Apple removes predatory lending apps in India following abuse reports

Tech giant Apple has removed a number of predatory lending apps from its App Store in India following concerns raised by users and media about their credibility.

As reported by TechCrunch, the lending apps Apple pulled from its marketplace include Pocket Kash, White Kash, Golden Kash, and OK Rupee, which gained popularity among Indian users and reached the top 20 in the Finance category on the App Store.

However, numerous user reviews revealed that these apps allegedly imposed unnecessary charges and resorted to unethical strategies to get repayment from borrowers.

A spokesperson for the company confirmed to TechCrunch that it removed the apps from the App Store for violating its guidelines and Apple Developer Program License Agreement.

“The App Store, and our App Review Guidelines, are designed to ensure we are providing the safest experience possible to our users. We do not tolerate fraudulent activity on the App Store, and have stringent rules against apps and developers who attempt to cheat the system,’’ the spokesperson said.

“As our recent analysis showed: the App Store stopped over $2 billion in fraudulent transactions in 2022, rejected nearly 1.7 million app submissions for failing to meet Apple’s standards of quality and safety, and terminated 428,000 developer accounts for potentially fraudulent activity,” they added.