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Loan Apps & Instant Loans

Illegal Loan Apps List 2026: How to Check a Fake Loan App

No official named list of illegal loan apps exists. MeitY has blocked 87; check any app against the RBI Digital Lending Apps directory.

AI

Written by Ananya Iyer

Updated on 17 September 2026·5 min read

On this page8 sections
Credsir Loan Apps & Instant Loans guide cover with a percent icon

No government body publishes a named list of illegal loan apps in India for 2026. MeitY told the Lok Sabha in December 2025 that it had blocked 87 illegal loan apps under Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000, without naming them. The reliable check runs the other way: the RBI lists every app used by a regulated bank or NBFC.

Key facts

Item Position on 17 September 2026
Official list of legal lending apps RBI directory of Digital Lending Apps (DLAs) deployed by regulated entities, public since 1 July 2025
Loan apps blocked by the government 87, blocked by MeitY under Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000 (Lok Sabha reply, December 2025)
Named list of blocked apps Not published by MeitY or the RBI
Rules for legal lending apps RBI (Digital Lending) Directions, 2025, issued 8 May 2025; now part of the RBI’s consolidated credit directions of 28 November 2025
Google Play (India) Personal loan apps must be on the RBI DLA list and cannot read contacts or photos
Where to report cybercrime.gov.in or helpline 1930; RBI Sachet portal for unauthorised lenders
Proposed law Draft Banning of Unregulated Lending Activities Bill, released for comments on 13 December 2024

Why “fraud loan app lists” online are unreliable

Many websites publish lists of 20 or 50 “banned” app names. None of them can be traced to an official source, because the government has not released the names of the apps it blocked. These lists also go stale fast: fraud apps change names and reappear under new developer accounts within weeks.

They can also be wrong in the other direction. A search term such as “apnaaroham” often points to apnaArohan, the customer app of Arohan Financial Services, a microfinance lender. An old version of this page listed that name among fake apps without evidence, and we have removed it. Judge any app by the checks below, never by its presence on an unofficial list.

Where the official lists are

ItemDetails
RBI Digital Lending Apps directory.Banks and NBFCs report the apps they use to the RBI, which shows them on its website under Citizen’s Corner. The RBI publishes the data as reported by lenders, without separate validation, so also check the lender’s own website.
Google Play declaration.In India, Google Play accepts personal loan apps only from entities that submit a licence and appear on the RBI DLA list. Apps that only connect you to lenders must name every bank and NBFC in the app description.
RBI lists of regulated entities.The lender named in the app should appear in the RBI’s lists of banks or NBFCs.

For a step-by-step way to confirm an app is legal, see RBI approved loan apps.

How to check a loan app before you borrow

  1. Find the name of the bank or NBFC that will lend you the money. A legal app shows it before you apply.
  2. Search for the app in the RBI Digital Lending Apps directory.
  3. Confirm the lender’s name on the RBI’s list of banks or NBFCs.
  4. Ask for the Key Facts Statement. It must show the annual percentage rate (APR), all fees and the repayment schedule before you sign.
  5. Read the permissions screen. Refuse any app that wants your contacts, call logs, photos or files.
  6. Check that the loan will be paid into your own bank account by the lender, not by an agent or a third-party account.

Warning signs of an illegal loan app

ItemDetails
Upfront paymenta “processing fee”, “GST” or “insurance” demanded before any money reaches you.
No lender namethe app does not say which RBI-regulated entity is lending.
Contact and gallery accessthe RBI’s rules allow only one-time camera, microphone or location access for onboarding, with your consent.
No KFSno written statement of the APR, or a total repayable far higher than the amount you receive.
Very short tenure with a big deductionfor example, ₹10,000 approved, ₹7,000 paid out, full amount due in seven days.
No cooling-off perioda legal digital loan lets you exit within at least one day by repaying the principal and proportionate APR, without penalty.
Payment links from individualsrepayment requested to a personal UPI ID or wallet instead of the lender’s account.

If you have already used an illegal app

  1. Stop paying extra “charges” and keep every message, call record and payment receipt.
  2. Revoke the app’s permissions in your phone settings, then uninstall it.
  3. Call 1930 or file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in, especially if you face threats or morphed photos.
  4. Report an unregistered lender on the RBI’s Sachet portal.
  5. If money left your account without consent, tell your bank at once.

Our guide to illegal loan app harassment covers recovery threats in detail, and how to report financial fraud lists every complaint channel. A complaint about a regulated lender goes to that lender first, then to the RBI Ombudsman if it is not resolved in 30 days.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an official illegal loan apps list for 2026?

No. MeitY has blocked 87 illegal loan apps but has not published their names. The official list is the RBI directory of legal lending apps.

Where can I find the fraud loan apps list?

No government fraud-app list exists. Check the app against the RBI Digital Lending Apps directory instead; an app missing from it has no regulated lender behind it.

Which loan apps are banned in India?

The government blocked 87 loan apps under Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000, without naming them. Older lists from 2022 and 2023 are mostly unsourced and out of date.

Is apnaaroham a fake loan app?

The name usually refers to apnaArohan, the customer app of microfinance lender Arohan Financial Services. As with any app, check it in the RBI directory before you borrow.

Does the RBI ban loan apps?

The RBI regulates lenders, not apps. Blocking is done by MeitY under the IT Act, and Google Play in India accepts personal loan apps only from entities on the RBI list.

Do I have to repay a loan from an illegal app?

Repaying the principal you actually received limits your risk, but do not pay inflated charges under threat. Report threats on 1930 and consider a lawyer for your own case.

Sources

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