Mumbai: People getting threat calls after availing loans via Chinese apps

Photo for representational purpose

Citizens, urgently in need of small loans and seeking them via Chinese apps, are getting threat calls by ‘agents' if there is a delay in repayment. There have been many incidents of harassment of victims by such ‘loan sharks'.

In January, Telangana police arrested a Chinese, HE Jian alias Mark (26), from Jiangxi, from Thane for calling debtors and threatening them. Last year on November 27, TV serial writer Abhishek Makwana (37) died by suicide, allegedly following harassment by loan sharks of a Chinese app, stated a report in The Times of India.

Maharashtra Cyber Cell's Twitter handle receives at least four complaints a week from such victims.

Cyber expert Ritesh Bhatia said he got text messages from an app maligning one of his client's reputation even after he had paid above the loan taken. Bhatia's wife Nirali, a cyber-psychologist, also got complaints from victims stating that after repaying the loan they were still being harassed.

"The client took a loan for his son's blood transfusion. I received a text message maligning his name. He had taken Rs 1.8 lakh loan and ended up paying Rs 4 lakh, but still money is being demanded," Bhatia said.