KUALA LUMPUR: A 46-year-old woman, who took loans from ah long to pander to her online boyfriend, is distressed that the moneylenders even have details of her income.
“They sent me screenshots of my earnings from the company,” said the e-hailing driver, identified only as Goh.
“Then they also sent me photos and details of my immediate family members,” she said.
Goh, who has lodged a report with South Klang police, said she was baffled at how the loan sharks could obtain personal information of her and her family members.
“They seem to know everything including my movements and details of my family members.
“They even called and warned me just moments after I stepped out of the police station,” Goh said.
“Then they sent me a close-up photo of me driving my car. I don’t even know when it was taken.
“How did they manage to get such information?” she said at a press conference organised by MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong yesterday.
Her nightmare began when she befriended a man online. It led to her borrowing RM3,000 from loan sharks late last year to fulfil the supposed boyfriend’s demands for cash.
“The sum has swelled to RM6,200 with more interest and ‘fines’ added to it.
“The loan sharks are also going after my mother and threw several severed chicken heads into the compound of her home as a warning,” she said.
Goh said she also fears for the safety of her 21-year-old daughter and other family members.
In July 2024, she went through a somewhat similar situation after meeting another online suitor.
Back then, she ended up in debt with loan sharks after taking a loan of over RM12,000 to please her online suitor whom she met on Facebook.
However, with the help of Chong’s department, Goh was let off the hook after she managed to settle her dues with the moneylenders.
She also lost RM30,000 of her personal savings to the so-called online lover.
Chong said his department handled 422 cases of people borrowing money from loan sharks last year involving a total sum of RM44mil.
“Almost 88% of these cases involve the Chinese community, followed by Malays at 12% and the rest being Indians. In the first two weeks this year, we have had 11 cases involving RM1.1mil come to us,” he said.
Despite repeated warnings about the consequences of borrowing from loan sharks, he said many people would not hesitate taking the risk.
