If a financing company, lending company, or online loan app in the Philippines is harassing you, hiding charges, contacting your relatives or employer, threatening public shame, or collecting fees you do not understand, you have several possible complaint routes. The correct agency depends on the problem: the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) usually handles lending and financing companies, the National Privacy Commission (NPC) handles misuse of personal data, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) handles banks and BSP-supervised financial institutions, and the NBI or PNP cybercrime units may be involved when there are threats, scams, fake warrants, identity theft, or online harassment.

First: Identify What Kind of Loan Company You Are Dealing With

Not every “loan company” is regulated by the same office. Before filing a complaint, try to identify whether the company is a lending company, financing company, bank, pawnshop, e-wallet lender, cooperative, or purely informal lender.

Type of loan provider	Usual regulator or complaint office	Common examples
Lending company	SEC, especially its Financing and Lending Companies Department	Cash loan companies, online lending apps, salary loan companies
Financing company	SEC	Consumer financing, installment financing, car or appliance financing companies
Bank or credit card issuer	BSP	Banks, credit cards, bank-backed personal loans
E-wallet, payment app, pawnshop, money service business, or other BSP-supervised entity	BSP	Some e-money issuers, remittance firms, pawnshops, payment system operators
Cooperative lender	Cooperative Development Authority, unless another regulator applies	Credit cooperatives and multipurpose cooperatives
Data privacy violation by any lender	National Privacy Commission	Contact list harvesting, public shaming, unauthorized use of photos or contacts
Threats, fraud, fake warrants, hacking, cyber harassment	NBI Cybercrime Division, PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, DICT Cyber Hotline	Threatening messages, fake police notices, online libel, identity theft

A company’s SEC registration alone is not always enough. A corporation may be registered with the SEC as a legal entity, but a lending company must also have authority to operate as a lending company under the Lending Company Regulation Act of 2007, while a financing company must be authorized under the Financing Company Act of 1998. RA 9474 requires a lending company to be a corporation and prohibits it from conducting lending business without SEC authority; RA 8556 similarly prohibits a person or corporation from holding itself out as a financing company unless authorized. (Supreme Court E-Library)

Your Key Rights as a Borrower in the Philippines

Borrowers are not helpless just because they owe money. A lender may lawfully demand payment, send reminders, negotiate settlement, and pursue proper collection remedies. But debt collection must still follow Philippine law.

Under the Financial Products and Services Consumer Protection Act, or RA 11765 of 2022, financial consumers have rights to fair treatment, transparency and disclosure, protection against fraud and misuse, data privacy, and timely complaint handling and redress. The law applies to financial products and services, including credit and digital financial products, and is enforced by financial regulators such as the SEC, BSP, Insurance Commission, and Cooperative Development Authority depending on the entity involved. (Supreme Court E-Library)

A lender should disclose the real cost of the loan

The Truth in Lending Act, or RA 3765, requires creditors to disclose finance charges and the true cost of credit so borrowers can understand what they are agreeing to before or at the time of the transaction. In practice, you should look for:

The amount borrowed or financed
Interest rate
Processing fees
Service fees
Late payment charges
Total amount payable
Payment schedule
Effective interest rate, if applicable
Penalties and other charges

If the loan app or financing company only showed you a vague “service fee,” deducted a large amount from the loan proceeds, or failed to show the total repayment cost clearly, include that in your complaint.

Debt collectors cannot harass, shame, or threaten you

The SEC issued Memorandum Circular No. 18, Series of 2019, prohibiting unfair debt collection practices by financing and lending companies. The prohibited acts include obscene or insulting language, false or deceptive collection methods, disclosure or publication of borrowers’ names and personal information, communicating false loan information, contacting borrowers at unreasonable hours, and contacting persons in the borrower’s contact list other than guarantors or co-makers. (SEC Appointment System)

The March 18, 2026 joint advisory of the DICT, NPC, and SEC also specifically addressed online lending platforms and reported practices such as harassment, intimidation, public shaming, and unlawful use of personal data. It stated that lending and financing companies may only contact a guarantor for debt collection purposes, and that contacting persons in a borrower’s contact list other than guarantors is prohibited.

Where to Report a Financing or Consumer Loan Company

Report lending and financing companies to the SEC

For most complaints against lending companies, financing companies, and online lending platforms, the main office is the SEC Financing and Lending Companies Department, commonly referred to as FINLEND.

The SEC’s official online portal is the SEC iMessage portal. SEC iMessage is the SEC’s web-based platform for public inquiries, complaints, incidents, and requests. It creates electronic tickets so complainants can track and reply to their case through the system. (Securities and Exchange Commission)

Use the SEC route when the complaint involves:

Online lending app harassment
A lending or financing company operating without proper authority
Unfair debt collection
Undisclosed charges
Excessive or unexplained fees
Deceptive loan advertising
Failure to provide loan documents
Public shaming by collectors
Contacting your employer, relatives, friends, or phone contacts
Threats to post your photo, ID, or personal details
Misrepresentation that a collector is from a court, police office, NBI, or law office

Report privacy violations to the National Privacy Commission

Use the National Privacy Commission complaint process if the lender or collector misused your personal data. The NPC receives complaints, investigates, adjudicates, and may order measures such as blocking, removal, destruction of unlawfully processed personal data, or other privacy-related relief under the Data Privacy Act of 2012, or RA 10173. (National Privacy Commission)

Examples of privacy complaints include:

The app accessed your entire contact list without a valid purpose
Collectors messaged your friends, relatives, employer, or coworkers
The lender posted your photo, ID, address, or debt online
The company used your contact list for public shaming
The app required excessive permissions unrelated to the loan
The lender refused to delete or correct inaccurate personal data

NPC formal complaints generally require the NPC complaint form, supporting documents, and notarization. The NPC states that formal complaints may be submitted in person, by courier, or by scanned copy through email at complaints@privacy.gov.ph, subject to its complaint requirements and fee schedule. (National Privacy Commission)

Report BSP-supervised institutions to the BSP

If the lender is a bank, credit card issuer, e-money issuer, pawnshop, money service business, payment system operator, or another BSP-supervised financial institution, start with the institution’s own complaint channel. If unresolved, elevate the matter to the BSP through BSP Consumer Assistance Channels, including BSP Online Buddy or email at consumeraffairs@bsp.gov.ph.

The BSP asks consumers to provide a summary of the complaint, requested resolution, contact information, a copy of the complaint already filed with the financial institution, the institution’s reply if any, and supporting documents. BSP’s process gives a reference number and may refer the complaint to the institution or evaluate it under its Consumer Assistance Mechanism. (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas)

Report threats, scams, or cyber harassment to cybercrime authorities

If the collector’s conduct goes beyond regulatory violations and involves threats, hacking, fake court documents, fake warrants, identity theft, fraud, or online harassment, you may also report to law enforcement.

The DICT-NPC-SEC advisory identifies these official reporting channels for harassment, threats, fraud, and scams connected with online lending platforms:

Agency	Contact details mentioned in the advisory
DICT Cyber Hotline	1326@dict.gov.ph
NBI Cybercrime Division	ccd@nbi.gov.ph, telephone (632) 8523-8231 to 38
PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group	acg@pnp.gov.ph, onlinecims.ocs@gmail.com, telephone (632) 8723 0401 loc. 7491

Depending on the facts, threats may involve provisions of the Revised Penal Code, such as grave threats, coercions, unjust vexation, libel, slander, or related offenses. If the abuse happened online, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, or RA 10175, may also become relevant.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to File a Complaint with the SEC

1. Preserve the evidence immediately

Do this before replying emotionally, deleting messages, changing phones, or uninstalling the app.

Save:

Screenshots of all loan offers, app pages, and repayment terms
Screenshots of messages from collectors
Call logs showing date, time, number, and duration
Voice messages, if any
Emails and text messages
Screenshots of posts or group chats where you were shamed
Names and numbers used by collectors
Proof that contacts, relatives, coworkers, or employers were messaged
Loan agreement, disclosure statement, or promissory note
Payment receipts and bank or e-wallet transaction records
Proof of disbursement showing how much you actually received
App name, developer name, website, Facebook page, and advertised company name

For screenshots, include the full screen where possible so the date, sender, phone number, app name, or account name appears. If a post may be deleted, take several screenshots and ask a trusted person who saw it to preserve their own screenshots.

2. Identify the legal name of the company

Online loan apps often use brand names that are different from the corporate name. Look for:

SEC-registered corporate name
Certificate of Authority number, if shown
App developer name
Website domain
Business address
Email address
Collection agency name
Names of officers, if available
Google Play or App Store listing details
Any “Terms and Conditions” or “Privacy Policy” page

If the company claims to be SEC-registered, do not stop there. A corporation may be registered but still lack the specific authority needed to operate as a lending or financing company.

3. Write a clear timeline

Regulators work faster when the complaint is organized. Use dates and facts, not just conclusions.

A good timeline looks like this:

Date	What happened	Evidence
January 5	Borrowed ₱8,000 through the app but received only ₱6,400 after deductions	Disbursement screenshot, e-wallet record
January 12	App demanded ₱9,500 after 7 days	App screenshot
January 13	Collector threatened to message employer	SMS screenshot
January 14	Employer and two relatives received messages about the loan	Screenshots from employer and relatives
January 15	Collector sent edited photo and threatened public posting	Chat screenshot

Avoid exaggeration. The strongest complaint is usually the one that is specific, chronological, and supported by documents.

4. File through SEC iMessage

Go to the SEC iMessage portal. The SEC user guide states that users may open a new ticket, sign in through eSECURE, select the relevant service, submit the ticket, and later check ticket status or post replies with additional uploaded files. For lending and financing complaints, the relevant SEC service is under the Financing and Lending Companies Department, including complaints on financing and lending companies. (Securities and Exchange Commission)

Basic SEC iMessage flow:

Open the SEC iMessage portal.
Choose Open a New Ticket.
Sign in or proceed through the required SEC account process.
Select the service related to Financing and Lending Companies Department.
Choose the complaint option for financing and lending companies, if available.
Fill in your contact details.
Name the company, app, or collector involved.
Upload evidence.
Explain the facts in a short, organized timeline.
Submit and save the ticket number.
Use Check Ticket Status to monitor updates.
Reply in the same ticket if SEC asks for more information.

5. State what you are asking the SEC to do

Be realistic and specific. Depending on the facts, you may ask the SEC to:

Investigate the company
Verify whether the company has authority to lend or finance
Order the company or collection agency to stop unfair collection practices
Require the company to explain its charges
Require correction of the loan balance if unlawful or unsupported charges were imposed
Sanction the company for unfair debt collection
Refer privacy-related issues to the NPC or coordinate with other agencies
Recognize that the debt amount is disputed
Direct the company to stop contacting third parties who are not guarantors or co-makers

Under RA 11765, financial regulators may impose enforcement actions such as restricting collection of excessive or unreasonable charges, disqualifying or suspending responsible officers, imposing fines, issuing cease-and-desist orders, suspending operations, ordering consumer redress, or using alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. The SEC and BSP may also adjudicate certain purely civil financial consumer claims involving payment or reimbursement not exceeding ₱10,000,000. (Supreme Court E-Library)

Evidence Checklist for Loan Company Complaints

Evidence	Why it matters
Loan agreement or terms and conditions	Shows what you supposedly agreed to
Truth in Lending disclosure or computation	Shows whether charges were properly disclosed
App screenshots before and after borrowing	Helps prove hidden or changing terms
Disbursement proof	Shows how much you actually received
Payment receipts	Shows what you already paid
Collection messages	Proves threats, insults, false claims, or harassment
Call logs	Shows frequency, timing, and numbers used
Screenshots from relatives, coworkers, or employer	Proves third-party contact
Social media posts or group chats	Proves public shaming or disclosure
Company name, app name, developer, website	Helps the regulator identify the respondent
Your written timeline	Helps the agency understand the pattern
Valid ID	Often needed to verify the complainant
Special Power of Attorney	Useful if someone else will file or follow up for you

If you are an OFW or foreigner outside the Philippines, online filing may still be possible depending on the agency and the type of complaint. If a representative in the Philippines will sign or file documents for you, a Special Power of Attorney may be required. If the SPA or affidavit is signed abroad and will be used formally in the Philippines, it may need consular notarization or an apostille, depending on where it was executed and what the receiving office requires.

What Happens After You File

SEC complaints

After you submit a complaint through SEC iMessage, the system should generate a ticket. The SEC may route the matter to the appropriate department, ask for additional documents, require clarification, or communicate with the company.

Simple intake and acknowledgment can be quick because the system is electronic, but substantive action may take weeks or months depending on:

Completeness of your evidence
Whether the company is identifiable
Number of complainants
Whether the company is registered or unregistered
Whether the complaint involves multiple agencies
Whether enforcement proceedings are needed
Whether the company responds

A common bottleneck is the lack of a clear corporate name. Many borrowers only know the app name. That is why screenshots of the app listing, privacy policy, terms and conditions, and payment recipient details are important.

NPC complaints

NPC complaints are more formal. If the matter involves personal data misuse, the NPC may require a notarized complaint, supporting documents, and compliance with its procedural requirements. Privacy cases can involve mediation, investigation, adjudication, or orders relating to unlawful processing of personal data.

A common bottleneck is weak proof that the lender actually accessed or used your data. Try to get screenshots from the people who were contacted, not only your own statement that they were contacted.

BSP complaints

For BSP-supervised institutions, the BSP generally expects the consumer to first raise the concern with the financial institution. When escalating to BSP, include the complaint you sent to the institution and its response, if any. The BSP’s Consumer Assistance Mechanism provides a reference number and may refer or evaluate the complaint within its process. (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas)

Criminal or cybercrime complaints

If there are threats, fraud, fake warrants, identity theft, hacking, or online abuse, cybercrime authorities may separately evaluate the matter. Regulatory complaints and criminal complaints are different. The SEC or NPC may address the company’s regulatory or privacy violations, while criminal liability is handled through law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts.

Common Situations and What to Do

“The online lending app contacted my contacts.”

File with the SEC for unfair debt collection and with the NPC for personal data misuse. Save screenshots from every person contacted. Ask them to preserve the message showing the sender’s number, date, and exact wording.

Under the 2026 DICT-NPC-SEC advisory, lending and financing companies may not contact persons in the borrower’s contact list for debt collection except guarantors, and guarantors must have expressly consented.

“The collector said I will be arrested if I do not pay today.”

Unpaid debt by itself is generally a civil matter. A collector cannot simply order your arrest. However, separate criminal issues may arise if there was fraud, falsification, bouncing checks, identity theft, or other criminal conduct.

If the collector sends fake police documents, fake subpoenas, fake court orders, or fake warrants, save everything and report to the SEC and cybercrime authorities.

“The company is SEC-registered. Does that mean it is legal?”

Not necessarily. SEC registration as a corporation is different from authority to operate as a lending or financing company. Ask whether the company has the required Certificate of Authority or license for the specific business it is doing.

For a complaint, write both names if you have them: the app or brand name and the corporate name.

“I really owe the loan. Can I still complain?”

Yes. A valid debt does not give a lender the right to harass you, shame you, threaten your relatives, or misuse your personal data.

Your complaint should be honest. You can say:

You acknowledge receiving a loan
You dispute the charges, collection method, or privacy violation
You are willing to discuss the legitimate amount
You object to unlawful, abusive, or unfair collection practices

This is more credible than claiming you never borrowed if the records show otherwise.

“The interest is too high. Can I report that?”

Yes, especially if charges were not clearly disclosed or appear excessive, deceptive, or outside applicable caps for covered loans. Philippine courts also recognize that unconscionable interest may be reduced or invalidated. In a 2024 Supreme Court announcement, the Court explained that when a stipulated loan interest is more than twice the prevailing legal rate, the creditor bears the burden of proving that the rate is justified by market conditions. (Supreme Court of the Philippines)

For SEC complaints, attach the loan computation, proof of the amount released to you, due date, amount demanded, and all fee labels used by the app.

“The lender posted my photo or ID online.”

This is serious. File with the SEC for unfair collection, with the NPC for privacy violation, and consider cybercrime reporting if the post includes threats, defamation, identity misuse, or coordinated harassment.

Take screenshots immediately. Capture the account name, URL or profile, date, comments, shares, and visible audience if available.

Sample Complaint Summary You Can Adapt

Use a direct, factual summary. Avoid insults and long emotional explanations.

I am filing this complaint against [company name/app name], which offered me a consumer loan through [app/website/platform]. On [date], I borrowed ₱[amount], but only ₱[amount received] was released to me after deductions. The app later demanded ₱[amount demanded] by [due date]. Beginning [date], collectors using the numbers [numbers] sent threatening and abusive messages to me and contacted my [relatives/employer/friends], who are not guarantors or co-makers. The collectors also threatened to post my photo and personal information online. I am attaching screenshots, call logs, proof of disbursement, payment records, and screenshots from the people contacted. I respectfully request investigation of the company’s authority to operate, its charges, and its collection practices.

Practical Tips Before and After Filing

Do not delete the loan app until you have screenshots of the terms, privacy notice, loan history, and payment schedule.
Do not rely only on phone calls. Communicate in writing when possible.
Do not send your password, OTP, banking PIN, or full card details to collectors.
Do not sign a settlement document you do not understand.
Do not ignore official notices from a regulator, prosecutor, or court.
Do not post your own defamatory statements online; stick to facts and formal complaints.
If you can pay the undisputed amount, ask for a written computation and official receipt.
If a collection agency is involved, include both the lender and collection agency in your complaint.
If many borrowers are affected, each borrower should still preserve their own evidence and file their own complaint or supporting affidavit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I report an online lending app in the Philippines?

Report online lending apps operated by lending or financing companies to the SEC through the SEC iMessage portal, especially if the issue involves harassment, hidden charges, unfair debt collection, or lack of authority to operate. If the app misused your contacts or personal data, also file with the National Privacy Commission. If there are threats, scams, fake warrants, or cyber harassment, consider reporting to the NBI Cybercrime Division or PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group.

Can a lending company contact my contacts?

A lending or financing company should not contact people in your contact list for collection unless they are legitimate guarantors or co-makers. The 2026 DICT-NPC-SEC advisory states that for debt collection, lending and financing companies may only contact the guarantor, and contacting other persons in the borrower’s contact list is prohibited.

Can I complain even if I failed to pay the loan?

Yes. Non-payment does not give collectors the right to use threats, insults, public shaming, false legal claims, or unauthorized third-party contact. In your complaint, be honest that you borrowed money, then clearly explain the abusive collection acts or disputed charges.

Can I go to jail for not paying an online loan?

Ordinary non-payment of debt is generally a civil issue, not automatic imprisonment. However, separate criminal liability may arise if there are facts involving fraud, falsification, bouncing checks, identity theft, or other criminal offenses. Be careful with collectors who use fake police threats or fake warrants to pressure payment.

What if the company is registered with the SEC?

Ask whether it has authority to operate as a lending or financing company. SEC corporate registration only proves that a corporation exists. It does not automatically prove that the company is authorized to conduct lending or financing business.

What documents do I need to file a complaint?

Prepare your loan agreement or screenshots of the terms, proof of disbursement, payment receipts, collection messages, call logs, screenshots from people contacted, app details, company details, your valid ID, and a short written timeline. If someone else will file for you, prepare a Special Power of Attorney if required.

Should I file with the SEC or the NPC?

File with the SEC if the main issue is unfair lending, unfair collection, hidden charges, excessive fees, or lack of authority to operate. File with the NPC if the issue is misuse of personal data, contact list access, public posting of your photo or ID, or unauthorized messages to your contacts. Many online lending harassment cases involve both agencies.

Can an OFW or foreigner file a complaint from outside the Philippines?

Yes, many complaints can begin online or by email, depending on the agency. For formal documents signed abroad, such as affidavits or a Special Power of Attorney, the receiving office may require consular acknowledgment or apostille. Keep complete digital copies of screenshots, receipts, IDs, and written authority for any representative in the Philippines.

Can the SEC order a refund or stop collection?

Depending on the facts and the applicable law, financial regulators under RA 11765 may impose sanctions, restrict collection of excessive or unreasonable charges, issue cease-and-desist orders, suspend operations, order consumer redress, and adjudicate certain civil financial consumer claims up to ₱10,000,000. The available remedy depends on the company, the evidence, and the exact complaint. (Supreme Court E-Library)

Key Takeaways

The SEC is usually the main agency for complaints against lending companies, financing companies, and online lending platforms.
The NPC handles complaints involving misuse of personal data, contact list harvesting, public shaming, or unauthorized disclosure of personal information.
The BSP handles complaints against banks, credit card issuers, e-money issuers, pawnshops, and other BSP-supervised financial institutions.
A company’s SEC corporate registration is not the same as authority to operate as a lending or financing company.
Debt collectors cannot lawfully use threats, insults, public shaming, fake legal documents, or unauthorized contact with your relatives, employer, or phone contacts.
Save screenshots, call logs, payment records, loan terms, app details, and messages from affected contacts before filing.
Use SEC iMessage for SEC complaints, the NPC formal complaint process for privacy issues, and BSP Consumer Assistance Channels for BSP-supervised institutions.
If the situation involves threats, fraud, fake warrants, hacking, identity theft, or cyber harassment, report to cybercrime authorities as well.