Does Cashify Call Your Contacts? Privacy Facts

What permissions the app requests

Two store listings describe the app's data practices differently, so we show both and recommend that you read them yourself before you install.

• Google Play. The Data safety section is provided by the developer, and the page we reviewed states that no data is shared with third parties. Data practices can vary by app version, use, region and age.
• App Store. The privacy label says the developer, SUNLOAN LENDING INVESTORS CORP., may handle data as described in the label, and it includes a category of data used to track you.

Neither listing tells you everything. The app also shows permission prompts when you use it, such as access to contacts, photos or location, depending on your phone. Read each prompt and decide whether you are comfortable.

What the privacy policy says about contact data

The store listings link to a privacy policy hosted on the company's own website. That is the document that explains what the lender collects and why. Before you register, read it and look for:

• which data the app collects (for example identity, device and contact information),
• the stated purpose (such as identity checks or credit assessment),
• whether data is shared with other parties, and
• how long data is kept and how you can request deletion.

We do not summarize its contents here, because the policy can change and we want you to read the current version. If you wish to remove your data later, see How to Delete Cashify Account.

What Philippine data privacy rules say

The Data Privacy Act requires lenders to collect and use personal data lawfully, fairly and for a stated purpose. The National Privacy Commission (NPC) has issued guidelines on the processing of personal data for loan-related transactions, later amended. In general terms, they say:

• access to a borrower's contact list may be allowed only for limited, disclosed purposes and with proper consent, and
• processing that leads to harassment, collection of debt from people outside the guarantors the borrower provided, or unfair collection practices is not allowed.

So a reminder sent to you is normal. Contacting your friends and co-workers to pressure you, when they were not your guarantors, is not.

Public reports about contacts being called

Independent review pages and forum posts about Cashify and its earlier name Cashola describe cases in which relatives or colleagues received messages after a payment was missed. We cannot verify these accounts and have not found an official finding about them. See Cashify harassment reviews and Cashify loan review complaints for the wider context.

How to limit app permissions on your phone

• Check permissions before you grant them. On Android, open Settings, then Apps, then the app, then Permissions. On iPhone, use Settings and the app's entry.
• Deny contacts if the app works without it. You can deny a permission and see whether you can still complete the application.
• Revoke permissions you no longer want to give. You can change them at any time.
• Choose references carefully. If the application asks for emergency contacts or references, give people who have agreed to be named.
• Read the consent text. Consent that is vague or bundled with many purposes should make you cautious.

Keep in mind that withholding a permission may mean you cannot complete the loan, and that revoking it later does not erase data already collected.

If your contacts are contacted

1. Save screenshots from the people who were contacted.
2. Tell them calmly that they are not responsible for your loan.
3. Write to the lender and ask it to stop contacting third parties.
4. Report to the NPC and the SEC; see Lending App Harassment in the Philippines: Know Your Rights.

Choosing a lender with privacy in mind

Before you borrow from any app, compare what it asks for. The comparison on our independent loan comparison page can help you choose a lender whose terms and data practices you are comfortable with. If something feels excessive, you can decline and look at other options.

Questions to ask yourself at the permission screen

When a permission prompt appears, pause and ask: Does the app need this to do what I asked it to do? Have I read what the lender says it will do with the data? Can I continue without granting it? Will I be comfortable if my family or colleagues are ever contacted? If any answer is uncertain, take time before you tap allow. Lenders can use data for identity checks and credit assessment, but you are entitled to understand the purpose, and to refuse consent that is not necessary for the service you requested.

Protecting the people in your phone book

Your contacts did not agree to be part of a loan. Do not list people as references unless they have said yes, and tell them in advance what to expect. If you are asked for emergency contacts, choose one or two people who understand the situation. This reduces the chance of distress for others, and it helps keep the line clear between guarantors and people who have nothing to do with the loan. It also makes any later complaint clearer, because you can show who agreed to be named.

FAQ