RAWALPINDI: The Cybercrime Wing of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has initiated investigation against loan giving mobile applications (apps) after an unemployed man committed suicide due to failing to repay interest on a loan he had borrowed from an app.

Sources within FIA told Dawn that a man from Rawalpindi committed suicide after he was allegedly blackmailed by the operators of an online loan giving app.

Director General (DG) FIA Mohsin Hasan Butt took notice of the incident and called for a progress report from the Cyber Crime Wing and issued orders to arrest the accused involved in the case. The FIA team raided two offices of the loan app in G-8 sector, sealed the offices and confiscated laptops and other material.

The FIA has also contacted the Security Exchange Commission for further details about the app company and also decided to block its online advertisement.

The DG has issued directives for taking strict action against the elements harassing the citizens in the name of loans.

An FIA official said the Cyber Crime Circle, Rawalpindi, had started an investigation regarding the Rawalpindi incident on the request of the relatives of the victim.

The record of the calls and emails sent by the accused company to the victim and the data of the ownership are also being obtained.

An FIA spokesperson said that effective strategies would be adopted in collaboration with stakeholders to prevent such incidents in future. In case of harassment by loan apps, citizens can visit the nearest cybercrime circle and file complaint, he said.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2023