Lookout circular against 3 Chinese nationals in loan app scam

Bhubaneswar, July 17 (IANS) A lookout circular has been issued by against three Chinese nationals for their alleged involvement in a mobile loan app scam, Odisha Police said on Sunday.

The action was taken by the Bureau of Immigration on the request of the state police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW).

The three, identified as Shen Zhenhua, alias Tony of Jiangsu, Quan Hongwei alias Paul of Jiangsu, and Yang Haiying, alias Doris of Sichuan, China, are the main accused in a case registered against Kredit Gold loan app. This is the second illegal loan app case investigated by EOW.

There are more than one lakh victims of Kredit Gold loan app across the country including many from Odisha, the EOW officials said.

The officials suspect that the Chinese nationals are also running a similar scam in countries like Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh.

"They also have links in the US and Hong Kong. They are in the process of expanding their financial criminal network in African and Middle East countries," an official said.

The mastermind operates in India in connivance with many shell companies and Indians are made directors of these companies. They also take help from some unscrupulous officials of mobile companies, chartered accountants/company secretaries, fintech companies, recovery agents/ call centers etc., it said.

The Odisha Police also suspect that these accused, along with some other Chinese groups, are running hundreds of illegal digital loan apps and extorting from/abusing/mentally torturing lakhs of innocent loanees, mainly from lower middle-class.

The EOW also said that it will move Interpol through proper channels for extradition of these criminals to India and also to alert law enforcement agencies of other countries.

It has already arrested several persons in connection with a fake loan app scam and written twice to Google to take down the illegal apps from its play store.

It has also requested the RBI to impress upon Google for early taking down of the illegal apps and requested Registrar of Companies to inquire and take necessary action against suspected shell companies.

Earlier, the Bureau of Immigration had issued a look out circular against Chinese national Liu Yi, the main accused in another case registered by the EOW in against mobile loan app scam.