KUCHING: A woman’s intention to resolve her financial problems through an online loan ultimately turned into a nightmare when she and her family became victims of an unlicensed loan syndicate here.
It led to threats, extortion and the misuse of personal data.
Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Public Complaints Bureau Chief Milton Foo said the 47-year-old woman had initially only wanted to borrow RM5,000 after coming across a loan advertisement on Facebook around March.
“However, she was subsequently approved for a loan of RM6,400, which was deposited into her account in stages.
“What at first appeared to be a way out of her financial difficulties turned out to be the beginning of prolonged pressure,” he said at a press conference on victims of online employment and loan fraud here, Tuesday.
Foo added that not long after the money was received, the woman was instructed to repay RM8,000 before April 3 — an amount far exceeding the original loan.
When she failed to make the payment, the syndicate began contacting her family members, including her brother in Kuching, even though the family’s phone numbers had never been provided.
“Concerned for the safety of his family and wanting to put an end to the continuous harassment, the victim’s brother then made several payments totalling RM13,000 to the parties involved.
“A total of RM8,000 was paid first after being promised a debt settlement letter. However, after the payment was made, the syndicate demanded an additional RM5,000,” he said.
Foo said that even after the second demand was met, the threats continued, with the victim’s family once again asked to pay RM6,000.
The situation became even more alarming when the victim’s brother claimed to have received a threat that two men would be sent to his home if payment was not made.
“They then came forward to lodge a police report on April 22,” he said.
According to Foo, the case does not merely involve financial loss — it also carries a greater risk that is often overlooked by the public, namely identity theft and bank account misuse.
He said that when victims hand over copies of their identity card, payslips, personal photographs, and bank account numbers to unknown parties, that information can be used for other criminal purposes.
Specifically, the victim’s bank account could be turned into a mule account to receive money obtained through fraud from other victims.
Should that happen, the account holder risks being investigated by the authorities, having their account frozen, and being blacklisted by financial institutions.
Foo noted that today’s syndicates are far more aggressive than those of the past, which would typically take the money and disappear.
“They do not just scam — they continue to pressure victims with psychological threats, extort money repeatedly, and target family members.
“They are also quick to swap out advertisements on social media to avoid detection. As soon as one ad is taken down, a new one appears using a different name and number.
“In light of this, the public is advised to only obtain loans through licensed financial institutions and to never hand over personal documents to unknown parties.
“One click may seem small, but the consequences can ensnare an entire family,” he warned.
