JOHOR BARU: A masseuse’s seemingly innocent online loan enquiry has instead spiralled out of control, with him allegedly becoming a victim of harassment and extortion by illegal moneylenders.
The 39-year-old man, known only as Goh, claimed that their ongoing harassment caused him to lose his job in Singapore.
“I was in need of some funds early last month, so I did an online search for moneylending services while I was working in Singapore.
“I found a company that looked legitimate. After exchanging a few text messages with a male staff member, I provided my personal details, including my home address in Johor Baru, as I thought this was a normal procedure to check my eligibility,” he said in an interview.
Initially, Goh considered borrowing S$3,000 (RM9,945) but ultimately decided against it.
However, about 12 days later, he was shocked to find S$400 (RM1,325) deposited into his bank account on Oct 17.
He immediately contacted the loan company, explaining that he had never borrowed any money and subsequently offering to return the funds.
“The staff member told me to transfer S$750 (RM2,485) and I did as instructed.
“However, he informed me that the payment was invalid, as I did not key in ‘clear loan’ in the reference column when making the online transfer.
“He then told me to make another transfer of S$750. I had to borrow money from my colleagues in order to do so in the hopes of ending the misunderstanding once and for all.”
The harassment escalated when the staff member demanded another S$900 (RM2,981) and threatened to harm Goh’s family in Malaysia if he did not comply.
Feeling increasingly uncomfortable, Goh stopped responding to the demands, hoping the situation would end.
“I thought the ordeal was over. But on Nov 4, my former sister-in-law’s house in Kuala Lumpur got splashed with red paint.
“My relatives also received calls from staff members demanding payments for my alleged loan,” Goh said, adding that he also received footage of the incident.
Staff members continued the threats, demanding S$6,000 (RM19,884) and warning that they would burn down the homes of Goh’s other relatives if he failed to pay.
“I am very worried about my family’s safety. Additionally, I experienced constant harassment at my workplace and lost my job at the end of last month.
“My former employer even filed a complaint against me, so it may be difficult for me to find work in Singapore in the future,” said Goh, who never expected his loan enquiry to escalate in this manner.
Besides lodging police reports in Johor Baru and Singapore, Goh also sought help from MCA Youth public services and complaints bureau chief Henry Mok.
According to Mok, Goh had fallen victim to an illegal moneylending scheme that usually preys on people who make online loan enquiries.
“They often use such tactics to obtain personal information and ask for payments even if the victim did not proceed with their loan application.
“Once the victim starts to give in, it leads to a bottomless pit.”
Mok cautioned the public against trusting online loan services, urging people to also avoid sharing personal information with strangers.
He called on police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to shut down such online channels.
