Undisclosed Fees, Misrepresentation, and Suspected Advance-Fee Loan ****

I am posting this review to warn other consumers based on my direct experience with a company trading as Rescue Finance. I app**** for an online loan after finding their website and believing them to be a legitimate South African credit provider. During the application process, I was informed via telephone, email, and WhatsApp that an upfront administration/processing fee of R2,999 was required. No other fees were disclosed or agreed to. After payment, I was instructed to pay an additional R4,500, described as a “Loan Customer Protection Plan.” This fee was never mentioned in the loan agreement or any prior communication. When I questioned this, no clear contractual basis was provided. Upon cancelling the application, the company then alleged that a “credit repair” process had been initiated without my request or consent and attempted to impose a further R1,150 cancellation fee, which was also never disclosed upfront or included in the contract. I am currently under debt review, which makes this experience particularly concerning, as legitimate lenders should not extend credit under these circumstances. At no point did a loan amount get paid out — only repeated requests for additional fees. Based on this experience, I strongly caution consumers to be extremely careful. Do not pay any upfront fees beyond what is clearly stipulated in writing, and be wary of new charges introduced after payment. I have escalated this matter to the relevant regulatory authorities for investigation. This review is posted in good faith to inform and protect other consumers.