Thai authorities summoned Chinese smartphone brands Oppo and RealMe over a pre-installed 'creepy' loan application on their handsets, which allegedly gives the firms access to user information.

Oppo and RealMe, owned by multinational conglomerate BBK Electronics from China, were reported by users who discovered the Fineasy spy app on their newly bought devices in Thailand.

Worried users claimed that they could not delete the app aside from it being able to access their sensitive data and send them notifications.

Footage shows an empty Oppo store at a mall in Bangkok, Thailand, on January 13, two days after the brand issued an apology over the issue.

One of the enraged users said: 'This personal data breach could lead to professional scammers affecting more people. These cheap phones are usually owned by the elderly, children, and low-income earners who are not always available to watch the news. Imagine if all of their data were available for these loaning apps.'

After the issue with Fineasy, Oppo apologised to their Thai customers.

The company said: 'Oppo is always aware of and giving great importance to user experience and privacy safety. For the issue of third-party software related to that loan information, we are working with the relevant authorities closely and thoroughly to handle this issue seriously and promptly.'

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission summoned the Chinese mobile phone brands today to explain.

Its legal commissioner, Police General Nathathorn Pousoontorn, said: 'Cases related to app installation on mobile phones have never occurred before, so no agency currently supervises this issue.

'To prevent future cases, the NBTC will hold discussions with relevant agencies and the two mobile phone brands on January 13 to seek a resolution.'

Fineasy is an app claiming to be designed to help users save money by offering coupons and various financial services.

However, it has notoriously low ratings in app stores. In one Google Play review, a user said: 'Keeps popping up even if I don't use it. So alarming and suspicious. It texted me too and wanted me to loan.'