ACE Cash Express Inc., the nation's largest payday lender, is being sued in federal court by  a federal agency that claims ACE deceptively hid a free repayment plan option for customers unable to repay their loans.

The lawsuit filed in the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division also alleges the Irving-based company used unfair means to funnel consumers to costly repayment plans; engaged in abusive practices by materially interfering with consumers' ability to understand their right to the free repayment plan; took unreasonable advantage of consumers' ignorance of the conditions of repayment options; and withdrew funds from consumers' back accounts without authorization.