A 25-year-old man is set to be charged in Singapore in connection with a series of alleged unlicensed moneylending harassment cases, while a separate cross-border debt collection incident has shocked residents in Johor after a Singapore-linked loan shark syndicate reportedly set fire to the wrong house.
A 70-year-old woman in Johor Bahru became an innocent victim after suspected runners working for a Singapore-based loan shark targeted her home by mistake.
According to Sin Chew, The incident occurred in the Million Town (Bandar Baru Permas Jaya) area of Johor Bahru. The elderly woman, identified as Lim Siew Geok, was away on a family holiday in Penang when her house was attacked.
According to her daughter, 44-year-old marketing executive Tan Lai Fun, the family received a phone call from neighbours in the early hours of June 11 informing them that someone had thrown a petrol bomb at their home.
Fortunately, nobody was inside the house at the time.
Quick-thinking neighbours managed to extinguish the fire before it spread further, preventing what could have been a far more devastating outcome.
Family Shocked After Discovering They Owed No Money
The family was left puzzled because none of them had ever borrowed money from illegal lenders.
CCTV footage reportedly showed a helmeted man arriving at the house under the cover of darkness. He pasted a debt collection note at the entrance before throwing a petrol bomb and fleeing the scene.
Photos taken afterwards showed a threatening note containing a Singapore phone number alongside a warning that read: “Pay your debt or your house will be burned. Don’t challenge me.”
Upon returning from Penang, the family spoke to their neighbours and discovered the intended target lived next door.
According to Tan, her neighbour admitted that her daughter, who commutes daily between Malaysia and Singapore for work, had accumulated gambling losses at a casino in Singapore before borrowing S$1,800 from illegal moneylenders.
However, repayment issues arose after her bank account was frozen.
Loan Shark Allegedly Admits Mistake
Concerned for her mother’s safety, Tan contacted the number left on the threatening note.
To her surprise, the person who answered allegedly admitted that their debt collector had targeted the wrong address.
The caller reportedly apologised and assured her family that they would not be harassed again.
However, he also told them to seek compensation directly from the neighbouring debtor instead.
The family is currently waiting for an official fire investigation report before submitting an insurance claim and obtaining repair quotations.
Initial estimates suggest damages could exceed RM20,000 (approximately S$6,300).
The case has reignited concerns about cross-border illegal moneylending activities, especially as syndicates increasingly pursue debtors beyond Singapore’s borders and innocent families risk becoming collateral damage.
Authorities continue to remind members of the public not to engage with illegal moneylenders and to report any suspicious debt collection activities immediately.
Image Source: Sin Chew