Platinum Credit has once again found itself in unpleasant waters after a fresh ruling exposed the lender’s alleged misuse of customer data.
What was supposed to be a routine complaint by a frustrated Kenyan has now turned into a loud national reminder that privacy is not a favour handed out by companies but a legal right that must be respected.
The revelations have been brought to the limelight by Brian Thuranira, one of the advocates of the High Court.
Via his X handle, Brian wrote,”Platinum Credit has been ordered to pay Ksh. 400,000 to a Kenyan for sending him loan promos,text messages and calls,using data he NEVER gave them and without his consent.”
The storm began with Samuel Kamau, an ordinary Kenyan who had grown tired of receiving endless promotional calls and texts from Platinum Credit.
He insisted he had never shared his personal data with the firm and did not want anything to do with their loan products. Yet his phone kept buzzing with unsolicited messages, some urging him to take loans he did not apply for.
Page 1 of a court ruling against Platinum Credit. Photo: Thuranira Source: X
When the complaint reached the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, investigators launched a formal review.
What they uncovered was even more troubling. According to the determination, Platinum Credit allegedly denied that the callers were their employees.
It was a bold claim, but investigators established that the person making the calls actually worked for the company.
That finding alone shifted the tone of the case. It created the impression of a lender attempting to dodge accountability while continuing to intrude into a customer’s private space.
The Data Commissioner ruled that the lender was liable for unlawful processing of personal data and for giving misleading information during the investigation.
The ruling delivered a heavy blow. Platinum Credit was ordered to compensate the complainant with Ksh 400,000.
X post by Advocate Brian Thuranira.
On top of that, the Commissioner issued an enforcement notice and recommended prosecution of the company’s directors for allegedly supplying false information. The final determination was signed on February 24, 2025.
For many Kenyans, the ruling validated long running complaints about digital lenders. People have often expressed frustration over loan agents who flood their phones with sales pitches, reminders and alerts sent at odd hours.
Page 2 of a court ruling against Platinum Credit. Photo: Thuranira Source: X
Some customers describe the messages as intimidating, especially when they arrive alongside threats or pressure to take up new debt.
Privacy concerns have grown louder as more people discover their contacts, workplace details or even family information somehow find their way into lenders’ systems without consent.
What makes this case sting is the simplicity of the complaint. One Kenyan asked to be left alone. A company refused to listen. Now the bill has arrived.
For the wider lending industry, the message is clear. Kenya’s data protection laws are alive. And regulators are no longer waiting for companies to act responsibly out of goodwill.
