Loan App Harassment in the Philippines: Your Rights and What to Do

A text at 11 p.m. calling you a scammer. Your tita getting a message about your ₱3,000 balance. Your selfie posted in a Facebook group. Most of this is against the rules, and some of it breaks the law.

Below is what collectors can and can't do, how to protect yourself and where to report them. It's general information, not legal advice. For your own case, talk to a lawyer or the Public Attorney's Office (PAO).

Owing money doesn't take away your rights. You remain responsible for valid debts, but lenders must collect them fairly and lawfully.

Kung ikaw ang nakakatanggap ng sunod-sunod na tawag, o kung ang nanay o boss mo na ang tinetext ng collector, hindi ka nag-iisa. Below you'll find the actual rules, a sample message you can send the lender, and the exact steps for filing with the SEC and the National Privacy Commission.

The rules that protect borrowers

These are the rules that apply:

• SEC Memorandum Circular No. 18, series of 2019: prohibits unfair debt collection practices by lending and financing companies and their third-party collection agents.
• Data Privacy Act of 2012 (RA 10173): governs how your personal information, including your phone contacts, may be collected and used. Enforced by the National Privacy Commission (NPC).
• Financial Products and Services Consumer Protection Act (RA 11765): strengthens consumer protection for users of financial products and services, including protection against abusive collection.
• Cybercrime Prevention Act (RA 10175) and the Revised Penal Code: may apply to online threats, libel, and similar acts.
• SEC rules on online lending platforms, which limit the permissions apps can request and require registered companies to report their platforms.

Collection practices that are prohibited

Under SEC MC 18 s.2019, unfair collection practices by lending and financing companies include:

• Using or threatening violence or other criminal means to harm you, your reputation, or your property.
• Using obscenities, insults, or profane language.
• Disclosing or publishing your name and personal information as a delinquent borrower (for example, "shaming" posts or group messages).
• Contacting people in your contact list other than those you named as co-makers, guarantors or references (and even then, only within the rules).
• Making false or misleading representations, such as pretending to be a lawyer, police officer, or court official, or threatening a criminal case that has no basis. Non-payment of a debt alone is generally a civil matter, not a crime.
• Contacting you at unreasonable hours: the circular defines this as contact before 6:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m., unless the account is more than 15 days past due or you gave express consent that those are the only convenient times.
• Threatening action that can't legally be taken, and telling other people false information about your loan, including not mentioning that you're disputing the debt.

The circular also says these rules cover the third-party collection agencies the lender hires. A lending company can't escape responsibility by saying "agency po 'yan, hindi kami."

If an app does any of these things, it may be sanctioned by the SEC, and its personal data handling may be investigated by the NPC.

What the National Privacy Commission says about your contacts and photos

The NPC has its own rules for loan apps: NPC Circular No. 20-01, Guidelines on the Processing of Personal Data for Loan-Related Transactions, as amended by NPC Circular No. 2022-02. In plain terms:

• Permissions must be necessary. An app may only ask for access to your phone's data when it's suitable, necessary and not excessive for things like checking your identity, assessing the loan, preventing fraud and lawful collection.
• Contacts are limited. The amended circular allows access to a contact list only to derive limited "metadata" about it, and to let you choose your own references or co-makers. Using your contacts to harass you or to collect from people who aren't your guarantors is prohibited.
• Camera and gallery access is for verification. An app may use the camera or gallery for KYC (like the selfie and ID photo) or payment verification. After that, it should turn the permission off or tell you that you can revoke it.
• Your photo can't be used against you. The circular says a borrower's photo may never be used to harass or embarrass the borrower to collect a loan.

So if your selfie ended up in a group chat with the word "SCAMMER", you can take that to the NPC as well as the SEC.

What collectors may legitimately do

A lender is allowed to remind you of your due date, inform you of the amount owed and penalties under your contract, call or message you within reasonable hours, offer payment arrangements, and pursue lawful remedies such as civil collection. You still owe a valid debt, and you're still entitled to fair treatment.

Step-by-step: what to do if you're being harassed

1. Stay calm and don't pay through unofficial channels

Collectors may pressure you to send money to a personal GCash or bank account. Only pay through the official payment channels listed in the lender's app or website, and keep receipts.

2. Document everything

Take screenshots of messages, call logs, social media posts, and any messages your contacts received. Note dates, times, phone numbers, and names used. Save these in a separate folder or cloud storage.

3. Identify the company behind the app

Find the corporate name, SEC Registration Number, and Certificate of Authority Number. If they're missing or don't match the SEC lists, the app may be unregistered. See how to check if a lender is SEC-registered.

4. Communicate in writing

Tell the lender in writing (email or in-app message) that you dispute the collection method, that they must stop contacting third parties, and, if you can, propose a realistic payment plan. Keep a copy.

This written notice matters for two reasons. The SEC complaint form asks for proof that you tried to settle things with the company first. And the NPC generally won't act on a privacy complaint unless you first told the company about the violation in writing and it didn't act, or didn't reply within 15 calendar days.

Here's a sample you can adapt. Fill in your own details and keep it short:

Magandang araw. Ako si [buong pangalan], borrower ng [pangalan ng app] with loan account no. [number]. Noong [petsa], nakatanggap ang mga contact ko na hindi ko inilistang reference ng mga mensahe tungkol sa utang ko. Ito ay labag sa SEC Memorandum Circular No. 18, s. 2019 at sa NPC Circular No. 20-01. Hinihiling kong itigil ninyo agad ang pag-contact sa kanila at burahin ang contact data na hindi kailangan. Handa akong bayaran ang [halaga] sa pamamagitan ng [opisyal na payment channel] tuwing [petsa], simula [petsa]. Pakisagot sa loob ng 15 araw.

Send it through the lender's official support channel shown in the app or on its website, not to the collector's personal number.

5. Revoke unnecessary app permissions

In your phone settings, revoke the app's access to contacts, photos, and other data. This won't erase data the app already took.

6. File complaints

• SEC: for unfair collection practices or unregistered lending. Use the complaint channels for lending and financing companies listed on sec.gov.ph.
• National Privacy Commission (NPC): if your personal data or contacts were misused. See privacy.gov.ph for the complaint process.
• PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group or NBI Cybercrime Division: for threats, extortion, or defamatory posts.
• Barangay or PAO: for help with mediation or legal advice.
• BSP: if the lender is a bank, not a lending or financing company. Banks follow BSP collection rules, and the BSP has its own consumer assistance channels on bsp.gov.ph.

How to file with the SEC, step by step

The SEC's Complaints page (sec.gov.ph, under Lending Companies and Financing Companies) sets out the process. As of October 2026:

1. Check if the company has a Certificate of Authority. Only registered lending and financing companies with a CA can be respondents in a regular complaint. If the app has no CA, the SEC page says to send your complaint to the Enforcement and Investor Protection Department (EIPD) instead. Contact details for both are on that same page.
2. Download and fill out the Complaint Form completely. Incomplete complaints can be dismissed outright.
3. One form per company. If two different apps harassed you, file two forms.
4. Attach a valid government ID and all your evidence: screenshots, call logs, your loan agreement or disclosure statement, payment receipts.
5. Attach proof that you tried to resolve it with the company first, like the written notice in step 4 above and any reply.
6. Keep a copy of everything you send and the date you sent it.

Know what the SEC can and can't do. Its page says it can't change the loan terms, cancel or settle your loan, declare the interest void for being excessive, or declare the contract void. What it can do is look into violations of the lending laws, the Truth in Lending Act and its own circulars, and refer your complaint to the NPC or other agencies where that fits.

How to file with the NPC

For misuse of your contacts or photos, the NPC route applies:

1. Notify the company in writing first about the privacy violation, and keep proof that it received your message.
2. Wait for action or 15 calendar days. If the company doesn't respond or doesn't fix it, you can file. The NPC may waive this step for good cause or for serious violations, for example when there's grave harm that only the NPC can stop.
3. Prepare a written, signed complaint with your evidence and supporting documents. Complaints without enough evidence can be dismissed.
4. Follow the filing steps on privacy.gov.ph, under its complaints section.

The NPC says that once a complaint is received, it has 30 calendar days to give it due course or dismiss it, and the whole process up to a decision can take around ten to twelve months. That's slow, so file early and keep your evidence safe.

7. Warn your contacts

If collectors are messaging your family, friends, or co-workers, briefly let them know they don't need to respond and can block the numbers.

If you genuinely can't pay

Harassment is never acceptable, but if you're behind on payments the debt itself won't disappear. Consider:

• asking the lender for a restructured payment plan or extension in writing,
• prioritising debts with the highest penalties and essential obligations (rent, utilities),
• avoiding new loans to pay old ones, which usually makes things worse, and
• looking into cheaper consolidation options. See our refinance page and utang page.

A quick example: what a legal collection message looks like

Compare these two messages about the same ₱3,000 overdue balance.

Allowed: "Hi [name], your ₱3,000 payment was due on 15 October. A late fee of ₱150 applies under your loan agreement. You can pay through the app or call our hotline to discuss a payment plan."

Not allowed: "Kung hindi ka magbabayad ngayon, ipo-post namin ang mukha mo at sasabihan namin ang lahat ng contacts mo na scammer ka. May warrant ka na."

The first one states the amount, the due date and the contract terms. The second threatens public shaming, contacts people who aren't your references, and makes a false legal claim. That's three violations of SEC MC 18 in two sentences. (The ₱150 fee here is only an example. For small loans of ₱10,000 or less with terms up to 4 months, total interest, fees and penalties can never exceed the amount you borrowed. See legit loan apps in the Philippines for the caps.)

How to avoid this in the future

• Borrow only from lenders you've verified on the SEC's lists.
• Read the app's permissions and privacy policy before installing.
• Avoid apps that require access to your contacts or gallery to approve a loan.
• Compare lenders' reputations for fair collection, not just speed.
• Use our lender comparison page as a starting point, then verify independently.

Screenshots, dates and a written notice to the lender are what make a complaint stick, so start saving them from the first bad message. If you're borrowing for the first time, the first-time borrower guide covers what to check before you sign. Para sa gabay sa Taglish, tingnan ang paano mag-loan online nang ligtas.

Frequently asked questions

Can a loan app contact my family and friends?

Under SEC MC 18, s. 2019, lending and financing companies may not contact people in your contact list other than those you named as co-makers, guarantors or references, and even then only within the rules.

Can I go to jail for not paying an online loan?

Non-payment of a debt alone is generally a civil matter, not a crime. Threatening a baseless criminal case is a prohibited collection practice.

Where do I report loan app harassment?

Report unfair collection to the SEC, misuse of personal data to the National Privacy Commission, and threats or extortion to the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group or NBI Cybercrime Division.

Can a collector say I have a warrant or a case already?

A real criminal case goes through a prosecutor and a court, and you'd receive official papers, not a text from a collector. The 1987 Constitution says no person shall be imprisoned for debt. Fraud, like using a fake identity or a bouncing check, is a different matter. Falsely claiming there's a warrant is a deceptive collection practice under SEC MC 18. For what actually happens to an unpaid loan (penalty caps, your CIC record, small claims) and how to settle it, see online loan hindi nabayaran.

Do I still have to pay if the app harassed me?

Yes, if the loan itself is valid. Harassment is a separate violation you can report, but it doesn't cancel what you borrowed. The SEC says it can't cancel or settle your loan. Pay through official channels and keep receipts so there's no dispute about what you've paid.

Pinapahiya ako ng collector ng loan app. Ano ang puwede kong gawin?

I-screenshot lahat ng message at tawag, huwag magbayad sa personal na GCash o account ng collector, at i-report sa SEC. Kung ginamit ang contacts o photos mo, mag-file din sa National Privacy Commission. Bayaran pa rin ang utang na totoo, pero hindi mo kailangang tiisin ang pananakot.