Can CheckMate access my phone contacts and photos?

Technically: ONLY if you grant permission. However, predatory loan apps use deceptive techniques to trick you into granting access.

If you see ANY of these permissions ENABLED, REVOKE THEM IMMEDIATELY:

• Contacts
• Storage / Photos / Media
• Location (set to "While Using" or "Always")
• Phone
• SMS

The "Prior to 2024" Warning:

You are absolutely correct. Before 2024, Google Play Store policies were significantly looser regarding permissions. Many predatory loan apps exploited this by requesting broad "Storage" or "Phone" permissions, then using them to silently upload entire contact lists and photo galleries to their servers. If you have been using any loan app since before 2024, assume they already have your contacts and photos.

Conclusion for CheckMate: There is no evidence of a CheckMate loan app requesting permissions because no such unified app appears to exist. However, if you encounter one, deny ALL permissions. A legitimate lender only needs your identity, income verification, and bank account details – NOT your contacts or photos.