Another man falls prey to agents’ blackmail after loan-app enquiry | India News – Times of India
MUMBAI: Just five days after a man died by suicide over circulation of his morphed objectionable photos on WhatsApp by “recovery agents of a loan app for non-repayment”, another resident, Anurag Singh (24), has allegedly fallen prey to similar blackmail. He filed a complaint with Kurar police on Sunday.
According to Singh’s police statement, the app accessed his contact list after he installed it on May 1 to enquire about what loan he could avail of and, without his consent, transferred Rs 3,805 to his account the same day. Kurar police said on May 6, Singh began to receive SMSes and threat calls demanding that he repays the “loan” along with “interest” that amounted to Rs 7,000 for just six days.
“Singh asked the caller to visit him personally to collect the money. This enraged the caller who threatened him. Singh and his friends blocked the numbers after they began to forward his morphed photos,” said a police officer.
Singh, a graduate employed with a private firm, said he came across an “Hedisy Loan App” ad link on his Facebook page to get an easy loan without any documentation. As he planned to avail of a personal loan, he clicked on the link.
“I was directed to download the app. In order to check my loan eligibility, I uploaded my Aadhar card and PAN card, and other banking details and also granted access to my phone contact list and gallery. I was shocked when Rs 3,805 was credited into my account as a loan which I had not availed,” Singh told TOI.
“When I asked the caller how the interest rate was calculated, he threatened me saying he would ruin my image by sending my morphed photos to all on my contact list. On May 7, I received a call from two of my friends that they got my morphed photos along with a text claiming that I had taken a loan and had failed to repay it,” said Singh.
According to Singh’s police statement, the app accessed his contact list after he installed it on May 1 to enquire about what loan he could avail of and, without his consent, transferred Rs 3,805 to his account the same day. Kurar police said on May 6, Singh began to receive SMSes and threat calls demanding that he repays the “loan” along with “interest” that amounted to Rs 7,000 for just six days.
“Singh asked the caller to visit him personally to collect the money. This enraged the caller who threatened him. Singh and his friends blocked the numbers after they began to forward his morphed photos,” said a police officer.
Singh, a graduate employed with a private firm, said he came across an “Hedisy Loan App” ad link on his Facebook page to get an easy loan without any documentation. As he planned to avail of a personal loan, he clicked on the link.
“I was directed to download the app. In order to check my loan eligibility, I uploaded my Aadhar card and PAN card, and other banking details and also granted access to my phone contact list and gallery. I was shocked when Rs 3,805 was credited into my account as a loan which I had not availed,” Singh told TOI.
“When I asked the caller how the interest rate was calculated, he threatened me saying he would ruin my image by sending my morphed photos to all on my contact list. On May 7, I received a call from two of my friends that they got my morphed photos along with a text claiming that I had taken a loan and had failed to repay it,” said Singh.
