If your Promissory Note is e-signed before 1:15 PM PST, on any normal business day you will be funded usually within an hour. If your Promissory Note is e-signed after 1:15 PM PST, but before 4:45 PM PST, you will be funded in the AM of the following banking day.
What is the interest rate? ▾
The interest rate that you pay on your loan will depend on your credit score and history, income and ability to pay back your loan.
How do I make payments on my loan? ▾
Typically, payments are withdrawn electronically from your checking account on your due date. We also accept payments through PayPal, Zelle and any Moneygram Express Payment outlet. Find a Moneygram Express Payment outlet near you by clicking the following link: MoneyGram Agent Locator - USA
When making a payment through a MoneyGram Outlet you will need the following information:
Receive Code: 6100
Company Name: S.O.S. Loans
City: Torrance
State: CA
Loan No.:
Is there a penalty for paying my loan off early? ▾
Never, we encourage you to pay off your loan as soon as possible. You may pay any additional amount at anytime or pay off the entire loan at anytime with no penalty to you. You will only be responsible for the portion of interest for the time that your balance is outstanding. Go to our Loan Products page to see how some of our customers have managed to save a great deal of money and shortening the term of the loan by paying their loans early.
*By making an extra $50.00 payment/month on our $2600 loan, you will shorten your loan term to 19 months and save thousands in interest.
What if I have questions about my account or need answers to general information? ▾
You may e-mail us at customerservice@sosloans.com with any questions at any time. You can call or text S.O.S. Loans' customer service department at 1-800-503-6648, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific Time.
What are mobile alerts and how can I sign up for them? ▾
If you are on the go and do not have access to a computer, we can send text (SMS) message(s) to your mobile phone regarding :
- Approval of your loan
- Funding details
- Upcoming payment reminders
- Any other important message regarding your loan
You can sign up for mobile alerts in two ways. First, during your initial application click the Mobile Phone Alerts box and enter your mobile phone carrier and follow the steps. Or if you are an existing S.O.S. Loans customer you can go to the LOGIN page, log into your account and follow the simple steps.
Please note that your mobile carrier's text messaging charges may apply. S.O.S. Loans does not share information to any third-parties, and you will not receive any solicitations other than the alerts described above. You may cancel these alerts at anytime by e-mailing us at: mobilealerts@sosloans.com or call us toll free at: 1-800-503-6648.
Please note this is an optional service and is not required to obtain a loan with S.O.S. Loans.
What steps can I take to ensure the security of my account information? ▾
There are several things you can do to protect your account information:
- Never reveal user name or password to anyone.
- Always log off of the web site and close your browser before leaving your computer for an extended period of time.
- Always log off of the web site before accessing other web sites. We also recommend closing and opening a new browser window before accessing other web sites.
How can I prevent fraud? ▾
S.O.S Loans will NEVER ask you for private financial information by sending you an e-mail. If you receive an e-mail that appears to be from S.O.S. Loans asking for personal information of any kind, please DO NOT respond. Instead, forward the e-mail to customerservice@sosloans.com so we can take appropriate measures to protect our borrowers.
Finally, NEVER click on e-mail links that request personal information. Do not click on a link embedded within any potentially suspicious e-mail, especially if the e-mail requests personal information. Instead, try starting a new internet session with your browser, typing the web address of the link into the address bar, and pressing 'Enter' to be sure you are directed to a legitimate website.
How can I prevent being a victim of identity theft? ▾
Identity thieves acquire personal information by outright theft, hacking a computer, making a phone call, stealing mail, or sorting through trash for credit card offers. Here are a few ways to avoid becoming a victim:
Check your credit report annually. To request your credit report, contact one of the three credit reporting agencies at:
- Equifax — www.equifax.com or 1-800-685-1111
- Experian — www.experian.com or 1-888-397-3742
- Trans Union — www.transunion.com or 1-877-322-8228
These three national credit reporting agencies sponsor www.annualcreditreport.com, where you can request copies of your FREE credit report from all three reporting agencies once every 12 months.
- Review your bills and statements on a regular basis for any unusual activity and report any discrepancies immediately.
- Guard your mail and trash from theft.
- Shred any financial solicitations or other bank statements before disposing of them.
-
Report lost or stolen checks or credit/debit cards immediately.
-
Notify your bank immediately of suspicious phone inquiries and emails such as those asking to verify personal account information.
- Keep your social security number safe and don't give it out unless you know the person or organization you are dealing with.
How do I obtain my current loan balance or pay-off balance? ▾
You can request a pay-off balance or current loan balance by logging into your account at: Login and clicking the link: "Request a loan pay-off balance" OR you may contact us via phone: 1-800-503-6648, OR email: customerservice@sosloans.com.
How do I change my password? ▾
In order to change your password navigate to the Login Page, click the link: "forgot your password?", (Make sure to add customerservice@sosloans.com and noreply@sosloans.com to your e-mail "Contacts" or "Safe Sender" list so our email gets to your inbox.) then enter the email address you used in your original application. The system will then send you an email containing a link to reset your password. Enter and confirm your new password and you are now able to login with your new password.
Note: If you did not receive this email link, check your spam or junk folder.
Do you offer payday or cash advance loans? ▾
NO, we do NOT offer payday or cash advance type loans. We offer unsecured personal or installment loans. Our loans range from $5,000 to $50,000 and payments are automatically debited from your checking account on a monthly basis. Our loans are less expensive than payday or cash advances and you have more time to pay back the loan.
Can I re-apply for a loan even if my application was not approved in the past? ▾
YES, we recommend that you wait at least 6 months from your previous application before applying again. If you would like to be reconsidered for a loan with S.O.S. Loans, just Login to your account using your email address and password, update any of your information then, click on the link: "Reconsider my application for a loan (It has been at least 6 months since I applied)". You will receive a response back via email or text usually within 15 minutes regarding the approval of your loan.*
*As long as the "reconsider my application" link was clicked during normal business hours, otherwise your application will be processed the following business day.
How can I check the status of my loan application? ▾
As long as your online loan application was submitted during normal business hours you will be able to log-in to your S.O.S. account and retrieve the results, usually, within about, 15 minutes. You will also receive a confirming email/text message regarding your loan application during this timeframe. However, if we receive your application after normal business hours, it will be processed the following business day, in the order that we receive them. Keep in mind we are closed on weekends and all banking holidays. If you do not not receive the loan status email please check your junk or spam folder in your email account.
Make sure to add customerservice@sosloans.com and noreply@sosloans.com to your e-mail "Contacts" or "Safe Sender" list so our emails get to your inbox.
Do you accept co-signers? ▾
Unfortunately, we do not accept co-signers on our loans. Our loans are individual personalized loans. In our underwriting process we only consider income, expenses & credit of the applicant.
My application has an error that reads, "incorrect email address!" by the email field? ▾
If you receive this error message check and verify that you entered your email in the proper format (ie. username@domain.xxx) and also that both the email and email (confirmation) fields match.
What is your late payment policy? ▾
We understand that sometimes you may need alittle more time to make a payment. That is why we offer you the ability to delay your payment of up to 9 days at NO extra cost to you. If you need even more time a payment may be postponed for the following fee(s): $10.00 for more than 10 days, if a payment is more than 15 days late a $15.00 fee will be charged. In most cases this will NOT result in a derogatory item on your credit report. To postpone your payment date just email us at : customerservice@sosloans.com or contact us at 1-800-503-6648.
How is my personal loan funded? ▾
Do you accept Credit Card or Debit Card for personal loan payments? ▾
What are your current requirements for an SOS Personal Loan? ▾
- Monthly Gross Income: $6,500 (W-2 Income Only)
- FICO Score: 550+
- 2 years minimum employment
- 2 year minimum banking relationship (checking acct)
If you meet these requirements the best way to qualify is to submit an application online at: https://sosloans.com
Must be 18 Years or
Older
Must be a
California Resident
Must Have a Verifiable
Source of Income
Must Have an Active
Checking Account
How do I qualify and apply for a personal loan? ▾
- Monthly Gross Income: $6,500 (W-2 Income Only)
- FICO Score: 550+
- 2 years minimum employment
- 2 year minimum banking relationship (checking acct)
If you meet these requirements the best way to qualify is to submit an application online at: https://sosloans.com
Can I get a personal loan in California with bad credit and have a high W2 income? ▾
What types of loans are available in California for high-income earners with less-than-perfect credit? ▾
How does my high W2 income impact my loan approval odds in California, even with a low credit score? ▾
What documents do I need to apply for a loan in California as a W2 high-wage earner with fair credit? ▾
As a W2 high-wage earner in California, gathering your documents for a personal loan application is straightforward. You'll typically need to provide:
- Proof of Identity: A valid California Driver's License or State ID.
- Proof of Income: Your most recent W2 forms (usually 1-2 years) and recent pay stubs (typically 1-3 months) to confirm your high, stable income.
- Proof of Residency: A utility bill or bank statement with your California address.
- Bank Statements: Recent statements (usually 1-3 months) to verify your income deposits and financial stability.
Our online application process is designed to be quick and secure, making it easy to submit these documents.
Start Your Application: https://sosloans.com/application
Will applying for a loan with bad credit in California further hurt my credit score? ▾
Can I use a loan from SOSLoans.com for debt consolidation in California if I have high income but high interest debt? ▾
What is a mortgage broker and how does S.O.S. Loans help? ▾
Is it better to go to a bank or a mortgage broker like S.O.S. Loans? ▾
How much can I afford to borrow for a home loan? ▾
What are the current mortgage rates in California? ▾
What credit score do I need for a mortgage with S.O.S. Loans? ▾
How long does the mortgage approval process take? ▾
What documents do I need to apply for a home loan? ▾
To get started with your S.O.S. Loans application, you will typically need:
Income Proof: Last 2 years of W-2s and 30 days of pay stubs.
Assets: 2 months of bank statements.
Tax Returns: Last 2 years of federal filings.
Identification: Government-issued ID (Driver's License or Passport).
Can S.O.S. Loans help with mortgage refinancing? ▾
Are there low down payment options for first-time buyers? ▾
How does S.O.S. Loans get paid? ▾
What is the maximum loan amount for a Jumbo Reverse Mortgage in Los Angeles? ▾
Can I get a Jumbo Reverse Mortgage on a luxury condo in Santa Monica? ▾
Is there a "Mansion Tax" (Measure ULA) impact on these loans? ▾
Will my heirs be responsible for the debt if my LA home value drops? ▾
At what age can I apply for a proprietary Jumbo loan in California? ▾
What type of loans does S.O.S. Loans offer? ▾
Can California homeowners use a personal loan for home improvements or debt consolidation? ▾
Yes. We offer fixed-rate personal loans from $5,000 to $100,000, as well as second mortgages, HELOCs, and Home Equity Investments (HEI) for larger project amounts up to $500,000+.

