We’ve seen evidence of scams like this run by various companies all over the world. But in India alone, the BBC has found at least 60 people have killed themselves after being harassed by loan apps.
Most were in their 20s and 30s - a fireman, an award-winning musician, a young mum and dad leaving behind their three- and five-year-old daughters, a grandfather and grandson who got involved in loan apps together. Four were just teenagers.
Most victims are too ashamed to speak about the scam, and the perpetrators have remained, for the most part, anonymous and invisible. After looking for an insider for months, the BBC managed to track down a young man who had worked as a debt recovery agent for call centres working for multiple loan apps.
I want to tell you a story about how I took a loan one day. I was at my mother’s house and I wanted to buy a present for her because it was her birthday party and she said to me that I should forget about the present but it was her birthday so I opened PlayMarket and got a cash advance loan app via my phone. After that I just ran down to the shop and bought her an amazing ring that was really beautiful to wear. After a week they just sent me a message to repay what I got and I spoke with their managers and they helped me and gave me a month to repay the money.
