There are about 60 mobile phone applications that offer loans to users, but they have not been recognised by Reserve Bank of India as non-banking financial companies (NBFC), said a note from the Central Crime Branch.

While it is not advisable to share Aadhaar and bank credentials with such applications, they also get access to users’ data such contacts and photos and locations which can be misused and individual’s privacy can be violated, read the note.

Stating that the contact numbers and customer care numbers provided by the apps are fake, the CCB requested the public to approach police if they face any harassment by such apps.

It may be recalled that a man in Chengalpattu district committed suicide on Monday after he was harassed for a loan he borrowed from a lending app. In the city too, a similar death was reported in November.