Serbian central bank, NBS, issues urgent warning - this is when to contact police

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The National Bank of Serbia (NBS) today announced that it has learned about a company advertising on Facebook under the name Imperial d.o.o., which is unlawfully engaged in lending activities offerings loans ranging from EUR 1,000 to EUR 50,000 to both employed and unemployed individuals requiring only an ID card.

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"In this regard, the NBS urges citizens not to borrow under any circumstances from this company, as it does not hold an operating licence issued by the NBS and its business operations are not supervised by the NBS," the Serbian central bank said in a statement.

The NBS supervises the operations of banks and other financial institutions to which it has issued operating licenses, but is not authorized to supervise the operations of companies that do not hold such a licence, the statement added.

"Consequently, when borrowing money (taking out loans) from such companies, there is a significant risk that citizens' trust may be abused and that they may not be able to protect their rights and interests. In such cases, the NBS cannot guarantee that citizens’ rights will be adequately protected, and citizens may therefore suffer harmful consequences resulting from such abuses. For this reason, we call on all citizens to exercise caution and to take out loans only from institutions that are legally authorized to engage in such activities," the NBS said.

The central bank also encouraged citizens to notify the Interior Ministry (MUP) if they have information that a person or entity is unlawfully engaged in lending activities, as this constitutes a criminal offense, adding that the list of banks operating in Serbia is available on the NBS website.

"The NBS will continue to take all necessary measures within its remit to protect financial services consumers and to ensure a secure and transparent financial environment. It remains firmly committed to its mission of safeguarding the interests of citizens and ensuring that all financial processes are transparent, secure, and in full compliance with the legal framework," the statement concluded.

(Telegraf Biznis/Tanjug)