NBI, PAOCC raid suspected hub of online lending apps in Makati

Members of the National Bureau of Investigation and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission have raided a Makati office which is said to be the hub of several online lending applications that allegedly harass debtors.

According to Marisol Abdurahman's report on "24 Oras," the authorities said they have received reports of debtors who have lapsed into depression because of the harassment by the collectors of the lending apps.

“Marami na pong nagtangkang magpakamatay. Marami na rin pong nagpakamatay. Nasira yung buhay, nagkaroon ng depression,” said NBI-OTCD Agent-on-Case Attorney Ric Espino.

(There have been a lot of clients who attempted suicide. There were also a lot who had committed suicide. Their lives were destroyed, and they got depressed.)

Authorities claimed that the lending apps offered loans that were approved quickly but with high interest rates.

PAOCC executive director Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz said the first requirement by the apps were a loan applicant's contacts and photo gallery.

He said that even if a loan isn't paid, another lending app would offer a loan to pay the existing obligation until the client is overwhelmed with debt.

None of the lending app owners were arrested.

The employees, who denied harassing clients, will face several charges, which include harassment and grave threats.

The PAOCC and NBI said they were looking into the possible connection between lending app companies and POGO operations.

“May possibility na yung mga dating nag-ooperate ng POGO ay nag switch na sa ganitong scamming. May mga nahuli na kasi tayo before na ang nagpapatakbo ay mga Chinese national. ‘Yung mga una naming na-check ay mga grupo rin sila ng mga magpo-POGO eh. Kaya lang mas tago sila dito,” said Cruz.

(There is a possibility that the former operators of POGO have switched to this form of scamming. We have caught some before that were run by Chinese nationals. The first ones we were able to check were run by a group of POGO personnel. But they were more hidden for this.) –Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/NB, GMA Integrated News