Staff Reporter:
Bangladesh Bank (BB) has issued a stern warning about a fraudulent syndicate attempting to deceive the public by offering fake loans through websites, social media platforms and mobile applications.
The scammers are reportedly misusing the names and logos of the central bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to gain public trust.
The central bank identified several bogus platforms, including dbbloan.com, bblloan.com and bdloan71.com, which are being used to lure people with lucrative loan offers.
Bangladesh Bank clarified that neither the central bank nor the IMF has any affiliation with these plat-forms.
The fake websites and apps are illegally collecting sensitive personal information from users, including names, addresses, dates of birth, mobile numbers, email addresses, and National Identity (NID) card numbers, during the registration process.
The central bank warned that such deceptive practices could expose the public to financial fraud and le-gal complications.
It reiterated that operating any online or offline platform for lending or collecting loans from the public without the central bank’s authorization is a punishable offence under the law.
Citing the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2024, Bangladesh Bank said those found guilty of such fraud could face a maximum of five years in prison, a fine of Tk 50, or both.
The bank strongly advised the public to refrain from sharing personal information or engaging in any financial transactions on these fraudulent websites and applications.
