Credit Scams and the Need for Awareness
In today’s digital age, online credit scams have become a daily concern. With numerous loan offers available on websites, social media platforms, and even QR codes attached to street posts and buildings, it’s challenging to discern which loan offers are legitimate. This is especially true for instant credit with seemingly exceptional conditions and minimal requirements, such as no income verification or Buró de Crédito checks.
Tala’s Confianzómetro Results
To promote financial education and prevention, Tala, a fintech company, collaborated with the National Commission for the Protection and Defense of Users of Financial Services (Condusef) to enhance Mexicans’ financial literacy.
The Confianzómetro, an annual survey among Tala’s users, assesses their preparedness against credit fraud schemes. According to this year’s results, Mexicans are well-prepared but still have areas for improvement.
- 78% of respondents know that Condusef regulates loan apps.
- 72% are aware of the System for Registration of Financial Services Providers (Sipres).
- Only 17% use Sipres to verify loan platforms.
- 32% never share personal information when receiving credit offers.
- 37% block suspicious numbers.
- 86% know to report attempted fraud.
- 47% contact fake pages or personal social media profiles for loans.
- 41% checks for business insignias in credit offers.
- 72% verifies phone numbers during chats or calls about credit.
- 76% avoid suspicious links in emails, with 7% still opening them.
Avoiding False Loans: Tips from Condusef
Condusef President Óscar Rosado noted that fraud attempts in the financial sector have been decreasing since 2023, but users still need to stay vigilant.
Here are some recommendations from Condusef to avoid becoming a victim of false loans, especially when dealing with non-traditional or lesser-known financial entities:
- Avoid accessing offers via chat (WhatsApp, Messenger) with unknown numbers.
- Be cautious of requests for money under the guise of opening fees, advances, or administrative process payments.
- Beware of excessive commissions, harassment from fraudsters’ collection departments, identity theft, and in extreme cases, intimidation or extortion.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the Confianzómetro? An annual survey by Tala to assess Mexicans’ preparedness against credit fraud schemes.
- What percentage of respondents know about Condusef and Sipres? 78% and 72%, respectively.
- What percentage of users verify loan platforms using Sipres? Only 17%.
- What percentage of respondents avoid sharing personal information with suspicious credit offers? 32%.
- What percentage knows to report attempted fraud? 86%.
- What are some tips from Condusef to avoid false loans? Avoid chat offers with unknown numbers, be wary of money requests for opening fees, and beware of excessive commissions or identity theft.
