Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to stop online lending harassment in the Philippines. It’s important to act decisively and understand your rights:
1. Document the Harassment
- Keep records: Save screenshots of messages, call logs, and any other evidence of harassment directed at you or your contacts.
- Note details: Record the date, time, content of the harassment, and the contact information (if available) of the person engaging in the behavior.
2. Protect Yourself and Your Contacts
- Don’t engage: Stop responding to abusive messages or calls. It’s best to completely disengage with the collectors.
- Don’t pay: Don’t make payments under pressure or threats – follow appropriate procedures and focus on dealing with the harassment first.
- Secure your data: Change passwords for your social media accounts and warn your contacts about the potential harassment.
3. Report to the Relevant Authorities
- National Privacy Commission (NPC): File a complaint if the harassment involves threats, blackmail, unauthorized use of personal data, or contacting people on your contacts list. Visit their website (https://www.privacy.gov.ph/) or email info@privacy.gov.ph
- Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): Report online lending companies registered with the SEC that are engaging in abusive practices. Visit their website (https://www.sec.gov.ph/) or use their online complaint form.
- Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP): File a complaint if the harassing lender is a bank or financial institution supervised by the BSP (https://www.bsp.gov.ph/).
- Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG): Contact them if the harassment involves serious threats or criminal activities. Visit their website or email pnp.acg@gmail.com
4. Know Your Rights
- Fair Debt Collection Practices Act: Lenders and their collection agents cannot use threats, coercion, or abusive language.
- Data Privacy Act: Lenders cannot publicly expose your debt or contact people outside your emergency contacts list.
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