Fake Loan App Red-Flag Checker
Nine yes / no questions — sideloaded APK, no RBI-registered lender, contacts access, upfront fee, no Key Fact Statement, harassment — and a verdict with the RBI rules behind each flag.
Fake loan-app red-flag checker
1. Was the app installed from a link / APK rather than the Google Play Store or App Store?
2. Does the app NOT name an RBI-registered bank or NBFC as the lender (check the ‘lending partner’ on its page)?
3. Did it demand access to your contacts, photos or call logs to approve the loan?
4. Did it ask for a processing / insurance / verification fee BEFORE disbursing?
5. Did it skip a Key Fact Statement showing the total cost (APR) and all charges before you accepted?
6. Is the loan very short (7–30 days) with a very high deduction taken up front?
7. Have you or your contacts received threatening or abusive messages from the app's ‘recovery’ team?
8. Does the app have no working website, physical address or grievance officer listed?
9. Do the store reviews (if any) mention harassment, morphed photos or hidden charges?
Questions people ask
How do I know if the lender is legitimate?
Every legal digital loan is made by an RBI-regulated bank or NBFC named in the app and the agreement, with a Key Fact Statement showing the APR. Check the name on the RBI's NBFC list.
They are threatening my contacts.
Keep screenshots, revoke the app's permissions, do not pay under threat, file at cybercrime.gov.in and complain on the RBI's Sachet portal.
Been hit and need a human?
Our team helps you draft, file and follow up with the bank and the cyber cell — leave your number for a free callback.
More on the Cyber Desk
- 🔗 Phishing link checkerPaste any link from an SMS, WhatsApp or e-mail. We check the domain against the tricks phishing sites use — lookalike brands, punycode, IP addresses, shorteners, throwaway extensions — instantly and without opening it.
- 💬 Message checkerPaste a suspicious SMS, WhatsApp or e-mail. The checker scores it against the scripts behind Indian frauds — OTP, KYC, prize, job, parcel, electricity and more — and tells you what to do.
- 📲 UPI fraud checkerCollect requests, ‘scan to receive’, PIN for a refund, screen-sharing apps, ‘sent by mistake’ — paste the message or describe the call and see which UPI trick it is.
- 🧑💻 Fake job detectorRegistration fees, ‘like YouTube videos’ tasks, Telegram-only HR, guaranteed selection — paste the offer and see the job-scam signals.
- 🪪 KYC scam checker‘Your KYC will expire today’, ‘SIM blocked in 24 hours’, ‘update PAN via this link’ — check the message against the KYC-scam script.
- 🔐 OTP request analyzerSomeone wants your OTP ‘to cancel a transaction’, ‘for delivery’ or ‘as the bank executive’. Paste what they said and see why it is a scam — and what to do if you already shared one.
The Cyber Desk provides educational tools, checklists and self-help drafts — not legal advice. For serious or high-value fraud, also consult the police and a qualified lawyer.