JOHOR BARU: OBESE women and single mothers have become the latest targets of Ah Long.
Police said that their intelligence teams found that the members of such moneylending syndicates were actively targeting these groups of women.
Their posters highlight that women can be given loans so that they can buy herbs and weight loss supplements.
Contact details are also provided for their loans to be processed.
Sources say the loan sharks operate on the logic that if an obese or a single mother is slim and attractive, she could court rich husbands who would in turn release her from financial burdens.
However, the police have warned that such ploys are traps. This trend was uncovered during a recent operation, dubbed Op Vulture, by the Segamat police commercial crime unit in the district here.
Segamat police chief Supt Mohd Kamil Sukarmi said these syndicates used many techniques to trap their victims, especially single mothers.
“There are even syndicates that offer loans without any hassle by asking the applicant with monthly income to only hand over their automated teller machine (ATM) cards,” he said.
During Op Vulture, a total of 26 posters were pulled down in several strategic locations in Jementah and Chaah. The day-long operation was led by two inspectors and 10 policemen.
Kamil said the main objective was to cripple Ah Long rings and remove advertisements that promote their services.
“The public is advised to be alert and not to fall prey to these syndicates. The high interest rates of between 10 to 18 per cent is enough to trap unsuspecting victims for life. Repayment will be very burdensome,” he said.
Kamil urged those who have any information on illegal moneylending syndicates to contact the nearest police station.