SINGAPORE: Loan sharks are now shifting their harassment tactics. Instead of damaging property by scribbling O$P$ in red paint on walls, they are now harassing the public via SMS and WhatsApp messages, police said on Thursday (Jun 7).
"Through the method, the loan sharks are able to target larger groups of people,” they said.
AdvertisementAccording to the police, the number of harassment cases which do not involve property damage has gone up 17.5 per cent to 942 cases in the first four months of this year compared to the same period last year.
This trend was also observed in 2017, when cases without damage to property increased by 33.8 per cent to 2,783 cases as compared to the year before.
In all, unlicensed moneylending-related harassment cases increased by 12.3 per cent to 3,806 cases last year. This is “largely driven by the cases without damage to property”, police said.
The police advised those who receive SMSes or WhatsApp messages from loan sharks not to reply or interact with the sender. The public should also “report the number as spam and block the number using readily available spam filter applications”.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThey can also notify the police via the i-Witness portal or report loansharking activities anonymously through the X-Ah-Long hotline at 1800-924-5664.
In the bigger picture, the public should not borrow from unlicensed moneylenders and stop getting involved with unlicensed moneylending activities, the police urged. “The police will continue to work closely with authorities such as the Info-communications Media Development Authority to deter these harassment acts,” it said.
Under the Moneylenders Act, first-time offenders found guilty of carrying out business as an unlicensed moneylender or assisting in the business of unlicensed moneylending face a fine of between S$30,000 and S$300,000, a jail term of up to four years, and six strokes of the cane.
Also under the Act, first-time offenders found guilty of committing loanshark harassment may be jailed up to five years, receive three to six strokes of the cane, as well as a fine of between S$5,000 and S$50,000.
Last month, the police arrested 131 suspects believed to be involved in loan-sharking activities following a four-day operation. Police said three of them allegedly carried out acts of harassment by splashing paint and scrawling graffiti on walls.
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