New Delhi: Google has removed 3500 fraudulent apps from the App Store in 2022 in the name of giving loans. Along with this, Google has removed more than 14.3 lakh such apps from the Play Store which were not following the rules. Google told that it has also banned 1.73 lakh bad accounts. Google told that these apps have cheated 16 thousand 350 crores.
Google said in a statement, “In India in 2022, we reviewed 3500 fraudulent apps in the name of giving personal loans and took strong action against them and removed them from the Play Store. These apps were violating the Play Store rules. We strive to keep updating our policies and improve our review process.”
Google will bring Privacy Sandbox
Google also told that it is preparing to bring a Privacy Sandbox. Privacy sandbox is a technology in which the privacy of users on online platforms is protected, while companies and developers can easily develop their digital businesses. The Privacy Sandbox helps reduce tracking by different apps and sites.
You must have also noticed that you see some item on an e-commerce website and then the ad for the same item starts appearing in the app or site you open. Similarly, you search for a location to visit and you start seeing ads from all the travel websites. This is an example of cross-site and cross-app tracking. This can be reduced with the privacy sandbox.
Google told that in the coming few days, the privacy sandbox will be released for beta users. After this, it will be rolled out for common users.
How are loan apps used to cheat?
Apps claiming to provide personal loans entice users to download their app by making attractive promises like low-interest rates, and loans on zero interest. After downloading the app, they would ask users for gallery access in the name of uploading photos. Similarly, in different ways, they would have taken access to the contacts and location of the users. After this, by misusing the pictures of the phone, these apps are used to blackmail the users and extort money from them. In the last few years, many cases of such fraud have come to the fore.
To avoid this type of fraud, it is necessary that in case of need for a loan, users should apply for the loan by going to the bank of their trust. RBI governs these banks and banks charge interest on loans as per RBI rules.
