New Loan Shark Tactic, Innocent Malaysian Family Targeted Despite Having No Debts!
Source: Says
A man in Johor has raised alarm over a new loan shark tactic that targets innocent families who have never taken loans. His in-laws’ house in Johor Bahru was recently vandalized with red paint, and a threatening note was left on their gate—despite them having no connection to any debts.
In a now-viral Facebook post, Afzan Mohd Arif shared how his father-in-law’s house was attacked. Not only was the gate splashed with red paint, but the car parked inside was completely covered in the same color. A chilling note was also pasted on the gate, reading: “This Is First Warning. Next Burn Your Home.” The note contained an unfamiliar Indian name and two phone numbers.
Afzan’s wife immediately called one of the numbers to clarify the situation. A man named Darren answered and claimed he was looking for a debtor. He insisted that the house matched the address he was given. When Afzan’s wife explained that they had no connection to the person mentioned, she demanded RM5,000 as compensation for the damage done. Instead, Darren demanded SGD1,000 (RM3,300) to “clear” their address from their system, promising to repaint the car and remove the red paint if they paid.
When Afzan’s wife refused, the threats escalated. Darren warned that they would send people to burn down the house. Moments later, the same threats were repeated through WhatsApp from a different number, along with a video of a house being set on fire.
Afzan’s family immediately reported the incident to the police. Authorities confirmed that this is part of a new modus operandi where loan sharks deliberately target innocent people, accuse them of having debts, and then extort money to “settle” the issue.
Police have launched an investigation into the case under Section 427 of the Penal Code and are currently tracking down the individuals involved. The Johor Bahru Selatan district police chief ACP Raub Selamat confirmed the incident occurred on February 11 along Jalan Yahya Awal. Investigations are ongoing, and authorities are urging anyone with relevant information to come forward.
