THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The recent suicide of BDS student Nithin Raj has once again brought the menace of illegal loan apps to the forefront in Kerala. These predatory apps are notorious for extorting victims by accessing sensitive personal data directly from their mobile devices. Nithin, a first-year student at Anjarakandy Dental College, ended his life on April 10. Investigations later revealed that he had borrowed money from a rogue loan app and had received threatening calls from its operators just a day before his death.
According to data released by the Kerala Police, approximately 15,000 people from the state have lodged complaints against illegal loan apps via the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) over the last three years. However, only 284 individuals chose to proceed with formal legal action and register FIRs. More disturbingly, police sources have established a direct link between at least seven suicides and loan app scams during this period. Out of the staggering ₹70 crore lost to these scams in three years, only ₹28 crore (40%) has been successfully retrieved.
Cyber police noted that scammers primarily target low-income individuals and those working in the informal sector. About 32% of the victims were employees of private firms, while homemakers accounted for 20.18%. Businessmen struggling with cash flow made up 9.79% of the targets, and students comprised 4.37%. While arrests have been made in connection with Nithin’s case, investigations into numerous other complaints are still ongoing.
With input from TNIE.
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