Port Blair, Dec 08: Recently, there has been an increase in the number of complaints related to mobile apps and websites offering loans online. These apps and websites provide micro loans of a few thousand rupees. However, even after the loan amount has been paid back, the victim is told that the payment was rejected and is continuously harassed into paying again. If the amount is not paid by the victim, he/she is threatened with distribution of edited images of the victim with vulgar caption to the victim’s contacts. In some cases, the victim’s relatives are also harassed as the scammers have access to the victim’s contacts.
When such apps are installed, it requests permission to access the phone contacts, gallery, etc. The data accessed are sent by the app to the scammers, who then use it to threaten and harass the victim. Depending on the permissions granted by the users, these apps are capable of collecting sensitive information about the victims based on the data available on the phone, including pictures, audio, video, messages, contact list, etc. which can be used to further harass the victim.
In this regard, Andaman and Nicobar Police issues the following advisory:
1. Do not install mobile apps which are offering loans online as they are most likely created by scammers.
2. When installing new mobile apps on your phone, check the permissions requested by the app to ensure that it does not have access to your personal information.
3. Occasionally check your phone to see if there are any mobile apps which you may not have installed.
4. Please don’t surrender to abusive/torturous method of recovery agents of these Loan App companies. In such case report the matter to the Police.
5. Please do not give your documents for opening of bank accounts to be operated by someone else and also don’t allow anybody to use your SIM to be used by someone else. These things can be used for illegal purposes.
For assistance, information or enquiries, please contact: Cyber Cell, Port Blair, over Ph No.03192-230668 or visit cybercrime.gov.in.
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