A postmaster in Punjab's Ludhiana district became a victim of an online fraud of 87 thousand rupees. The young man applied for a loan of 2 lakh rupees through the Flipkart app. After this he received a call from an unknown number. The caller claimed to be a representative of Flipkart app and asked the youth for bank details in the name of verification. As soon as the account details were received, the caller cheated the young man of thousands of rupees. It was actually a call from a cyber criminal.
Taking a loan online is easy in this digital world. Nowadays there are some apps through which you can take loan of lakhs from home. However, cases of loan fraud are also coming to light every day. In such a situation, the question arises as to how appropriate it is to take an online loan and how reliable such loan apps are.
So today In work news We will talk about how suitable it is to take a loan through an online application. You will also learn that-
- What should be considered while taking an online loan?
- How to identify reliable loan apps?
Expert: Pawan Duggal, Cyber Expert, New Delhi
Question- How did the youth of Ludhiana become a victim of online fraud?
Answer- The caller told the youth that your KYC verification is not complete. That's why you are not getting loan. The caller then sent the young man a link. By clicking on it he was asked to fill the online KYC form. Finally the caller asked him to pay 5 rupees in the name of verification.
When the young man paid Rs 5, Rs 86,998 was deducted from his bank account. After this the caller disconnected the call and switched off the phone. Now the victim has lodged a complaint with the police.
Q- Due to which mistake did the victim become a victim of this scam?
Answer: It was the victim's fault that he believed the caller and transferred the money on his request. Due to which his bank details reached the scam and the young man became a victim of fraud.
Q- Does Flipkart offer app loans?
Answer- Yes, absolutely. Flipkart App Rs. 1000 to Rs. Provides loans up to 10 lakhs. For this he charges around 10% to 22% interest per year. It depends on your credit score, loan amount and loan tenure.
Q- What is the process of taking a loan from Flipkart?
Answer- The entire process of taking a loan on the Flipkart app is online. Anyone can apply it from their mobile at home. There are some mandatory terms and conditions for this. Understand it from the graphic below-
Q- What do the RBI guidelines say about loan apps?
Answer- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made some rules regarding loan apps. According to RBI, loan applications must be a regulated entity (RE) with a bank or NBFC (Non-Banking Financial Company). It means that the institution should be recognized by RBI.
So, before taking a loan from any app, it is important to check with which bank or NBFC that app is affiliated. Apart from this no app can give loan without KYC.
Q- How safe are online loan apps to be trusted? Answer- Cyber expert Pawan Duggal says it depends on which app you are applying for a loan. Is that app approved by RBI? If you are taking a loan from an app that is not RBI approved, trusting such apps can be risky.
Q- Why is it important to read the terms and conditions of loan apps?
Answer- The terms and conditions of the official loan apps are completely clear. In which detailed information is written about interest rate, loan tenure and additional charges.
Apart from this, the information about how much penalty will be incurred on delay in the loan is also recorded. So, before taking a loan, you should read the terms and conditions carefully.
Q- What are the things to keep in mind while taking loan from online apps?
Answer- In this digital age all banking facilities are available on mobile. Millions of transactions can be done with just one click. It is so convenient that you can avail it 24*7.
Loan applications have made this much easier. Now you can take loan of lakhs in minutes from the comfort of your home. You don't need to visit the bank for this. However, there are a few things to keep in mind while applying for a loan. This will help you avoid becoming a victim of fraud.
From the graphic given below, understand the things to keep in mind while taking a loan through an app.
Q- How can we identify a fake loan app?
Answer- Cyber expert Pawan Duggal says that if an app is offering low-interest loans, it could be fake. The purpose of such apps is to blackmail you by stealing your data. So, before taking a loan from any app, know whether the app is genuine or fake. Understand it with the following indicators-
- Fake loan apps work in an unauthorized and illegal manner.
- They steal a person's personal and financial data.
- These apps do not consider individual privacy.
- These apps are only designed to cheat and trap.
- These apps do not have any license or registration number.
- These apps have vague terms and conditions.
- Fake loan applications have no customer care team.
- They often offer unusual and uncertain loans.
If you face any of these things then you should not trust that loan app.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
