In a worrying trend, scammers are targeting the youth in Himachal Pradesh on the pretext of providing easy loans through fake loan apps.
According to the police, the state has recently witnessed a surge in complaints, with youngsters, especially college students, being targeted by cybercriminals through various apps promising hassle-free instant loans.
The scammers initially offer loans ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. However, after disbursing the loan amount, they start blackmailing victims into repaying exorbitant sums. Furthermore, the scammers steal the victims’ personal and financial data by gaining access to their photographs, videos, contact details, passwords and other information. They then use this information to harass victims by threatening to make their morphed pictures and videos viral on the internet.
According to the police, most victims have mentioned in their complaints that they first came across advertisements for loan apps on social media platforms. They have also alleged that scammers continue to harass them even after they repay the loan amount along with interest.
The complaints also allege that payments several times the original loan amount are being demanded. Granting an app more permissions than necessary can provide access to a user’s contact list, photo gallery and other personal information, which could later be used for intimidation or blackmail.
Alerting people about the scam, Superintendent of Police (SP), Cybercrime, Amit Yadav said, “Fake loan apps can reach people through social media advertisements, search results, links sent in SMS and WhatsApp messages. These apps make attractive claims like ‘loan without documentation’, ‘instant approval’ and ‘loan in five minutes’. Many times, people assume these apps to be legitimate because they appear on a popular platform.
“After installing the app, the user may be asked for sensitive information like Aadhaar card, PAN card, bank details and photos. Some apps also ask for permission to access the contact list, photo gallery, camera and SMS. Giving more permissions than required can increase the risk of misuse of personal information.”
He advised people to avoid taking loans through suspicious apps. He also urged them to immediately report such incidents to the cybercrime helpline by dialling the toll-free number 1930 to ensure prompt action.
The SP said victims should also preserve screenshots of transactions, bank details, phone numbers, messages, app information and other digital evidence related to the fraud, as these serve as crucial evidence during investigations.
