goodmorningpapua.com – The Financial Services Authority of Papua and West Papua has received complaint of 45 online loans, which is abbreviated in Indonesian as PINJOL, from the public throughout 2021.
Fictor also revealed that OJK, through the Investment Alert Task Force (SWI) from 2018 to 2021, had blocked 3,516 illegal lending applications or sites.
“From the data available from 2019 to 2021, the number of public complaints related to online loans is not small, of which there are 19,711 complaints with details of 9,270 serious violations and 10,441 minor or moderate violations,” he explained.
OJK Papua and West Papua noted that as of August 2021, there were 29,449 entities that received loans from lenders with a total disbursement of Rp26.58 billion. While in West Papua there are 12,698 entities receiving the loans from PINJOL with a total distribution of Rp11.68 billion.
According to Fictor, the driving factor for the rise of illegal lending is due to the ease of access, and the difficulty of eradicating. In addition, a level of literacy of people is still low and the existence of an acute need also triggers the rise of people tempted to take debt to anyone.
“Behind the convenience offered by the loan services, it doesn’t mean that people can avoid risk. Some of the risks that arise from the debt are funds that are not guaranteed by a deposit guarantee institution (LPS), relatively with high interest rates, and the risk of illegal lending,” said Fictor.
Fictor also revealed several characteristics of illegal borrowing, including not being registered and licensed at the OJK, the address of the organizer is unclear or strange and often changes names, and the source of information offering loans is unknown.
Not only that, he continued, the application website asking for full access automatically in addition to the camera, microphone and location with a history of service is not good.
The more worse, billing tends to be rude and unethical, as well as against the law. Generally, illegal lending also applies high interest rates, large fees, and unlimited fines.
“We have made various efforts in preventing and eradicating illegal loans. Prevention efforts are carried out by intensively conducting socialization and education to the public regarding online loans,” he said.
Fictor appealed to people who would apply for a loan to pay attention to important things. First, the use of loan funds is only for productive and pivotal needs.
Second, notice the legal aspect (registered and licensed at the OJK) and the logic of online loan offers. Third, loans according to needs and abilities. Fourth, understand the benefits, costs, interest period, penalties, and risks.
Fictor also advised the public if they received unethical billing (terror, intimidation, and harassment), immediately block the terrorizing contact number, tell all contacts to ignore messages from pinjol and immediately report to the police.