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Criminal gangs in Mexico are launching fraudulent loan apps and using them to 'psychologically attack' victims.

According to a report, popular 'instant lending apps' in Mexico offer quick, easy loans to anyone with a smartphone.

However, many of these are actually run by scammers and loan sharks, who use the app to seize control of victims' phone data and then send them terrifying threats.

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One victim, María, said a 'lender' edited her face into porn pictures and sent them to her 13-year-old daughter, nieces, and other family members, claiming she had become a prostitute.

María also said that the scammers sent terrifying threats to 'rape and kill' her family.

She said: "It's terrifying and depressing. They send you extremely aggressive messages that fill you with fear.

"It never crosses your mind that [lending apps] will use all that information to psychologically attack you."

The Mexican government says María is one of hundreds of users who have fallen victim to fake loan apps, of which there are around 94.

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According to the news site Rest of World, 35 of these are available on the Google Play store for Android phones.

Security analyst Paul Aguilar said that Google, big tech companies, and governments have a responsibility to do more to stop this kind of scam.

Aguilar said: "This type of fraud must be regulated more adequately, since the damage doesn't only affect users but people around them as well."

Google's policy guidelines state it will take action if apps abuse user safety and data.

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