A 24-year-old from the city area had to experience that the supposed conclusion of a loan via WhatsApp can go wrong. Through social media, he came across the telephone number of an alleged bank that offered cheap loans. Contact was made via WhatsApp.
During the chat, the 24-year-old not only transmitted personal information, but also photos of his ID and bank card. The communication eventually continued via email and the supposed bank sent a “loan agreement.”
A supposed processing fee of 100 euros was due, which the 24-year-old paid. Then the man waited for his loan - in vain. The alleged bank did not transfer any money. The 24-year-old became suspicious and contacted the police. The fraud was exposed. The man had fallen victim to criminals. Now the police
At this point we would like to point out dubious loans on Facebook and Co!
“Do you need a loan? Are you interested in a loan?” We regularly come across these texts on social media. They sound tempting, but can you trust them?
Get a loan with minimal paperwork, no collateral is necessary, Schufa is also left out - in short: ideal if you have a low income or if you already have debts. Well, does that sound tempting? Dubious credit brokers like to use such phrases. They spread their advertising on social networks such as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
But loans are not a good idea, especially if you have low income or debts! They cost money and often take years to pay back. You'll feel this every month. Reputable banks know this and rightly often reject a loan request in such situations.
It is questionable whether you will actually ever receive money if you respond to an offer on social networks. Because there is often a rip-off behind it!
Rip-off 1: expensive mediation
As a rule, those who advertise such loans are not the ones from whom you supposedly get money. They are intermediaries who forward loan requests to banks. Many people want to be paid for this forwarding because that is how they earn money. However, money for loan brokerage may only be taken if the loan actually comes about. That's why some dubious providers come up with other "scams". For example, they offer application documents for a supposedly approved “financial restructuring”. It comes cash on delivery, so you have to pay for it to the postman. So you first have to spend money without knowing whether you will get any money at all. The documents are often worthless paper.
This means “financial restructuring”
A “financial restructuring” has nothing to do with financing, even if it sounds similar. During “financial restructuring” no loan is granted or brokered, but rather simply a promise to sort out the financial documents and possibly pass on your money to creditors in installments. But you don't need any help, for which you also have to pay a lot of money. If you can't make ends meet with your money and your debts are getting bigger and bigger, you should seek debt counseling! There is also free support for debts and private insolvency, for example in some of the NRW consumer advice centers.
Other agents even offer to visit you at home. Then they often sell you insurance, capital-forming benefits or dubious investments. They refer to them as “collateral for the bank” so that they can approve your desired loans. But honestly, that's pretty much nonsense! As a rule, such contracts neither provide additional security nor do they increase the chance of getting the loan. On the contrary: you incur additional debt, which reduces your chance of getting a loan.
Rip-off 2: expensive credit cards
Dubious credit brokers use another scam to sell you expensive prepaid credit cards. Before you can use it, you first have to top it up with credit. The brokers often claim that the card is a prerequisite for the bank to approve your loan application. Spoiler: Here too, we consumer advocates know from experience that you usually don't get any money.
But you have to pay for the credit card: once cash on delivery upon delivery and later an “annual fee” is due. So you have no credit and you also have a – usually overpriced – prepaid credit card on your hands.
Characteristics of dubious loan offers
There are always dubious advertisements for loans that you should be particularly careful about:
- The providers use terms such as “Schufa-free”, “fair”, “transparent” or “allocation-safe”.
- The intermediaries' websites usually look professional, often have reputable-sounding names that inspire trust, but sometimes false (quality) seals. So look for the seals on the Internet and check whether the issuing organizations really exist.
- Even a reference to “official approval in accordance with Section 34c of the Trade Code” is not a sign that the provider is particularly reputable. Because this official “approval” is purely a formality and not a quality check.
- Advance payments or cash on delivery fees are required. These are pretty sure signs that the agency is not serious. Credit brokers are only entitled to remuneration if a loan is actually approved and paid out. They can't know in advance whether that will happen. “Expenses for expenses” in loan brokerage may not simply be accounted for. They are only permitted in very few cases.
Also read:
Loan via WhatsApp: Stay away!
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