Google removed over 2,500 loan, lending apps from Play Store

Google, one of the big internet companies, has removed more than 2,500 fraudulent loan apps from its Play Store. Earlier this year, the central government banned more than 230 Chinese apps related to betting and loans after complaints of extortion and harassment. Complaints related to such loan apps have increased in the last few years.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha that Google Google has removed more than 2,500 fake loan apps from the Play Store between April 2021 and July 2022. He said that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had given a list of such apps which are violating the guidelines. Along with this, Sitharaman told that the government is in talks with RBI and other industry stakeholders to curb illegal loan apps. According to Sitharaman, “Google reviewed 3,500 to 4,000 loan and lending apps between April 2021 and July 2022. Out of these, more than 2,500 fake loan apps have been removed from the Play Store.”

He said that the list of legally running loan apps prepared by RBI has been given to the government and Google. Company Google has also updated its Play Store policy regarding loan and lending apps and has imposed strict conditions for lending apps in the country. A few months ago, Google had said that it had taken action against more than 3,500 loan apps in the country. These apps were violating the Play Store policy.

Earlier this year, the government had banned many lending apps. These included apps of some Indian firms as well. After the notice from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, these apps as well as their websites were removed. The government had told the Parliament that RBI has issued an advisory to the state governments asking them to control unauthorized digital lending platforms and mobile apps. Many complaints of illegal recovery and harassment of people were received against these apps. These apps give loans of small amounts to people and charge heavy interest on it.