General Manager of Credit Counselling Singapore, Tan Huey Min offers advice on how to cope with debts.
what it feels like...
Monday, 28 November 2011
Survey on the awareness of loansharks
Hey viewers, please do take some time out to do our survey @
This survey is regarding about loanshark awareness. This is to let us know more about what you (the youths in Singapore) know about loansharking activities is and the dangers you think you can encounter, and that we can provide more information and various videos and links to help you know more. Cheers!!
Post By:Khairul
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Interview of the public on the view of loansharks
This is a special report done by razor tv showing what problems loansharks cause and ways to stop them made by the local authorites.Click on the following link to video:
Singaporeans give their views on what can be done to curb the problem of loansharks as police up efforts to arrest them.
Part 1: http://www.razor.tv/site/servlet/segment/main/news/65374.html
Between June and September 2010, 60-year-old Madam Ho Kwee Thai, a resident at Block 4C, St George's Road, was repeatedly harassed by loan sharks. This is her story.
Part 2: http://www.razor.tv/site/servlet/segment/main/news/65374.html#link_90_related_65376
The Government will make dealing with loansharks their top priority, and their efforts seem to be paying off according to residents at St George's Road.
Part 3: http://www.razor.tv/site/servlet/segment/main/news/65374.html#link_90_related_65378
Part 4: http://www.razor.tv/site/servlet/segment/main/news/65374.html#link_90_related_65380
Post By: Khairul
Monday, 21 November 2011
Hotline For LoanShark Curb Activities  ONE HOPE CENTRE | ||
One Hope Centre is a Christian-based voluntary welfare organization set up to help members of the public who are gambling and/or are loan shark victims. Specifically, the Centre offers help in the following areas: i)Gambling addiction problems ii)Debt Problems iii)LoanShark Harrassment Problems The Centre offers a holistic recovery process for gambling addicts who want to turn their life around. Contact Details http://www.onehopecentre.org/Hotline: 6547-1011 Address: 12 New Industrial Road #05-06 Morningstar Centre, Singapore 536202 Post By: Sulaiman
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Videos About The Impact Of LoanSharks
Greed
make a quick buck.
This is a cautionary tale of the consequences of youths getting involved with unlicensed money lenders. Of how one youth yearned after a lifestyle of easy money, borrowed money from loansharks and ended up being a runner for them.
This story aims to create “Second Thoughts” in the viewer’s mind about getting involved in loansharking activities and that crime does not pay. First-time offenders found guilty of assisting in the business of an unlicensed moneylender may be fined up to $200,000 or jailed up to two years, or both.
First-time offenders found guilty of loanshark harassment may be fined up to $40,000 or imprisoned up to three years or both. In addition, offenders will be caned if damage to property or harm to others was caused when committing loanshark harassment.
The Police will continue to work with schools and educational institutions to prevent youths from being lured and recruited by the syndicates. Parents can also help by being aware of their children’s activities and reminding them of the severity of loansharking and loanshark-related harassment offences.
Click on the following link to the video:
Penalties Of Vandalism
Vandalism
Vandalism Act is a statute of the Parliament of Singapore that criminalizes a number of different acts done in relation to public and private property, namely, stealing, destroying or damaging public property; and, without the property owner's written consent, writing, drawing, painting, marking or inscribing the property; affixing posters, placards, etc., to the property; and suspending or displaying on or from the property any flag, banner, etc.
Definition of act of vandalism
Section 2 of the Vandalism Act defines an act of vandalism as:
(a) without the written authority of an authorised officer or representative
of the Government or of the government of any Commonwealth or
foreign country or of any statutory body or authority or of any
armed force lawfully present in Singapore in the case of public
property, or without the written consent of the owner or occupier in
the case of private property —
(i) writing, drawing, painting, marking or inscribing on any public property or
private property any word,slogan, caricature, drawing, mark, symbol or other
thing;
(ii) affixing, posting up or displaying on any public property or private property
any poster, placard,advertisement, bill, notice, paper or other document; or
(iii) hanging, suspending, hoisting, affixing or displaying on or from any public
property or private property any flag, bunting, standard, banner or the like
with any word, slogan, caricature, drawing, mark, symbol or other thing; or
(b) stealing, destroying or damaging any public property.
Public property means movable or immovable property owned by the Government of Singapore, the government of any Commonwealth or foreign country, any statutory body or authority, or any armed force lawfully present in Singapore.
Offences and penaltiesAn offence under the Act to commit any act of vandalism, attempt to do any such act, or cause any such act to be done. Upon conviction, the penalty is a fine not exceeding S$2,000 or imprisonment not exceeding three years, and also corporal punishment of not less than three strokes and not more than eight strokes of the cane. However, caning will not be imposed on a first conviction if the act carried out falls within section 2(a)(i) and "the writing, drawing, mark or inscription is done with pencil, crayon, chalk or other delible substance or thing and not with paint, tar or other indelible substance or thing", or within sections 2(a)(ii) or (iii).
Post By: Matthews
Singapore News Flash11 arrested for helping loansharks open bank accounts
SINGAPORE: Police have arrested 11 men for suspected involvement in loansharking activities.
The men, aged between 22 and 62, are said to have opened bank accounts and given away their Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards and Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) to loansharking syndicates.
The arrests were made after simultaneous raids in various parts of Singapore from October 20-21.
Two of the younger suspects, aged 22 and 23 years, are believed to have aided the loanshark in sending harassment letters. These two suspects will be charged in court on Saturday under the Moneylenders Act.
Investigations on the other suspects are still ongoing.
Post By: Matthews
Loanshark harassment suspect nabbed
SINGAPORE: Police have arrested a 31-year-old suspect for involvement in loansharking activities, following a tip-off from an alert member of public.
Police said that at about 7.40pm on Tuesday, a member of public reported that a man was seen loitering suspiciously in the vicinity of Teban Gardens Road housing estate.
Officers responded immediately and arrested the suspect, who had with him two mobile phones and loansharking-related paraphernalia such as marker pens and cans of paint.
Early investigation showed the suspect is believed to be involved in several cases of loanshark harassment using debtor notes at housing estates located island-wide.
They include Teban Gardens, Woodlands, Boon Lay, Choa Chu Kang, Sin Ming, Ang Mo Kio, Buangkok, Yishun, Tampines and Bedok.
The suspect will be charged in court with loanshark harassment.
Post By: Kiong Huat
Six men arrested for loansharking activities
SINGAPORE: Police have arrested six men for suspected involvement in loansharking activities in two separate cases.
In the first case, just past midnight on Wednesday, police were alerted by a resident that a man was loitering around Bukit Batok Street 51.
Officers arrested the 31-year-old suspect after questioning him. He had with him items related to loansharking, including nine cans of paint, six bicycle locks, one pair of gloves and a mobile phone with suspected debtors' records.
Early investigations showed that he is a debtor-turned-runner. He is believed to be involved in several loanshark harassment cases in the Boon Lay and Bukit Batok housing estates.
Police also conducted an islandwide operation on Wednesday and arrested five men, aged between 17 and 59 years old.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects had opened bank accounts and gave away their ATM cards and PIN to loansharking syndicates for their business.
Post By: Sulaiman
Post By: Sulaiman
Click on the following link for more recent news:
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/Singapore's youngest loanshark victim?
By Chen Jing Ting
THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD Tommy (not his real name) could well be Singapore's youngest loanshark victim, chalking up a $30,000 debt.
Hooked on Internet soccer betting, he would place bets on the Spanish Primera Liga, on as many as nine games a day.
He started with $50 bets with his friends and eventually moved on to $1,000 wagers online, using his friends' accounts.
When his losses started piling up, those friends introduced him to loansharks to make good on his debts.
His father, a company director, and his mother, an administration executive, found out when the loansharks came a-calling.
Youths like Tommy are worrying counsellors, who are seeing more young Singaporeans hooked on gambling.
One Hope Centre, which counsels youths with gambling addictions, saw 12 such youths last year. This year, in the first three months alone, it has already seen eight.
The Reverend Dr Edward Job, executive director of Christian Care Services Singapore, said: '(Tommy) doesn't think he has a problem, so he doesn't want to be counselled. I could only advise his parents to block betting websites (on his computer) and cut off his mobile phone's Internet access.'
On a profile of young gambling addicts, One Hope's executive director, the Reverend Tan Lye Keng, said they are mainly in their 20s and usually turn to Internet soccer betting.
Such websites provide those who bet with credit, so youths do not need much capital before they start to bet.
'The gamblers are tech-savvy and can easily access the Internet through computers and mobile phones,' explained the Rev Tan.
Post By: Kenneth
SINGAPORE: Two 17—year—old youths have been arrested for suspected involvement in loansharking activities.
The police were conducting a road block along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 on Saturday morning when they came across a taxi ferrying two passengers.
Checks revealed a bottle of white paint concealed in a plastic bag hidden under the taxi’s rear seats.
One suspect was arrested after a short chase, while the other was eventually tracked down and arrested later that same day in Jalan Tenteram in Whampoa.
Both suspects were allegedly on their way to splash paint at a debtor’s unit in Ang Mo Kio.
Teen "loansharking runners" nabbed
SINGAPORE: Two 17—year—old youths have been arrested for suspected involvement in loansharking activities.The police were conducting a road block along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 on Saturday morning when they came across a taxi ferrying two passengers.
Checks revealed a bottle of white paint concealed in a plastic bag hidden under the taxi’s rear seats.
The officers then interviewed both passengers who suddenly bolted and fled in different directions.
One suspect was arrested after a short chase, while the other was eventually tracked down and arrested later that same day in Jalan Tenteram in Whampoa.
Both suspects were allegedly on their way to splash paint at a debtor’s unit in Ang Mo Kio.
If convicted, they can each be fined up to S$50,000, given up to six strokes of the cane and jailed up to five years.
— CNA/wk
Post By: Khairul
Loan sharks engage in illegal money lending and their runners do dirty work for loan sharks such as harassing debtors who default on repayment.
According to local English newspaper The Straits Times on Monday, when it did a count based on police releases, of 124 loan sharks and runners arrested, 31 - or one in four - were aged 19 and below. The youngest was a 12-year-old boy caught last month as part of a group of five youth who were harassing debtors. Indeed, there were even seven girls among the young people arrested.
In May, four girls aged 15 and 16 were caught in the act with the help of a local resident. Two of them were spotted at a corridor armed with a blue marker and bags of paint.
To reduce the risk of getting caught, syndicate members are staying behind the scenes, preferring to hire runners to harass debtors for small fees.
The Singapore police have been clamping down hard on loan shark activities, with harsher penalties added in late 2005.
The police are also working with schools to prevent youth from being "lured and recruited." The stiffest possible punishment for those who harass is a 40,000 Singapore dollars (about 27,972 U. S. dollars) fine and three years' jail. They can also be caned.
One in four loan shark runners in Singapore aged 19 and below
Source: Xinhua
Seduced into making an easy buck, while others are recruited to pay off their debts, runners for loan sharks seem to be getting younger in Singapore.
Loan sharks engage in illegal money lending and their runners do dirty work for loan sharks such as harassing debtors who default on repayment.
According to local English newspaper The Straits Times on Monday, when it did a count based on police releases, of 124 loan sharks and runners arrested, 31 - or one in four - were aged 19 and below. The youngest was a 12-year-old boy caught last month as part of a group of five youth who were harassing debtors. Indeed, there were even seven girls among the young people arrested.
Last year, police in the city state nabbed 63 youth for being loan shark runners. In 2007, 59 youth were arrested.
In May, four girls aged 15 and 16 were caught in the act with the help of a local resident. Two of them were spotted at a corridor armed with a blue marker and bags of paint.
The cases have led the police to warn youngsters against being made used of by loan sharks.
A police spokesman said many young people were referred by friends to work for these syndicates for a quick buck.
To reduce the risk of getting caught, syndicate members are staying behind the scenes, preferring to hire runners to harass debtors for small fees.
Those taken on board as runners have included debtors unable to pay off their loans, foreign workers and youth who know too little to yield any leads about the masterminds if they are nabbed. A loan shark said he used youth because they are more daring.
The Singapore police have been clamping down hard on loan shark activities, with harsher penalties added in late 2005.
The police are also working with schools to prevent youth from being "lured and recruited." The stiffest possible punishment for those who harass is a 40,000 Singapore dollars (about 27,972 U. S. dollars) fine and three years' jail. They can also be caned.
Post By: Winston
Facts About Loanshark(Ah Long)
Ah Long (derived from the Cantonese phrase '大耳窿' is a term for illegal loan sharks in Malaysia and Singapore. They lend money to people who are unable to obtain loans from banks or other legal sources, mostly targeting habitual gamblers. They charge a very high interest rate (about 40% per month/fortnight) and frequently threaten violence (and administer it) towards those who fail to pay in time.
Tactics used by loanshark
When a person fails to pay in time, the Ah Long will spray, splash, or write threats in red paint on the walls of the house or property of that person as a threat of violence and to shame the borrower into repaying the loan. A common use of painting includes the characters "O$P$" meaning "Owe money, Pay money". According to local police authorities, there have been cases where borrowers were beaten or had their property damaged or destroyed, and some victims have committed suicide.Pig heads are sometimes hung outside the borrower's house, as a type of intimidation as well as a way of 'marking' the person as a loan 'defaulter'. Ah Long sometimes break into victim's houses and steal items of the loans value. This method is commonly used to save time and also effort.Recent cases show that Ah Longs also displays the borrower's identity card on a huge banner and post it on fences. Since Ah Longs need only an identity card from borrowers, this tactic is becoming common because it shames the borrower publicly into paying up.
Borrowers often use their outdated identity card to borrow money, with the intent to not pay what they owe. As a result, unsuspecting house owners end up paying the price of receiving the Ah Long tactics of intimidation. Since they are not the borrowers, the intimidation does not stop and the Ah Long will keep on harassing them.
Post By: Matthews
About Me
This blog is created to let youths in Singapore be aware of the various loanshark activities and how they can prevent themselves from becoming a victim.It is also for them to not to be involve in the activities over the greed of money or materials.
This blog is created by:
Winston
Matthews
Kiong Huat
Kenneth
Khairul
Sulaiman
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