Officials from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Bacolod Extension Office urged victims of unethical lending practices in Negros Oriental, especially those who use online lending apps, to file a complaint in their satellite office in Dumaguete City.
Atty. Annabelle Corral-Respall, officer-in-charge and director of SEC-Bacolod, and Public Information Officer Ma. Laarni Dilag-King cautioned the public in securing loans through online applications as some of them use methods that can be considered as scams.
King called these methods as “advance payment or advance fee scheme.”
“Some of them, ‘yung mga online lending apps [OLAs], before you can actually get the amount that you are going to loan, they would be requiring you to pay first. Hindi po pwede ‘yun,” King said.
Other lending apps would also require the applicant or the user to grant their system access to all their contacts in their cellphone’s phone book and would later on send demand text messages to them.
“They are experiencing unfair collection processes, let’s say hina-harass ‘yung mga tao. Mayroon kasing OLAs na hindi ka makapag-proceed sa loan mo if hindi mo i-click that you will grant them access to all your contacts. If may na-miss ka na payment, they would send a text to everyone you know na nagsasabi na ‘pakisabi kay ano na magbayad ng utang.’ That is unfair collection,” she added.
King said victims of these unfair lending practices can file a complaint with the SEC since they have jurisdiction over financial and lending institutions.
The SEC officials added that filing a complaint against these lending institutions has become convenient and accessible to the people of Negros Oriental with the opening of their satellite office inside the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry office inside the Old CruzTelco Building, Capitol Area, Dumaguete City.
“Mayroon kaming online complaint form. We would be helping them on how to file, but make sure you have to document that,” Respall said.
She added that SEC will coordinate with agencies like the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine National Police, and its Criminal Investigation and Detection Group for further investigation and filing of cases in courts.
Respall also urged the public to check the SEC website to verify registered financial and lending institutions. (PIA-7 Negros Oriental)