The Credit Information Analytical Center reported that 2,841,475 people had activated the service, known as “Credit Ban”, by the beginning of October.
Of these, 1,656,387 were men and 1,185,088 were women.
The service had 2,574,026 users as of July 1. The number grew by 267,449 over the next three months, an increase of 10.4%.
How the credit ban works
The service allows individuals to prohibit loans, microloans and credit cards from being issued in their names, either temporarily or indefinitely. Launched on June 6, it is designed to prevent credit agreements from being concluded without a person's knowledge or consent.
The service is free, and users can activate or lift the restriction as often as they wish.
The ban can be managed through CIAC's mobile application and website, its call center, the Unified Portal of Interactive Public Services or Public Services Centers.
Measure aims to curb online lending fraud
The service was introduced to protect people from fraudsters who take out loans in their names without their knowledge or consent.
More than UZS 1.9 trillion was stolen through cybercrime in Uzbekistan over a five-year period, with 4% of cases involving online loans taken out in other people's names, according to the information provided.
Under a Central Bank board resolution that took effect on April 22, financial institutions must not accrue or collect interest, penalties or fines from people whose identities were used to obtain online loans fraudulently.
If a victim has already paid a financial institution amounts owed on a fraudulent online loan or microloan, the institution must refund the money to the victim's bank card or another account designated by them, provided there is a court ruling or order requiring the refund.
