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E-LOAN Ranked "Best Overall" in Fourth Quarter 2006 Customer Respect Study

Pleasanton, Calif. - November 13, 2006 - E-LOAN, an online consumer direct lender and longtime advocate of consumer financial protection, today announced that it has received the highest overall rating in the fourth quarter 2006 Online Customer Respect Study of the financial services industry. E-LOAN continues to set the standard for customer respect by once again leading financial services companies with the highest rating overall.
The Customer Respect Group, an international research and consulting firm that focuses on how companies treat their online customers, reported that E-LOAN's Customer Respect Index (CRI) Rating was the highest among all financial services firms in the survey. The Customer Respect Index is a qualitative and quantitative in-depth analysis and independent measure of a customer's online experience when interacting with companies online.
E-LOAN led the overall ranking with a consumers' trust index score of 7.9 compared to the industry average of 5.7. According to the study, E-LOAN beat out major financial services brands Visa and Wachovia. Among all financial services firms polled, E-LOAN ranked highest for transparency. Of the 65 companies studied, E-LOAN was one of only four to achieve the Excellent Customer Respect Standard.
"This company was founded on the belief that consumers deserve a fair, open and honest way to get a loan and save money," said Mark Lefanowicz, president of E-LOAN. "We take this responsibility seriously, continually striving to provide the best possible customer experience. We are pleased and honored that consumers continue to recognize these efforts."
Since its inception, E-LOAN has been working on behalf of consumers to transform the lending industry, providing consumers with a more open, fair and honest lending experience. As a staunch consumer advocate, E-LOAN played an active role in the legislative battle to provide consumers access to their credit scores, the most important factor in determining whether a consumer is approved for a loan and at what rate.
In June 2002, E-LOAN co-founded Californians for Privacy Now (CFPN), a coalition dedicated to requiring financial services companies to obtain the consent of consumers before sharing their information with third parties and affiliates. As a result, E-LOAN helped facilitate the California legislature's passage of one of the strongest consumer financial privacy protection laws in the nation. For more information or to purchase the report, interested parties may visit www.customerrespect.com.
About E-LOAN
E-LOAN is an online consumer direct lender dedicated to providing consumers with a simple, easy and open way to obtain mortgage, auto loans, home equity loans, and online savings and certificate of deposit accounts. Since its launch in 1997, E-LOAN has drawn upon its pro consumer values to improve the lending and online savings experience in revolutionary ways. By eliminating the traditional incentive structure to charge consumers higher rates, giving consumers free access to credit scores and eliminating lender fees, E-LOAN is providing a uniquely open, fair and honest process. Protecting consumers' financial privacy is also a paramount concern, leading E-LOAN to implement industry leading privacy practices and advocate strong consumer financial privacy protection laws. Consumers have recognized E-LOAN for its trustworthiness and respect for customers. Three independent studies conducted by TRUSTe and The Ponemon Institute ranked E-LOAN as one of the Top 20 Most Trusted Companies for Privacy in America. In another independent study conducted by The Customer Respect Group, E-LOAN received the overall highest rating in the Online Customer Respect Study of North America's largest financial services firms. Since it started its operations, E-LOAN has originated and sold over $27 billion in consumer loans.
E-LOAN is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Popular Financial Holdings, Inc., which in turn is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Popular, Inc., a full service financial services provider with operations in Puerto Rico, the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America. To find out more about E-LOAN and its products and services, logon to http://www.eloan.com or call 1-888-533-5333.
E-LOAN Press Contact:Laurie AzzanoCosmo PR415/786-331laurie@cosmo-pr.com

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