Loan App Harassment in Kenya: How to Report to ODPC and CBK

Updated 18 October 2026

Some digital lenders still call borrowers’ friends, send shaming messages to their contacts or threaten them over late loans. In Kenya these practices are against the law. Digital lenders are regulated by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) under the Central Bank of Kenya (Digital Credit Providers) Regulations, 2022, and the way they use your personal data is regulated by the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) under the Data Protection Act, 2019. This guide explains what is banned, how to gather evidence and how to report.

Where to Report at a Glance

What the Law Bans

Regulation 20 of the CBK digital credit regulations sets rules for debt collection. Licensed lenders may not use threats, violence or other means that harm a borrower’s reputation, and may not use obscene or abusive language. They may not contact people who are not guarantors or listed references to shame a borrower. The ODPC has also issued a guidance note for digital credit providers that explains how they may and may not handle personal data, including borrowers’ phone contacts. By 30 September 2026, CBK had licensed 281 digital credit providers, and every one of them must follow these rules.

Step 1: Collect Evidence

• Screenshots of threatening or shaming SMS, WhatsApp or app messages, with dates and sender numbers visible.
• Call logs and, where possible, notes of what was said and when.
• Messages your friends or relatives received about your loan.
• The app’s name, the company behind it and your loan statement.
• Proof of any repayments you made.

Step 2: File a Complaint With the ODPC

1. Go to the File a Complaint page on odpc.go.ke, or email complaint@odpc.go.ke.
2. Give your name and contacts.
3. Name the lender and the app.
4. Describe what happened, when it happened and when you found out.
5. Attach your evidence.
6. Say what you want, for example that the lender stops contacting your contacts and deletes data it should not hold.

Filing with the ODPC is free. The complaint must be about how your personal data was handled, which covers contacting people in your phonebook and disclosing your debt.

Step 3: Report the Lender to CBK

CBK licenses and supervises digital credit providers. Report harassment, threats and debt shaming through the complaint contacts on CBK’s official website. Include the lender’s registered name, the app name, your evidence and a short timeline. If the lender is not licensed, say so, because operating without a licence is itself an offence.

Step 4: Protect Yourself

• Remove contact and storage permissions from the app in your phone settings.
• Warn close contacts that they may receive messages and should not pay anything.
• Keep repaying what you genuinely owe where you can, and get receipts. Harassment does not cancel the debt.
• If a message threatens violence, report it at a police station and keep the OB number.

Check Your Credit Record

A late digital loan can lead to a CRB listing. Regularly check your CRB status, and read our CRB help hub if you need a clearance. Paying on time is also the fastest way back to cheaper credit.

What Happens After You Complain

The ODPC registers your complaint, notifies the lender and asks it to respond. It can investigate, order the lender to stop processing your data and, where the law is broken, take enforcement action. CBK can take supervisory action against a licensed lender, up to its licence. Keep your reference numbers and reply quickly to any request for more information.

Choosing a Safer Lender Next Time

Before you borrow, confirm the lender is on CBK’s directory of licensed digital credit providers. Our guide to checking if a loan app is licensed shows how. Compare costs in our lists of loan apps in Kenya and cheapest loan apps, or consider bank-linked options such as those in our M-Shwari guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a loan app call my friends in Kenya?

CBK rules bar licensed lenders from contacting people who are not guarantors or listed references to shame a borrower, and data protection law limits how they use your contacts.

Is filing an ODPC complaint free?

Yes. Use the online form or email complaint@odpc.go.ke.

Does reporting harassment cancel my loan?

No. You still owe a genuine debt, but the lender must collect it lawfully.

Which regulation covers digital lender debt collection?

Regulation 20 of the Central Bank of Kenya (Digital Credit Providers) Regulations, 2022.

What if the app is not licensed?

Report it to CBK and stop using it. Unlicensed digital lending is illegal.