Kerala: App operators threaten kin of youngster who took loan
KOCHI: As law enforcement authorities intensify their efforts to combat illegal loan apps, distressing incidents have emerged in Thirumarady, where relatives of a youth, who had taken a loan from an app, have been subjected to abusive and threatening messages. Based on a complaint, the Koothattukulam police have taken legal action against a loan app called “10 App.” Furthermore, the young borrower, who had been missing since October 5, was successfully located by the police on Tuesday.
Several months ago, this young individual, upon learning about the loan app, borrowed money from the platform and subsequently downloaded the “10 App” onto his mobile phone to access the funds. After receiving the loan, he began receiving incessant calls demanding repayment. However, due to the exorbitant interest rates imposed by the app, the borrower found it difficult to repay the entire sum. In response, the app’s representatives pressured him to renew the existing loan.
On September 22, his parents and relatives received abusive messages from a WhatsApp number bearing the victim’s profile picture. Alarmed by this development, they confronted the victim, who then disclosed the troubling incident involving the loan app. Tragically, the victim went missing, when he left home to attend a job interview.
“First, we registered a missing person’s case. During the investigation, the relatives of the youth informed us about the abusive messages they received from the loan app. On Tuesday, we successfully located the missing person. He explained that he had gone into hiding due to multiple debts incurred from various individuals and apps, all of whom are now demanding repayment,” said a police officer involved in the case.
In similar cases, the accused parties have been known to gain access to pictures, contact details, and other content on victims’ phones when the app is installed on mobile devices or computers.