Uzbekistan warns of fraudulent loan scheme

A fraudulent scheme offering "favorable" loans has been detected in Uzbekistan, according to Podrobno.uz.

Advertisements for loans with attractively low interest rates are being actively distributed on social media. Users interested in these offers are redirected to Telegram, where they are asked to provide personal and bank information. They are then asked to pay 350,000 soums as a fee for "expedited loan processing."

A member of the "Potrebitel.Uz" community brought this scheme to the attention of a member. He reported seeing an ad for a loan with favorable terms on Facebook and clicking the link on Telegram.

There, he was contacted by a person claiming to be a manager who requested his passport information, phone number, and bank card information. The user, deciding to verify the authenticity of the offer, provided fictitious information.

In response, he was sent a PDF document allegedly containing his personal information, the amount of the "approved" loan, and the interest rate. The "manager" then demanded a transfer of 350,000 soums, citing the need to expedite the loan process.

The author of the post described the incident as a fraudulent scheme. Other users also warned against such offers in the comments.

In this regard, citizens are urged to exercise vigilance and not trust loan offers received through social media and messaging apps. It is strongly recommended that you do not provide personal or bank information to unknown individuals. If you need a loan, you should contact the bank directly and use only its official communication channels.

It should be noted that legitimate banks never require upfront payments for loans or process loans through dubious bots. Furthermore, providing personal information, and especially transferring funds to unknown individuals, can lead to serious negative consequences.

Previously, a similar fraudulent scheme involving fictitious loans was stopped in the Kashkadarya region. The suspects used forged documents and received loans totaling 783 million soums, issued to 12 individuals.