KUALA LUMPUR: A woman who merely enquired about a loan advertisement she saw on Facebook has been threatened by loan sharks to pay up or she would be forced into prostitution.
The 28-year-old woman, who only wanted to be known as Wong, said she initially only intended to ask about a RM5,000 loan advertised on Facebook on July 29.
Wong said she decided to ask more questions as the advertisement claimed that it followed the same guidelines as a bank and repayment could be made through monthly instalments.
She was then asked to provide personal details, including her bank statement. To her surprise, RM3,000 was credited into her account by a man named Sie.
“I initially rejected the offer of a loan because the interest was too high, and I thought there would be an agreement to be signed first.
But, suddenly RM3,000 was banked into my account. I was then told to pay RM1,700 per week and must pay RM5,100 within three weeks,” Wong said during a press conference called by MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong here yesterday.
Wong added that another man named Lim then contacted her and told her that RM2,500 was banked into her bank account.
“I don’t know why the money was banked in. From RM2,500, I was told to pay back RM4,400 within two weeks,” Wong said, adding that she never used the money and had returned all of the money transferred to her.
Despite returning the principal sum, Wong said Lim was not satisfied and had threatened to harm her family.
He added that he would arrange for her to be a prostitute if she failed to pay them back.
“He also said that if I did not pay back in time, every hour would result in a RM1,000 penalty,” Wong said, adding that the current total amount she had “borrowed” was RM20,300.
In an unrelated case, 91-year-old Yong Yit Ngoh, who has never seen her son Kuan Yeow Chong, 65, for the past 20 years, was also recently threatened by loan sharks for Kuan’s alleged failure to return money he owed.
Yong said the loan sharks threatened to splash red paint on her house and burn it.
She added that a WhatsApp group titled “Owing RM10,000” was also set up by the loan sharks that included her with Kuan’s estranged wife Tan Choo Lan and his daughter Kuan Hui Ming.
“I received a phone call on Aug 24 claiming that my son owes them money but I don’t know how much as they did not say. I also don’t know how they got our phone numbers. “We have not seen him for the past 20 years and we don’t know if he is dead or alive. I want to sever ties with my son,” she said, adding that the loan sharks should look for Kuan and not them.
Both Wong and Yong have since lodged police reports.
The 28-year-old woman, who only wanted to be known as Wong, said she initially only intended to ask about a RM5,000 loan advertised on Facebook on July 29.
Wong said she decided to ask more questions as the advertisement claimed that it followed the same guidelines as a bank and repayment could be made through monthly instalments.
She was then asked to provide personal details, including her bank statement. To her surprise, RM3,000 was credited into her account by a man named Sie.
“I initially rejected the offer of a loan because the interest was too high, and I thought there would be an agreement to be signed first.
But, suddenly RM3,000 was banked into my account. I was then told to pay RM1,700 per week and must pay RM5,100 within three weeks,” Wong said during a press conference called by MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong here yesterday.
Wong added that another man named Lim then contacted her and told her that RM2,500 was banked into her bank account.
“I don’t know why the money was banked in. From RM2,500, I was told to pay back RM4,400 within two weeks,” Wong said, adding that she never used the money and had returned all of the money transferred to her.
Despite returning the principal sum, Wong said Lim was not satisfied and had threatened to harm her family.
He added that he would arrange for her to be a prostitute if she failed to pay them back.
“He also said that if I did not pay back in time, every hour would result in a RM1,000 penalty,” Wong said, adding that the current total amount she had “borrowed” was RM20,300.
In an unrelated case, 91-year-old Yong Yit Ngoh, who has never seen her son Kuan Yeow Chong, 65, for the past 20 years, was also recently threatened by loan sharks for Kuan’s alleged failure to return money he owed.
Yong said the loan sharks threatened to splash red paint on her house and burn it.
She added that a WhatsApp group titled “Owing RM10,000” was also set up by the loan sharks that included her with Kuan’s estranged wife Tan Choo Lan and his daughter Kuan Hui Ming.
“I received a phone call on Aug 24 claiming that my son owes them money but I don’t know how much as they did not say. I also don’t know how they got our phone numbers. “We have not seen him for the past 20 years and we don’t know if he is dead or alive. I want to sever ties with my son,” she said, adding that the loan sharks should look for Kuan and not them.
Both Wong and Yong have since lodged police reports.
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