In the Philippines, users of loan apps decry deception, threats and debt
Al Jazeera
Borrowers say popular online lending platforms use intimidation tactics to recover debts.
Manila, the Philippines – From the early morning hours to late at night, Lance receives hundreds of threatening texts and dozens of missed calls each day.
When he answers the phone, the person on the other end of the line often immediately hangs up.
Other times, a threatening voice tells him that his days are numbered if he does not pay the debts he has racked up using online lending platforms.
“They’re toying with me,” Lance, who asked to use a pseudonym, told Al Jazeera.
His family’s breadwinner, Lance, 31, lost his job in sales twice during COVID-19 lockdowns in Manila.
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