Our reporter Peng Yan
As the Spring Festival is approaching, investors' demand for wealth management is heating up, and various financial institutions have launched a variety of financial products. However, some institutions have hidden various "routines" when they carry out online marketing of financial products, which is hard to prevent.
The Consumer Rights Protection Bureau of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission recently issued a risk warning to remind consumers to pay attention to preventing "routine" behaviors that infringe financial consumers' right to know, independent choice, fair trade, and property security.
Improper Marketing of Internet Loans
At present, some institutions hide various "routines" on their Internet pages, setting up obstacles for consumers to make their own choices.
For example, in Internet scenarios such as shopping, media, social networking, games, and other Internet scenarios, lending products are flooded with advertisements. The platform directly provides loan services or diverts traffic to the loan business to realize traffic realization, and induces consumers to give priority to consumer credit in product promotion, display or payment. .
In loan marketing, marketing and publicity behaviors similar to "routine loans" occur from time to time.
For example, the interest fee is not transparent, the borrowing cost is deliberately blurred, and the annualized comprehensive capital cost, debt repayment arrangement, etc. are not indicated.
Su Xiaorui, a senior analyst at Analysys, told the "Securities Daily" reporter that businesses such as "routine loans" mostly use online channels to expand customers, and the management and control of the application market and download channels should be strengthened. Apps under the banner of financial business are resolutely blocked.
The "Securities Daily" reporter noticed that illegal and criminal activities such as routine loans, illegal fundraising, and fraud are also constantly changing their "vests" in the name of financial innovation and financial services.
For example, there are routine loans in the name of "entrepreneurship", "job hunting" and "beauty", which are disguised by providing employment, training, medical beauty and other services. Students, job seekers or people who blindly pursue high consumption are more likely to be deceived.
There are also criminals who take advantage of the eagerness of some creditors and debtors to solve their difficulties and recover their funds, and charge high service fees in the name of debt settlement and debt consulting services. scam.
“‘套路贷’属于非法金融活动，应当加大对此类非法活动的打击力度，发现一起，惩处一起，为‘套路贷’提供各类马甲包、系统建设方案的涉案运营服务商同样应受惩处。”苏筱芮表示，需要从资金链着手，对给“套路贷”犯罪团伙提供技术支持、征信服务、资金转移通道的风控公司和三方支付公司，坚决予以打掉并严肃处理，第三方支付机构需要加大商户准入管理，加强对风险商户的日常巡查，不断完善风险防控机制。
值得注意的是，在保险营销中也有类似“套路保”行为，以优惠之名对消费者进行诱导。
银保监会表示，这些套路给人优惠错觉，实际上是将保费分摊至后期，消费者并未真正享受到保费优惠。此外，还有多项销售误导行为，比如炒作“限售、限时、限量”，不如实、不准确介绍产品责任、功能和保险期间，以银行存款、理财产品等其他金融产品名义宣传销售保险产品。有的消费者就因所谓“免费”“限时”等诱惑，被误导投保了不需要甚至是完全不了解的保险产品。
另外，一些互联网保险营销广告界面设置不规范、不清晰，在页面中诱导消费者勾选“领取保障”“自动续费”等选项。此外，还有平台以默认勾选、强制勾选等方式进行捆绑搭售，强制要求消费者购买非必要的产品或服务等。
对此，北京市京师律师事务所律师孟博对《证券日报》记者表示，保险机构开展互联网保险业务，应加强销售管理，充分进行信息披露，规范营销宣传行为，优化销售流程，保护消费者合法权益。保险机构应对本机构及所属从业人员互联网保险营销宣传承担合规管理的主体责任。
四大套路须提防
对广大消费者来说，如何增强风险防范意识，防止“套路”营销行为侵害自身权益？ 银保监会消费者权益保护局也给消费者提出了四点建议：一是警惕隐瞒风险、模糊费用等虚假宣传套路，根据自身风险承受能力和需求购买金融产品；二是警惕过度负债风险，合理合规使用个人消费信用贷款；三是警惕非法“代理维权”侵害，谨慎对待签字、授权等重要环节，选择合理合法途径维权；四是警惕“债事服务”等名义的诈骗侵害，正确看待、依法解决债务问题。
今年年初，监管部门对外发布了《金融产品网络营销管理办法(征求意见稿)》，剑指互联网渠道金融产品营销的顽疾乱象，“套路保”就是此类乱象的典型之一。
苏筱芮表示，根据监管要求，要防范此类乱象，首先应当明确网络营销责任，即持牌金融机构如委托网络平台开展网络营销的，责任在金融机构方；其次是金融机构应当强化对合作网络平台的资质审查及展业过程中的持续监测；另外还需要建立健全完善的金融消费者权益保护机制，其他不法行为则应当按照非法金融活动的相关规定予以取缔。
中南财经政法大学数字经济研究院执行院长盘和林也对记者表示，首先对金融机构的规范，可以实施准入机制；其次，要打通金融消费者维权通道，让消费者去发现套路贷的违规行为；再者，需要在立法上更加明确，哪些行为属于套路贷，要有可执行性；最后，要引导贷款人合理安排资金，谨慎借贷。