More than 400 unlicensed loan administrators arrested, says EOCO
"A joint technical task force comprising EOCO, the BoG, and the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) was constituted to clamp down on the activities of unlicensed digital loan application platforms.
The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has said a total of 422 illegal loan administrators were arrested on Monday in Accra, during a swoop.
Additionally, three foreign nationals were arrested, EOCO said in a statement.
"A joint technical task force comprising EOCO, the BoG, and the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) was constituted to clamp down on the activities of unlicensed digital loan application platforms.
Investigations have so far led to the identification of 150 unlicensed digital loan application platforms whose owners/administrators resort to the use of death threats and the non-consensual distribution of private messages, images accessed through authorised permissions granted by unsuspecting victims who patronize these digital platforms," the statement further said.
At the swoop, EOCO also says the team retrieved 654 phones, 22 laptops, and 800 SIM cards.
Last month, the Bank of Ghana issued a warning against 97 of these platforms, noting that their activities are in contravention of the Banks and Specialised Deposit-Taking Institutions Act, 2016 (Act 930), as well the Data Protection Act 2012 Act (843).
Authorities say they will continue to take action against these entities through collaborations with other agencies concerned.
