M'sian Warns That 'Loan Sharks' Now Purposely Target Wrong Homes To Make Demands
The man said his in-laws' home was targeted despite the family never having any debts.
By May Vin Ang — 19 Feb 2025, 02:34 PM
A Johor man has taken to social media to warn others about a new scheme used by loan sharks to extort money from innocent victims
In a now-viral Facebook post, user Afzan Mohd Arif shared how his in-laws' home in Johor Bahru was targeted by loan sharks despite the family never having any debts.
"My in-laws' house was splashed with red paint on the gate. My father-in-law's car, which was properly parked inside, was also completely covered in the same colour," he wrote.
He added that the most alarming part was a threatening note pasted on the gate that read: "This Is First Warning. Next Burn Your Home."
Afzan said the note also contained the name of an alleged debtor, an Indian man's name that his family did not recognise, as well as two phone numbers to contact.
Taking things into their own hands, Afzan said his wife tried to call one of the numbers on the note to seek clarification
They claimed a man named 'Darren' answered, who said he was looking for the debtor, insisting that the house matched the address he had been given.
Afzan's wife explained they had no connection to the person named and demanded compensation of RM5,000 for the damage done.
However, the loan shark then demanded SGD1,000 (RM3,300) to "clear" their name and address from their network. He promised that after receiving the payment, he would also send men to remove the red paint, repaint the car, and replace their tires.
When Afzan's wife refused, the threat escalated.
"The loan shark said they would send people to burn down the house. My wife immediately ignored him and blocked the number," he said.
But the harassment didn't stop there. The loan shark later messaged her on WhatsApp using a different number, repeating the threat and even forwarding a video of a house being set on fire.
Afzan's family reported the incident to the police, who confirmed that this was part of a new modus operandi used by loan sharks
"These loan sharks will threaten innocent people as if they are the ones in debt. They will demand money to 'settle' the issue. But once you comply, they will turn around and claim that you actually owe them money.
"They'll even use bank transactions as 'proof' that you paid off a debt to them. This is absolutely insane!" Afzan wrote.
He also warned that this is not an isolated case, citing many similar stories of loan sharks attacking the wrong house — splashing paint, breaking windows, and threatening families.
"This is not a small matter. It's about people's safety! It can seriously mess with your mental state too," he added, as his in-laws have lived in the home for 30 years.
Police have launched an investigation under Section 427 of the Penal Code and are currently tracking down the individuals involved
According to Harian Metro, Johor Bahru Selatan district police chief ACP Raub Selamat confirmed that the incident occurred at a house along Jalan Yahya Awal last Tuesday, 11 February.
"We are also investigating two phone numbers related to this case and working to identify the suspects," he said.
He also urged anyone with relevant information to come forward to assist in the investigation.
