The proliferation of online lending applications in the Philippines has provided quick access to credit but has also spawned widespread abusive practices, particularly illegal debt collection through harassment, public shaming, and unauthorized mass messaging or calling of the borrower’s contacts. These practices are unlawful under multiple Philippine laws, and borrowers have clear legal remedies to stop them immediately and hold the perpetrators accountable.

Key Laws Violated by Abusive Online Lending Apps

Republic Act No. 10173 (Data Privacy Act of 2012)
The single most violated law in these cases.
• Requiring access to contacts, SMS, photos, and gallery as a condition for loan approval constitutes illegal processing of personal data without valid consent (Secs. 11, 12, 13).
• Sending messages to contacts (“reference checking” or shaming) is illegal disclosure of personal and sensitive personal information without consent (Sec. 16).
• The National Privacy Commission has repeatedly declared that “access to contacts as loan requirement” is a violation and has issued cease-and-desist orders against dozens of apps since 2019.
Republic Act No. 11765 (Financial Products and Services Consumer Protection Act of 2022)
• Section 23 expressly prohibits creditors and their agents from using threats, violence, coercion, obscenities, or any form of harassment in debt collection.
• Public shaming, posting of photos with captions like “scammer” or “wanted,” and mass messaging contacts are explicitly abusive practices punishable by fines of ₱50,000 to ₱2,000,000 and imprisonment of 6 months to 7 years.
Republic Act No. 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012)
• Cyberlibel (posting defamatory content online).
• Illegal access (accessing your phone data without authority).
• Use of communication devices to threaten or harass.
Revised Penal Code
• Article 282 – Grave threats
• Article 287 – Light threats
• Article 358 – Slander by deed (public shaming)
• Article 151 – Unjust vexation (persistent annoying calls/texts)
SEC Memorandum Circular No. 19, s. 2019 & SEC-OGC Opinion No. 21-02
All financing and lending companies, including online platforms, must be registered with the SEC. Operating without registration is illegal. Over 90% of the harassing apps (5Cash, Pesoloan, CashJeep, QuickPera, etc.) are unregistered and often Chinese-owned P2P platforms operating illegally in the Philippines.

Immediate Steps to Stop the Harassment

Revoke App Permissions Immediately
Android: Settings → Apps → [App Name] → Permissions → Deny Contacts, SMS, Storage, Camera.
iOS: Settings → Privacy → Contacts/SMS → Turn off the app.
Then uninstall the app.
Block All Numbers Used by the Lender
Use built-in phone blocking or apps like Truecaller, Mr. Number, or Call Blacklist.
Send a Formal Demand Letter via Email or Messenger
Sample text (send to all their official emails/Facebook pages):
“I am revoking any consent previously given to process my personal data. Cease and desist from contacting me and all my contacts immediately. Continued harassment will be reported to the NPC, NBI, PNP-ACG, and SEC for violation of RA 10173, RA 11765, and related laws.”
Screenshot everything for evidence.
Change Your Phone Number (if harassment is extreme)
This is the fastest way to stop contact-blasting. Globe and Smart now allow number changes online within hours.

Filing Complaints – Where and How (All Free)

National Privacy Commission (NPC) – Highest Success Rate
File online: https://privacy.gov.ph/complaint/
Required:
• Screenshots of harassment messages sent to you and your contacts
• Screenshot of the app requesting contacts access
• Loan agreement (if any)
The NPC routinely issues Cease-and-Desist Orders (CDOs) within 72 hours to 2 weeks and forwards cases to the NBI for criminal prosecution. As of 2025, over 300 lending apps have been issued CDOs.
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Report unregistered lending: https://www.sec.gov.ph/online-reporting/
Or email lendingcomplaint@sec.gov.ph
Subject: “Complaint vs Unregistered Online Lending Platform – [App Name]”
SEC forwards cases to the Enforcement and Investor Protection Department and requests Google/Apple to remove the app.
NBI Cybercrime Division
Go to NBI Taft Avenue or file online via https://nbi.gov.ph/online-services/
Crimes: Violation of RA 10173, RA 10175, RA 11765, and Revised Penal Code provisions.
Bring affidavits from contacts who received shaming messages (very strong evidence).
PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG)
File at Camp Crame or any police station (blotter first, then endorsement to ACG).
Hotline: 723-0401 loc. 7491
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anticybercrimegroup
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) – If the lender claims to be BSP-registered
Email consumeraffairs@bsp.gov.ph
Most are not registered, but legitimate financing companies (e.g., Billease, Cashalo) are supervised by BSP.

Criminal and Civil Cases You Can File

Criminal Cases (Prosecutor’s Office or Direct Filing at MTC)
• Violation of RA 10173 (imprisonment 1–6 years + fines)
• Violation of RA 11765 (imprisonment 6 months–7 years + fines up to ₱2M)
• Cyberlibel (imprisonment up to 12 years if online)
• Unjust vexation / light threats
These are public crimes – you do not need to hire a private lawyer; the government prosecutes.
Civil Case for Damages
File at RTC for moral damages (₱100,000–₱500,000 typical award in lending harassment cases) + attorney’s fees.
Precedents: Multiple RTC decisions (e.g., Quezon City, Manila, Cebu) have awarded ₱200,000–₱300,000 in damages against lending app agents.
Barangay Conciliation (for minor harassment)
If the agent is identifiable and based in the Philippines, summon them to barangay lupon. Most agents ignore it, which strengthens your later court case.

How to Prevent Future Harassment

• Never grant contacts/SMS/gallery permission. Legitimate lenders do not require it.
• Use virtual number apps (TextNow, Google Voice, MySudo) when applying for loans.
• Borrow only from SEC-registered lending companies (check list here: https://www.sec.gov.ph/lending-companies-and-financing-companies-2023/).
• As of 2025, Google Play and Apple App Store now require Philippine lending apps to submit SEC registration before publishing.

List of Frequently Reported Illegal Apps (2023–2025)

Pesoloan, Cashut, JuanHand (some versions), FastPeso, QuickPera, Lentxt, CashJeep, SnapPeso, FlashCash, Lucky Loan, SpeedPeso, PesoLending, EasyPera, Online Peso, 5Cash, MoneyCat, UnaCash (unregistered versions), CashBus, and hundreds of clones.
Most are removed from Play Store but reappear under new names weekly.

Final Note

You are not powerless. The combination of RA 10173 and RA 11765 has given borrowers extremely strong legal weapons. In practice, filing with the NPC alone stops 80–90% of harassment within days because the apps fear CDOs and app store removal. Document everything, file complaints in multiple agencies simultaneously, and the harassment will stop. Thousands of borrowers have successfully done exactly this since 2022.