Complaints about fraudulent loans have surged by 40%, according to the Ombudsman.

The Office of the Ombudsman of the Oliy Majlis for Human Rights faced a 42% increase in complaints related to fraud in 2024. This was reported by the press service of the agency.

Over the past year, the Ombudsman's office received more than 6,000 complaints concerning citizens' economic rights. Among these, 156 were related to fraud cases, including the unauthorized issuance of loans in commercial banks in the names of individuals without their consent (compared to 110 in 2023).

In 60% of the complaints, individuals posing as employees of the Central Bank or the Click payment service sought to obtain personal data from victims. Some applicants had up to 5−6 loans issued in different banks.

Investigators from the internal affairs agencies instructed banks to suspend the accrual and collection of interest on loans until the culprits were identified, noting that the victims did not utilize the funds. Although such orders are mandatory, many banks continue to demand debt repayment in numerous cases.

The Ombudsman's office filed 5 civil lawsuits and achieved the annulment of fraudulent loan agreements. In one instance, the funds collected from the victim were returned, and compensation for moral damages was awarded in their favor.

According to the Central Bank, 463 cases of fraudulent online loan applications were recorded in 2024, resulting in damages of 15 billion sums.

To prevent card fraud during the issuance of online loans, the regulator introduced a temporary procedure for loan applications in mobile apps. When applying for a loan, the applicant will need to undergo biometric identification.

In less than three months since its implementation, 285 billion sums were returned to credit institutions, with applications submitted "under the influence of fraudsters." 11 banks and one microfinance organization launched online lending under the new requirements, while another 9 banks temporarily suspended loan issuance through apps.

Earlier, Spot reported that over the year, the Central Bank blocked stolen funds amounting to 9.5 billion sums.