Companies that engage in telemarketing or loan applications and make use of unauthorized phone numbers risk being arrested and prosecuted.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (also known as the NCC) has stated this. According to the regulatory agency that oversees telecoms, using other people’s phone numbers without first obtaining their permission is deemed an invasion of privacy.
In addition, the NCC disputed the claims made by telemarketers who stated that they received the numbers from either the NCC or the national database of registered SIM cards. The NCC deemed these assertions to be incorrect and debunked the allegations.
“These telemarketers also falsely claim that they obtain telecom consumers’ phone numbers from the Nigerian Communications Commission. Otherwise, they claim that the Commission gave them access to the numbers through the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Registration Database. These claims are not true”, the NCC said in a statement.
Read also: Google bans loans apps from collecting personal data, harassing borrowers
More efforts of the NCC
The Commission also guarantees the protection of telecom subscriber data through relevant regulations, such as Section 35(1) of the Consumer Code of Practise Regulations, 2007; Section 9(1) of the Nigerian Communications (Registration of Communications Subscribers) Regulations, 2022; and Section 4.2(a) & (b) of the NCC’s Internet Code of Practise, to name a few. This is something that the Commission has stated in relation to this topic.
There is a wide variety of risk involved when lending applications or any other type of organisation in Nigeria acquire people’s phone numbers without their permission.
To begin, it is a violation of individuals’ privacy rights because it involves accessing their private contact information without first obtaining their permission, which is considered a sort of privacy invasion. This can lead to unwanted intrusions as well as communications that were not requested by the recipient.
In addition, the individuals whose phone numbers are gathered may make improper use of them for reasons that go beyond those to which they first consented while utilising the loan application. This misuse can include behaviours such as sending unsolicited commercial electronic mail (spam), conducting telemarketing calls, or even selling the information obtained to third parties.
In addition, such unauthorised access to telephone numbers can make it easier for criminals to engage in a variety of fraudulent activities, such as phishing, in which con artists pose as respectable organisations in order to steal sensitive personal and financial information.
In addition, phone numbers that have been collected might be useful in schemes that involve identity theft, which can result in monetary losses and damage to the victims’ reputations.
This unauthorised access to phone numbers, in the context of loan applications, can put consumers at risk of being subjected to unsolicited loan offers and predatory lending practices, which have the potential to put them in a difficult financial situation.
These acts frequently violate legislation pertaining to telecommunications and data protection, which may result in legal repercussions for the companies that are involved. This is important to keep in mind from a regulatory perspective.
In addition, the illegal collection of telephone numbers undermines the trust that exists between customers and the businesses that provide them with services, which, in the long run, hurts the reputation of such businesses and reduces confidence in digital services in general.
Consumer protection agency crackdown on illegal loan Apps in Nigeria
Challenge with using loan apps
The use of loan applications in Nigeria has been met with backlash and is viewed with scepticism due to a number of concerns, including exorbitant interest rates, aggressive debt collection, inadequate regulation, data privacy issues, hidden fees, unsolicited messages, impersonation scams, the impact on credit scores, and limited avenues for redress. A widespread mistrust of the sector is the result of these several circumstances.
Scams involving loan applications typically include the victim receiving unsolicited calls or messages offering simple loans with favourable terms. However, these offers frequently conceal exorbitant interest rates and hidden costs, which leads to individuals being trapped in a cycle of debt.
Con artists who pretend to be someone else are particularly upsetting. Scammers will pose as family members, acquaintances, or even law enforcement authorities in order to con people into believing that a member of their family or friend group is in serious trouble and requires immediate financial aid.
Last but not least, people who are looking for work can fall victim to employment scams. Despite the fact that recruiters guarantee lucrative career chances, they expect payment in advance for placement or training. The jobs that have been promised almost never materialise.
When one receives calls or texts that they have not requested, it is critical to proceed with extreme caution in order to protect themselves from these scams. Always make sure to verify the identity of callers, particularly if they claim to be calling from a government agency. Never reveal personal or financial information over the phone, and always exercise caution when considering deals that sound too good to be true.
If you have reason to believe that someone is trying to take advantage of you, you should report the incident to the appropriate authorities. Because of the considerable financial and emotional damage that can be caused by phone scammers, it is essential to be vigilant and aware of the ever-evolving scamming techniques in order to avoid falling victim to one.
