From threats to assault, these easy credits became torture for many

As if it were back in time to 1964, so live those who claim to be victims of gout torture. At that point, those accused of a crime tied him up so that he could not move while he placed his head under a stream of water that fell drop by drop on his scalp. This sensation was so excruciating that it drove the punished insane, and small, but frequent blows became the cause of his death.

This is the same feeling described by those who obtained easy credit through Internet applications, supposedly wanting to get rid of lenders, known as “drop by drop”, which are more than 300% Lend money at interest rates of Rs.1000 and repay all. day to collect, usually on a motorcycle, threatening with weapons in hand if they do not answer the debt.

With the advent of technology, which spurred its boom after the Covid-19 pandemic, fintech entities, which in some way, cover services similar to financial services, but with greater practicality to access them, have emerged. Together, it became faster. For example, they lend money in the amount of $100,000 to $700,000 without many requirements or co-signatures, just by sending some information electronically. The interest cannot exceed the usury rate authorized by the government. which currently stands at 52.89% for microcredit.

These types of virtual loans seek, among other things, to prevent people from going to illegal lenders, but apparently these have gradually become more technical and front companies that have emerged as fintechs. but continue to scare users in de facto criminal ways.

Mario Triana lives in Ibagué and recounts with anguish how his only 20-year-old daughter, who took a loan through these apps to start a sweets business, after receiving $300.00, quickly turned into a debt of $700,000. Gaya, he started receiving threats and extortion through WhatsApp messages. All of his contacts received a message with a picture of him, the same picture he had sent while filling out the form. They presented him as a thief who did not answer for the loans and asked the message to reach them through him to avoid further complications.

Two weeks passed and the messages turned to calls, to physical attacks. “One day she was leaving the university and some people on a motorcycle pulled her hair and left her on the stage. They only shouted at him that it was a consequence of non-payment of the loan,” explains the father, still remorseful about what happened.

When she filled out the easy loan form, she gave authorization without realizing it, as she simply clicked to continue to the next step and in that effort she allowed the app to access contacts and other information on her phone Was .

The Triana family felt as if they were being tortured drop by drop, tied up, growing pains, as the debt was too much. The coldness of the collectors was prickling his head and he feared for his life. Colombian law states that the crime of usury is punishable by a prison sentence of 2 to 5 years and a fine of 50 to 200 minimum wages. The Ministry of Justice has also made it clear that when it becomes clear that you are being harassed by an illegal lender, a complaint can be lodged and the relevant evidence can be shown to the prosecutor’s office, saying that your life Is in danger.

The problem is that on the Internet it is often difficult to identify a person who can answer the allegations. The Financial Superintendent is not the body to regulate these apps as they do not collect money, but lend it. It is the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce that regulates such applications, in fact, it is known that there are several that are in the process of investigation.