Can AdvanceMeToday access my phone contacts and photos?

If AdvanceMeToday has a mobile app, they CAN access your contacts and photos—IF you grant them permission.

What to Check RIGHT NOW:

1. Go to your phone Settings > Apps > Find AdvanceMeToday (if installed)
2. Tap Permissions
3. Look for: Contacts, Storage/Media, Phone, SMS
4. If ANY of these show "Allowed" → DENY THEM IMMEDIATELY

The "Prior to 2024" Warning:

You are absolutely correct. Before 2024, Google Play Store policies were much looser. Many loan apps abused "Storage" or "Phone" permissions to secretly scrape entire contact lists. If you used a loan app prior to 2024, assume they have your contacts.

Conclusion: If AdvanceMeToday has no app (only a website), they cannot directly access your phone. However, their application likely asks you to manually list 3-5 contacts as "references." Do not provide real contacts. Use a secondary email address or dummy numbers if you must proceed—but better yet, do not proceed at all.