Message From OJK: Don't Pay Installment Loans If You Have Already Borrowed Money At Illegal Loans

JAKARTA - Head of the Financial Services Authority (OJK) of Central Sulawesi Province (Sulteng) Gamal Abdul Kahar said that people do not need to pay loan installments if they have already borrowed from illegal online loans (pinjol).

Because illegal lenders are not registered and do not have the OJK permit in carrying out loan services to the public, so that all activities carried out by illegal lenders violate the law, there is no need to pay loans at illegal lenders.

"From the point of view of criminal law, there are also allegations of criminal acts of extortion, threats or unpleasant acts committed by illegal Pinjol. For people who have already become victims of illegal Pinjol, there is no need to pay," he said, quoted from Antara, Friday, April 8.

If they receive threats and terror of violence from illegal borrowers, he said, the public immediately reports to the nearest police station. The police will provide protection for the whistleblowers.

"To the public, never be tempted by loan offers from illegal loans. Always check the legality of the loan offers received to avoid extortion. Legal loans that are registered and have OJK permits are listed on the official OJK website," he said.

Gamal also asked people in all regions in Central Sulawesi to be careful with the illegal loan traps in attracting residents to borrow money.

He explained that there are several traps that are often carried out by illegal borrowers so that people unknowingly and unintentionally then already borrow money.

"There are illegal Pinjols who directly transfer money to people's accounts. Even though they have never applied for loans to illegal Pinjols," he said.

Gamal stated that this happened because people accidentally or unknowingly opened links or links containing illegal loan offers that entered their smartphones, both offers that went into short messages or via WhatsApp (WA) messages.

"Then automatically all personal identities contained in the smartphone are read and can be accessed by the illegal loan sharks and immediately transfer money to the victim because their personal identity has been obtained. Even though such offers are prohibited by legal borrowers," he said.

Another trap, said Gamal, is that illegal loans often replicate or imitate names and use a logo that is very similar to legal loans that are registered and have the OJK permit to operate so that people are often deceived.

People thought that borrowing money from loan sharks was legal, but it turned out to be illegal.