Google LLC refused to share crucial details required to track down ‘Wonder Loan’ app creators, cyber crime police tells Madras HC

A non-banking finance corporation had approached the court claiming that it’s name had been misused by unknown persons to create the mobile app and fleece the users

A file photo of the Google logo. The Tamil Nadu cyber crime police has informed the Madras High Court of Google LLC having refused to share crucial details which could help in tracking down the creators of the ‘Wonder Loan’ mobile app that was made available on the Google Play Store and used to fleece money from the users by threatening to share their private moments on social media. File | Photo Credit: Reuters

The Tamil Nadu cyber crime police has informed the Madras High Court of Google LLC having refused to share crucial details which could help in tracking down the creators of the ‘Wonder Loan’ mobile app that was made available on the Google Play Store and used to fleece money from the users by threatening to share their private moments on social media.

In a status report filed before Justice C.V. Karthikeyan, the police stated to have sent a requisition to Google on November 21, 2022, seeking details such as the user name of the e-mail ID that had been used to host the mobile app on Play Store, his/her mobile phone number, alternate e-mail ID as well as Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of the user.

However, on January 26, 2023, Google LLC replied, through e-mail, stating, “We are not able to provide you with information on the requirements for your jurisdiction. You may wish to consult the Irish Department of Justice to determine the appropriate processes for obtaining data,” the police told the court.

The submission was made during the hearing of a writ petition filed by Thainadu Finance Private Limited based in the Dindigul district. The petitioner, a non-banking finance corporation (NBFC), primarily involved in mortgage and vehicle loans had complained of unknown persons have misused its address and other details to create the ‘Wonder Loan’ mobile app.

Petitioner’s counsel Kanimozhi Mathi told the court that the NBFC, registered with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), does not offer digital loans at all. It came to know of misuse of its credentials only on receiving mails from various people across the country accusing it of charging exorbitant interest for the loans offered through the mobile app.

Immediately, the company lodged complaints with RBI as well as the cyber crime police. RBI counsel Chevanan Mohan reported to the court that the complaints received by it from the petitioner company as well as individual users of the mobile app were forwarded to the cyber crime police from the regional office of the central bank.

On their part, the cybercrime police told the court that it had sent a requisition to Google LLC on August 4, 2022, to take down the ‘Wonder Loan’ app from its Play Store. The mail was acknowledged on the same day but on August 20, 2022, Google replied that “the reported content was not found to violate Google Play policies at this time”.

Subsequently, it was learned that the Andhra Pradesh police too had registered an abetment to suicide case against the ‘Wonder Loan’ app on October 13. Therefore, the Tamil Nadu cyber crime police pursued the matter with Google LLC and obtained the e-mail ID that was used to create the mobile app and also got the app suspended in November last year.

Since further requests to share details such as IP addresses had not been responded favourably by Google, the police sought some more time to pursue the matter and assured the court of securing the culprits as early as possible. After taking the status report on file, the judge granted six more weeks for completing the investigation.