Your phone buzzes, and the message is not for you, but it is about you. A loan app you downloaded weeks ago has sent your sister, your boss, and your pastor a message claiming you owe money and calling you a thief.
This kind of loan app harassment is a deliberate debt recovery tactic that violates federal law, and it has pushed victims into depression, job losses, and social isolation across Nigeria.
If you have been searching for how to stop a loan app from messaging your contacts, this guide walks you through the exact process, from revoking permissions to filing complaints that actually trigger enforcement action against the loan app defamation borrowers face daily.
Revoking Android permissions is the fastest way to cut loan app contact access
The most effective immediate action is to revoke loan app permissions on your Android phone. Most predatory lenders harvest your entire contact list during installation, and they rely on that stolen data to harass your family and coworkers.
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Google’s Play Store policy, announced in April 2023 and effective May 31, 2023, prohibits personal loan apps from accessing user contacts or photos, as the FCCPC confirmed. However, apps downloaded before that update or installed via APK files may still hold these permissions.
Steps to revoke contact access on Android
- Open Settings, tap Apps or Application Manager, find the loan app, tap Permissions, and toggle off Contacts, SMS, Phone, and Storage.
- If you installed the app through an APK file, uninstall it entirely because revoking permissions alone may not stop background data collection.
- Review Permission Manager under Privacy settings to check whether other installed apps still retain unnecessary access to your contact list.
Nigerian law gives borrowers multiple paths to fight contact harassment
The Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), signed into law in June 2023, establishes that contacting a borrower’s relatives or friends without explicit consent constitutes a clear breach of data protection principles under Nigerian law.
The FCCPC’s DEON Consumer Lending Regulations, effective July 2025, reinforced these protections with serious penalties. Lenders who violate the rules face fines of up to N100 million or 1% of annual turnover, and company directors risk disqualification for up to five years, Premium Times reported.
A Federal High Court injunction briefly suspended enforcement of the DEON regulations from April to July 2026, but Justice A.L. Allagoa dismissed the challenge on July 20, 2026, restoring the regulations to full effect, the FCCPC confirmed.
“For too long, Nigerians have endured harassment, data breaches, and unethical practices by unregulated digital lenders. These regulations draw a clear line that innovation is welcome, but not at the expense of rights and dignity of consumers, or the rule of law.” — Tunji Bello, FCCPC CEO, via the FCCPC official website
As of January 2026, over 400 privacy breach cases involving digital lenders were under investigation by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, LabarinTech reported. In a landmark case, NITDA fined Soko Lending Company N10 million for privacy-invading practices, including unauthorized contact data sharing used to harass borrowers’ contacts.
Filing complaints with FCCPC and NDPC triggers real enforcement action
Revoking permissions protects your phone, but filing formal complaints is what triggers regulatory action against the offending lender and prevents future victims from experiencing the same harassment.
Where to file your complaint
- FCCPC portal: Visit fccpc.gov.ng, go to “File a Complaint,” and provide the loan app name, loan amount, and description of the harassment.
- Email: Send screenshots and call logs to contact@fccpc.gov.ng, with all evidence of messages sent to your contacts as attachments.
- Social media: Direct message @FCCPCNigeria on X for faster tracking and initial acknowledgment of your complaint from the commission.
- NDPC: File a data protection complaint at ndpc.gov.ng for unauthorized sharing of your personal contact information by the lending company.
Before filing, gather every piece of evidence available to you. Legal analysis published by Crystalite Solicitors underscores the importance of documentation in data privacy claims. Screenshot every threatening message with the sender’s number visible, because this documentation forms the foundation of enforcement.
Cease-and-desist letters and defamation claims give borrowers legal leverage
Borrowers who experience loan app defamation in Nigeria also have civil remedies available. A formal cease-and-desist letter puts the lender on written notice that continued harassment will result in a defamation lawsuit under Nigerian law.
A successful defamation claim requires proof that the lender published false or damaging statements to third parties, as legal practitioners at Harlem Solicitors have explained. The Cybercrimes Act of 2015 provides additional criminal penalties for the digital harassment predatory loan apps deploy.
Blocking numbers and verifying lender registration prevents further damage
Block every phone number associated with the loan app on your device and WhatsApp, then report those numbers as spam immediately. Tell your close contacts to ignore and block any messages they receive, because proactive transparency prevents the shame spiral predatory lenders depend on.
You can also report the app to the Google Play Store or Apple App Store to trigger a review. Google previously collaborated with the FCCPC to remove 47 illegal loan apps from its Nigerian storefront, and individual borrower reports accelerate further enforcement.
Key checks before borrowing from any loan app
- Confirm the app appears on the FCCPC’s published register at fccpc.gov.ng before entering any personal information or granting device permissions.
- Check whether the lender holds a CBN license as a microfinance bank, which adds a second layer of regulatory oversight and consumer protection.
- Read the app’s permission requests carefully and refuse any app that demands access to your contacts, gallery, SMS, or call logs before disbursing funds.
Registered apps including FairMoney, Carbon, Branch, and Renmoney must comply with data protection laws and ethical collection practices under their FCCPC licenses. Borrowers who use only verified platforms dramatically reduce their exposure to the aggressive contact-list loan app harassment that unregistered operators deploy.
