Fake Loan Apps List 2026: Illegal and Chinese Loan Apps in India

Our fake loan apps list for 2026 names 144 illegal loan apps reported in India. A fake loan app is a lending app with no RBI-regulated bank or NBFC behind it: it lends fast, adds charges never put in writing, then harasses you and your contacts. The government has blocked 87 illegal loan apps under the IT Act (Lok Sabha reply, December 2025, retrieved 2026-11-02).

Google removed more than 2,200 fraudulent loan apps from the Play Store between September 2022 and August 2023 (Rajya Sabha reply, 6 February 2024, retrieved 2026-11-02). Since 28 January 2026, Google Play allows a personal loan app in India only if it is on RBI's list of Digital Lending Apps (Google Play policy, retrieved 2026-11-02).

Below is the full fake loan apps list for 2026, how fake loan app scams work, how to tell if an app is real or fake in 2 minutes, and what to do if a loan app is harassing you.

Figures are from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha replies, news reports of government orders, and Google Play's policy page (retrieved 2026-11-02).

How this guide is ordered: first the fake loan apps list, then how the scam works, then the checks and complaint steps that protect you from apps that are not on any list yet.

What Makes a Loan App Fake?

A loan app is fake, or illegal, when no RBI-regulated lender stands behind it. Under the RBI (Digital Lending) Directions, 2025, a genuine loan app must name its bank or NBFC, show a Key Fact Statement before you sign, pay the loan straight into your bank account, and never access your contacts, call logs or photos. A fake loan app breaks all of these rules because it answers to nobody.

Some fake loan apps never lend at all. They collect your Aadhaar, PAN and bank details and sell them or use them for fraud. Others lend a small amount to win trust, then demand far more than they gave. Either way, the fake loan application itself is the trap.

The name tells you nothing. Scammers copy the icons and names of real apps, so learn the check in this guide once and it protects you from apps that have not launched yet. The doubt reaches genuine platforms too, which is why we answered is GroMo real or fake head on.

Fake Loan Apps List in India 2026

This fake loan app list 2026 brings together 144 apps reported as fake, illegal or unauthorised in news reports and public complaint records. The 144 names make the most complete all fake loan app list we could compile, but no list can include every new clone. Most have been removed from the Play Store, but many come back under slightly changed names, so treat every lookalike the same way.

We have removed names that match or closely resemble legitimate brands, because a lookalike app is not the real company. slice (now a small finance bank), PhonePe, Rupeek, RapidRupee and MoneyTap are genuine businesses; if you see an app copying their name, check the developer and the lender before installing.

New clones appear every month. If an app is not in RBI's DLA list with a named lender, treat it as fake even if it is not on this page.

Illegal loan apps list from police action

Some lists come straight from the police. In June 2022, Odisha Police's Economic Offences Wing asked Google to remove 45 illegal loan apps (IBTimes India, 10 June 2022, retrieved 2026-11-02), including Beloan, Go Cash, Go Go Loan, INS Loan, Asan Loan, Fast Rupee, Rupee King, Cash Cola, Hello Rupee, Small Credit, Ok Rupee Loan and Magic Money Loan. State cyber cells publish similar warnings, so check your state police website too.

Chinese Loan Apps List and Government Bans

Chinese loan apps are illegal lending apps run or funded by people linked to China, often through Indian shell companies. In February 2023, the Ministry of Electronics and IT began blocking 138 betting apps and 94 loan apps with Chinese links on an emergency basis, on the Home Ministry's advice (Entrepreneur India report, 6 February 2023, retrieved 2026-11-02). The Enforcement Directorate has also arrested Chinese nationals in loan app cases.

The government does not publish the names of the apps it blocks, so there is no official "RBI banned loan app list" or "government banned loan apps list". RBI publishes the opposite: a list of legitimate digital lending apps. That is why checking an app against RBI's DLA list works better than searching any banned list.

What changed recently:

• 8 May 2025: RBI issued the Digital Lending Directions, 2025, banning access to contacts and media files and requiring direct disbursal and a Key Fact Statement.
• 1 July 2025: RBI's public list of Digital Lending Apps went live on rbi.org.in.
• 30 October 2025 and 28 January 2026: Google Play began requiring new and then existing personal loan apps in India to be on RBI's DLA list.
• December 2025: the government told the Lok Sabha that 87 illegal loan apps have been blocked under Section 69A of the IT Act.
• Draft BULA Bill (December 2024): the Finance Ministry proposed jail of up to 7 years and heavy fines for unregulated lending, and 3 to 10 years in jail for harassing borrowers (Business Today, 21 December 2024, retrieved 2026-11-02). It is a draft, not a law yet.

7 Days Fake Loan App List: Why Short Loans Are Risky

Searches for a "7 days fake loan app list" have grown fast, because most illegal loan apps lend for just 7 days. A typical pattern: you apply for a small loan, receive far less after "fees", and must repay the full amount or more in 7 days. Miss the date, and the harassment starts.

A genuine lender must show the full annual cost (APR) in a Key Fact Statement before you accept, and you get a cooling-off period of at least 1 day to return the loan without penalty. If a 7-day loan app cannot show you this in writing, it is illegal. Our 7 days loan apps list explains which short loans are legal and what they really cost.

How Fake Loan App Scams Work

Loan scams and loan app fraud follow almost the same script every time.

1. The hook. An ad or SMS promises an instant loan with no CIBIL check and guaranteed approval. Genuine lenders never guarantee approval.
2. The permission grab. The app asks for your contacts, photos and SMS. RBI rules bar this for genuine apps; for a fake app, your data is the real product.
3. The fee or the small loan. The app either takes a "processing fee" and disappears, or pays a small amount so you feel committed.
4. The impossible bill. Charges appear that were never in writing, because there was no Key Fact Statement or loan agreement.
5. The harassment. Agents call and message your family and colleagues, often with morphed photos and threats.

How to Check if a Loan App Is Real or Fake

1. Find the lender's name on the app's Play Store page or website. No named bank or NBFC means do not install.
2. Search RBI's DLA list. On rbi.org.in, open Citizen's Corner, then "DLAs deployed by Regulated Entities", and confirm the app appears with the same lender.
3. Install only from the Play Store or App Store, never from an APK link on WhatsApp, Telegram or SMS.
4. Check permissions. A genuine loan app needs KYC documents, not your contact list or gallery.
5. Read the Key Fact Statement before accepting. It must show APR, EMI and penal charges.

Note that RBI says its list relies on lenders' own reports and is not an endorsement, so the Key Fact Statement and direct disbursal still matter. For a list of genuine apps and their lenders, see our guide to RBI approved loan apps.

Loan App Harassment: How to Complain

Loan app harassment is a crime. Do not pay amounts that were never in writing; paying once only marks you as someone who pays.

1. Cut access. Revoke the app's permissions in your phone settings, then uninstall it. Change your banking passwords and UPI PIN.
2. Save evidence. Keep screenshots, call recordings, payment receipts and the app name.
3. File a cyber crime complaint. Call the national helpline 1930 or file online at cybercrime.gov.in. This is the fastest route for a fake loan app complaint.
4. Report the app on the Sachet portal. RBI's Sachet portal, sachet.rbi.org.in, lets anyone report an entity lending or collecting money illegally.
5. Go to your local police station with your evidence if threats continue.
6. Warn your contacts that they may get calls and should ignore them.

If the lender is a regulated bank or NBFC, write to the grievance officer named in the app first. If there is no reply in 30 days, complain to the RBI Ombudsman at cms.rbi.org.in or call 14448. For what recovery agents may and may not do, read RBI loan recovery guidelines.

Real or Fake? Popular Loan Apps Checked

People often search "[app name] loan app real or fake". Here is what each company's own website says, checked on 2 November 2026. Always confirm the same app and lender in RBI's DLA list.

Fake apps often copy these names. Always install from the official store listing and check that the developer and lender match.

GroMo is a free app where partners help customers apply for loans, credit cards and bank accounts from RBI-regulated banks and NBFCs, and earn a commission on approval.

FAQ: Fake Loan Apps

Is there an official RBI fake loan app list?

No. RBI publishes the opposite: a list of legitimate Digital Lending Apps with the bank or NBFC behind each one, on rbi.org.in since 1 July 2025. Any loan app missing from it should be treated as unsafe.

How many illegal loan apps has India banned?

The government told the Lok Sabha in December 2025 that 87 illegal loan apps have been blocked under Section 69A of the IT Act. Google separately removed more than 2,200 fraudulent loan apps between September 2022 and August 2023.

What is the Chinese loan apps list?

In February 2023, the government began blocking 94 loan apps and 138 betting apps with Chinese links. The official names were not published, so check any app against RBI's DLA list instead of relying on an unofficial Chinese loan apps list.

What happens if I don't repay a fake loan app?

Amounts demanded outside a written loan agreement have no legal standing. A fake app's main weapon is harassment, which is itself a crime you should report on 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in.

How do I complain about loan app harassment?

Call 1930 or file on cybercrime.gov.in, report the app on RBI's Sachet portal, and go to the police with your evidence. For a regulated lender, also complain to its grievance officer and then the RBI Ombudsman at cms.rbi.org.in.

What is the Sachet portal?

Sachet (sachet.rbi.org.in) is RBI's portal where anyone can report entities that take deposits or lend and collect money illegally. Complaints help regulators act against the app.

Are 7 days loan apps fake?

Some 7 days loan apps are legal, but most illegal loan apps use 7-day loans with hidden charges. A legal lender must show the full cost in a Key Fact Statement and give a cooling-off period of at least 1 day.

Is Kissht real or fake?

Kissht is real. Its loans are given by Si Creva Capital Services, an NBFC, and the app is run by OnEMI Technology Solutions. Install only the official app.

Is Ring loan app real or fake?

Ring is real. Si Creva Capital Services lists Ring as one of its digital lending platforms, operated by OnEMI. Watch for lookalike apps using the Ring name.

Is True Balance loan app real or fake?

True Balance is real. It is the lending app of True Credits Pvt Ltd, an NBFC, and is run by Balancehero India.

Is Buddy Loan real or fake?

Buddy Loan is a real loan marketplace run by Bvalue Services. It connects you to partner lenders rather than lending itself, so check the lender named in your loan offer.

GroMo (Vitrak Technologies Pvt Ltd) is a distribution platform. GroMo is not a bank, NBFC, insurer or investment adviser. All products are offered by their respective RBI, IRDAI or SEBI-regulated providers.

Sources: Lok Sabha replies on illegal loan apps (December 2025 and 16 March 2026); Rajya Sabha reply on Google Play removals (6 February 2024); RBI (Digital Lending) Directions, 2025; Google Play personal loan app policy for India; Odisha Police EOW action reported by IBTimes India (10 June 2022); report on blocking of loan apps with Chinese links (6 February 2023); app and lender websites, all retrieved 2026-11-02.

Disclaimer

This list is compiled from public news reports, police actions and complaint records for general awareness. App names, ownership and status change often, and an entry may become outdated. If you find an error, contact us and we will verify and correct or remove it. Always verify a lender in RBI's DLA list on rbi.org.in before borrowing. This article is not financial or legal advice.