JOHOR BARU: Illegal moneylenders are going back to snail mail to send a message to their borrowers.

       Salesman Ho Xuan Zhen, 22, said he received a handwritten note asking him to pay up on Nov 25.

       "I was shocked after reading the note which said that this was the last warning for me to pay my debt.

       "I took up loans of RM1,000 each from two Ah Long in June last year for my direct-selling venture.

       "However, I only received RM400 each and I have already settled the loans and paid RM3,500 to the first moneylender and RM5,300 to the second.

       "I thought the matter was settled. I feel threatened since the letter arrived at my house more than a year later," he said at a press conference held by the Pasir Gudang MCA public complaints and services bureau here on Tuesday (Dec 7).

       He added that he called the number on the note and the man on the other end threatened to burn his house down if he did not pay up.

       Another victim, Boon Yi Jie, said he borrowed money from an Ah Long he found on a Facebook advertisement in early July.

       The 20-year-old Singapore factory worker said he was facing financial difficulties at the time and provided his identification card number, address, work permit information and family members' contact numbers via WhatsApp.

       "When the person asked for my photo, I felt suspicious and decided not to go ahead.

       "Somebody then called and scolded me for wasting his time, but I maintained that I did not want the loan anymore.

       "However, they managed to get my bank account number – which I did not provide – and transferred S$300 (RM928.50) to me and forced me to pay the debt," he said.

       Boon added that his house and two cars in Johor Baru and were splashed with red paint on July 17, with a note asking for money.

       "My family thought that we could stop the harassment by giving in to their demands and ended up giving them a total of RM55,700 in eight transactions.

       "But the harassment did not stop and they kept calling my parents and aunt," he said, adding that he lodged two police reports in Singapore and another two in Johor Baru.

       Meanwhile, the MCA bureau's chief Lim Thow Siang said he would help the victims by calling up the Ah Long to mediate.

       "The public should know by now not to borrow from illegal money lenders or click on any links and advertisements that offer attractive loans with low interest," he added.