Cardiff is an alternative lender based in San Diego, California with a regional office in Orange County. This small company is in the business of providing a diverse range of “industry-specific” funding options to businesses in need of cash for working capital, equipment upgrades and growth opportunities. Billing itself as “non-traditional,” Bank of Cardiff reaches into markets not covered by most alternative lenders, going beyond MCAs to provide small and large business loans, lines of credit, accounts receivable financing and more.

A focus on growth for its customers is the guiding principle at Bank of Cardiff, but the content of its website and social media profiles doesn’t clarify how the lender achieves this goal. Although the website contains a great deal of information, much of it is repetitive and doesn’t provide straightforward details for merchants in need of loans. This requires potential customers to contact the company or submit an application to discover their loan options.

The inclusion of a fraud alert policy and information on how to prevent fraud indicates Bank of Cardiff prioritizes the security of its customers. Few alternative lenders have such policies on their websites despite statistics showing 25 percent of lending fraud in digital markets results from fake accounts.