Public-interest resource · in partnership with loantrap.org
Facing loan-app or NBFC harassment? You have rights.
You are not alone, and you are not powerless. Being unable to repay a loan is a civil matter, not a crime. Recovery agents who threaten, abuse, or shame you are breaking the law, and there is a free, confidential way to fight back.
If you are struggling, talk to someone now
Loan harassment can take a heavy emotional toll. Help is free, confidential, and available 24/7. If you are in immediate danger, call 112.
It is not a crime to be unable to repay a loan
Default on an unsecured loan is a civil matter. No genuine lender, recovery agent, or loan app can have you arrested simply for falling behind. What is illegal is the harassment so many borrowers face: calls at all hours, threats, abuse, and messages to family and contacts designed to shame you into paying.
loantrap.org exists to turn that fear into a paper trail. Its guiding principle is simple: document it, name the rule they broke, and report it. Oquilia points readers there because it is independent, non-commercial, and run by practising advocates.
Your rights against recovery harassment
Set by the Reserve Bank of India's Fair Practices Code for lenders and its digital-lending guidelines. Knowing these turns a frightening call into a reportable violation.
Calls only 8 am – 7 pm
Under RBI's Fair Practices Code, recovery agents may contact you only between 08:00 and 19:00. Calls outside these hours are a violation.
No threats, abuse, or public shaming
Intimidation, abusive language, and shaming you to your contacts are prohibited — and criminal intimidation is itself an offence you can report to the police.
They cannot harass your family or contacts
Loan apps may not scrape your phone contacts or photos to shame you. RBI's digital-lending norms restrict the data an app can access and how it may be used.
Default is civil, not criminal
Being unable to repay a loan is not a crime. It is a civil matter — no one can have you arrested simply for falling behind on an unsecured loan.
Source: Reserve Bank of India — Fair Practices Code and Guidelines on Digital Lending. Read the full guides on loantrap.org.
How loantrap.org helps you fight back
Four practical, free tools — built so an ordinary borrower can act without a lawyer in the room.
Check a lender
Verify whether an app, NBFC, or bank is actually RBI-registered before you borrow — or to confirm who is really chasing you.
Check a lenderReport an NBFC
Submit a private, encrypted report of harassment. loantrap.org matches it to the specific RBI rule or law that was broken and helps build a ready-to-file complaint.
Report harassmentKnow your rights
Plain-language guides to what a recovery agent can and cannot do under RBI's Fair Practices Code and digital-lending norms.
Read your rightsFree legal aid
Advocate-reviewed content and direct contact with legal support — at no cost. loantrap.org is a non-commercial, public-interest platform.
Get free legal aidHow to report harassment, step by step
- 1Document everything. Save call logs, screenshots, voice notes, and messages. Note dates, times, and what was said. This is your evidence.
- 2Raise it with the lender. Write to the lender's grievance officer first. Registered lenders must have one, and must respond.
- 3Escalate to the RBI. Complain via the RBI Complaint Management System (cms.rbi.org.in), or RBI-Sachet (sachet.rbi.org.in) for unregistered entities and apps.
- 4Involve the police / Cyber Crime. For threats, intimidation, or shaming, call the cyber-crime helpline 1930 or file at cybercrime.gov.in. Criminal intimidation is an offence.
loantrap.org builds steps 1–3 for you: it matches your report to the exact rule that was broken and produces a ready-to-file complaint. Start a report.
Frequently asked questions
Is it a crime to be unable to repay a loan?+
No. Loan default is a civil matter, not a criminal offence. You cannot be arrested merely for being unable to repay an unsecured loan. Recovery must follow due legal process — and any threats, intimidation, or harassment by agents are themselves unlawful.
Can a recovery agent call my family or contacts?+
No. RBI's Fair Practices Code and digital-lending norms prohibit harassing your family, friends, or phone contacts. Loan apps may not scrape your contacts or photos to shame you. If this is happening, document it and report it.
What hours can recovery agents call me?+
Only between 8:00 am and 7:00 pm, per RBI's Fair Practices Code. Calls outside these hours, or repeated calls intended to harass, are violations you can complain about.
How do I report loan-app or NBFC harassment?+
First raise it with the lender's grievance officer. You can also complain to the RBI (the Complaint Management System at cms.rbi.org.in, or RBI-Sachet for unregistered entities), and to the police or Cyber Crime cell (helpline 1930, cybercrime.gov.in). loantrap.org helps you identify the exact rule broken and build a ready-to-file complaint.
Is loantrap.org free?+
Yes. loantrap.org is an independent, non-commercial, public-interest platform run by Unified Chambers & Associates. Reporting, checking a lender, and the rights guides are free, and reports are submitted privately and encrypted.
How do I check if a lender is genuine?+
Use the 'Check a lender' tool on loantrap.org to verify whether an app, NBFC, or bank is RBI-registered. Only borrow from registered entities, and be wary of apps that demand access to your contacts, gallery, or location.
Who runs loantrap.org?
loantrap.org is an independent, non-commercial public-interest platform run by Unified Chambers & Associates— the same practising advocates behind Oquilia's legal and borrower-rights coverage. It takes no fees from borrowers and accepts no lender advertising. Reports are private and encrypted.
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