Complaints about fraudulent loans rose by over 40% in 2024

The Office of the Ombudsman for Human Rights reported a 42% increase in complaints related to fraud in 2024, with five cases resulting in courts declaring loan agreements invalid, according to the agency's press service.

Throughout the year, the Ombudsman’s office received over 6,000 complaints concerning the economic rights of citizens. Of these, 156 cases involved fraud, including the issuance of loans in commercial banks under citizens' names without their consent, compared to 110 cases in 2023.

In 60% of the complaints, individuals posing as employees of the Central Bank or the Click payment service were involved in obtaining personal data from victims. In some instances, victims had up to 5–6 loans issued across different banks in their names.

Law enforcement investigators instructed banks to suspend the accrual and collection of interest on these loans until the perpetrators were identified, emphasizing that the victims had not used the loaned money. Although such orders are legally binding, many banks have continued to demand repayment of the debt.

The Ombudsman’s office filed five civil lawsuits, resulting in the successful invalidation of the loan agreements in court. In one case, the money that had been taken from the victim was returned, and compensation for moral damages was awarded.

According to the Central Bank, there were 463 cases of fraudulent online loan applications in 2024, resulting in losses amounting to 15 billion UZS.

To combat card fraud in online loan issuance, the regulator introduced a temporary procedure for applying for loans via mobile apps. Under the new rules, applicants must undergo biometric identification when submitting loan applications.

In less than three months since the new procedure was introduced, credit organizations refunded 285 billion UZS to banks for loans that had been applied for "under the influence of fraudsters." Eleven banks and one microfinance organization implemented online lending under the new requirements, while nine other banks temporarily suspended loan issuance via apps.