You all must be familiar with the 100 or more online money lending apps that keep on popping up on your social media enticing you to take up loans.

Given the current economic downturn, it’s hard to project when one can pay back these loans.

Currently, most Ugandas have an existing loan be it from the bank, private money lenders or online money lending apps.

Here is how a Ugandan (anonymous) scammed 18 million from online money lending apps.

My submission is long but it has to be shared. It was my experience with loan apps. Due to business pressures, I got involved in loan apps.

For over 2 years I was borrowing from these apps. I had some massive limits. I had 2.6m from Mangu, 2.7 from Isente.

Mara caps off at 1m. I had 800 from Kasente and much more. All of them would get phone calls from their sales agents about new apps.

A point reached where I was borrowing from one app to pay another. It became hectic. But at one point I failed. I was in debt to a tune of 18m to these apps. HOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Payment dates rushed into my face. I was getting over 100 calls a day. I was making promises. But the beauty was, I had work that I had executed amounting to 15m.

I offered to meet these people and negotiate some reprieve. All they returned was insults, threats. Banging tables.

I spent a whole week just receiving phone calls all day. I could not dare risk not picking. Out of fear of being ashamed, There is also a thing where they automate phone calls. Your phone just keeps ringing. Even at 3 am your phone will just ring nonstop.

Then at 7:30 am, you are in a taxi someone calls and you must pick. Haha.

Anyway, I had documents of my money coming in. I even offered them to change the payment account for this money, to theirs.

That the money goes to their account therafter am given time to get the 3m. WAPI.

The challenge my money was taking long to be processed, but I was willing to give it up.  More insults.

So, after taking calls for a week, on Friday, one lady called me at about 2pm, the lady insulted me so crudely for about 20 mins.

This is about taking phone calls from 7am. When I hang up, something broke inside me. I was like Fuck it.

I called my friends told them my situation. Called my parents. And my work colleagues. To expect calls from loan apps.

Then I began my blocking crusade. Installed True Caller. I would see numbers that have SPAM reports. I just kept blocking.

SMS messages. BLOCKED. Whatsapp. BLOCKED. After like 3 weeks. The threats reduced. Now whatsapp messages from numbers with profiles of beautiful girls.

 Obviously stolen from Instagram. Hello Sweetie. We know you had some challenges. Please pay what you have and we talk. BLOCKED.

Then the guilting. You took our money in good faith now you have refused to pay. BLOCKED.

We have removed the penalties. BLOCKED. An odd insult here and there. BLOCKED.

They don’t spare you on public holidays. You think Janan Luwum died for people like you. BLOCKED. As you go to church on Sunday, think about your bad deed. BLOCKED.

One day I get a link with a intention to sue letter from AF Mpanga. Obviously forged. I laughed so hard.

But after 5 mins, I realized these are criminals they can send for me KIFEESI. I went to police, reported to Uganda Microfinance Authority.

One final person who called me, I told them to report me to small claims court and we follow official procedures of recovering money.

They have my email. They can send the official documents there. We shall start from there. I have their money, if they want it, there are official channels.

These guys are criminals. I have read so many horror stories. There are even documentaries about these syndicates from China. My story is not intended to gloat.

But if you are a Ugandan out there suffering with these guys, please, don’t fear. When I told my family and friends, I was shocked at the feedback, guys were willing to send me money.

Guys were rushing to see if I was okay. These guys hold “shame” over your head. It is in UG where having debt is shameful.

I refused this of course. We know of a prominent businessman who owes $24m. But he is not called 105 times a day.

They can’t call any of your contacts. They only call your referees. Even if they call any of your referees, let them open a police case and share the case file. The calls will cease.