Kenya fines digital loan app for releasing debtors’ details to public

Kenya’s financial regulators have slammed a $3,700 (£3,400) fine on a digital loan app, Whitepath Limited, for sharing debtors personal data to the public.

The sanction followed complaints of data breaches by customers at the Office of Data Protection against Whitepath Limited.

READ ALSO: Nigerian govt, Google ban digital loan apps from accessing contacts, photos of customers

The Office of Data Protection said in a statement issued by the Data Commissioner, Immaculate Kassait, on Wednesday it received close to 150 complaints against the company, alleging that the lender’s mobile app was mining phone contacts data to engage in debt-shaming practices.

The statement read: “The lender’s staff members were also accused of harassing the complainants and their friends and relations through phone contacts obtained irregularly. “

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