DSI notifies Google and Apple to remove illegal loan apps

Prachachat•Economy•17m ago

Reader Briefing

The Department of Special Investigation has requested Google and Apple to remove unauthorized digital personal loan applications from their stores.

•The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) notified Google Thailand and Apple South Asia (Thailand) Co., Ltd. to investigate loan apps.
•Only 8 private operators are currently licensed by the Bank of Thailand (BOT) for digital personal loans.
•Illegal apps have been reported for accessing phone data to publicly shame borrowers and harass contacts.

•Citizens installed quick loan applications via the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
•These applications required access to phone data, including contact numbers and photos, which were later used to publicly shame borrowers and harass others.
•The Bank of Thailand (BOT) currently has only 8 licensed private operators for digital personal loans.
•The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) sent a list of licensed digital personal loan operators to representatives of Google Thailand and Apple South Asia (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
•The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) requested that any loan applications not belonging to the eight licensed companies be removed from the systems.
•The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) will coordinate with the Bank of Thailand (BOT) to establish prevention measures for digital platforms.
•The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) will consider urgent legal action under the Special Investigation Act 2004.

Full article content is available on the original source.

Department of Special Investigation(กรมสอบสวนคดีพิเศษ)ℹ️

The agency that notified Google and Apple to remove illegal loan apps and is coordinating with the Bank of Thailand.

Google(google)ℹ️

The operator of the Google Play Store notified by the Department of Special Investigation to investigate loan apps.

Apple South Asia (Thailand) Co., Ltd.(แอปเปิล เซาท์ เอเชีย (ประเทศไทย) จำกัด)

The company responsible for the App Store notified by the Department of Special Investigation to investigate loan apps.

Bank of Thailand(ธนาคารแห่งประเทศไทย)ℹ️

The regulatory body that licenses digital personal loan operators.

Bureau of Consumer Protection Crime(กองคดีคุ้มครองผู้บริโภค)

The division within the Department of Special Investigation aware of the public distress caused by illegal loan apps.

Special Investigation Act 2004(พระราชบัญญัติการสอบสวนคดีพิเศษ พ.ศ.2547)

The law under which the Department of Special Investigation will consider taking urgent action.