Cyber Security Authority Flags 38 Lending Mobile Apps
The Cyber Security Agency (CSA) has flagged almost 40 digital lending mobile applications over cyberbullying following 130 formal complaints.
They are Ahomka Loan, Antcredit, Beanloan, bestloan, Bezomoney, Boomlaon, Casharrow, Cashwave, Cmgh, CosyCredit, Credit Bag, Divacash, Express Loan, Five Loan, Full Credit, Home Credit, Itapcredit, Kashby, Lever credit, Leverloan, Lightscience, Loanfast, MegaCredit, Minaloan, Mixloan, and Omansika.
The rest are Ozzy Money, Pea Money, Perfect Loan, Pojacredit, Profitloan, Prokash, Roseloan, Safeoan, Starloan, SunTrust, Tipcash and UnikCredit.
These apps, the Authority said, have been confirmed to be contravening the Banks and Specialised Deposit-taking Institutions Act 2016 (ACT 930) as well as flouting the compliance obligations of Data Protection Commission (DPC).
“Their access and use of the data (contacts, photos) and personally identifiable information (PII) during installation,” it added in a statement.
These apps have also been fingered in fraudulent activities and cyberbullying. According to the Authority, an amount of GHC200 is credited into the account of a user’s mobile money wallet the moment he installs the app without the recourse to the actual loan request.
“One week after disbursing the loan, the fraudsters use extortion tactics including demanding loan repayment with high interest rates; threatening to circulate actual or fabricated nude photos of the victim; and threatening to label the victim as a thief or a wanted criminal.”
It reports that even after repayment of the money, the fraudsters continue to demand additional payment.
Ghanaians have therefore been strongly advised against using these apps.
