Duo respond to FB ads promising fast cash, get arrested for being loanshark runners instead
A 38-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman separately responded to job advertisements on Facebook.
But instead of getting the fast cash that they were promised, they ended up arrested for loanshark harassment.
The police said they responded swiftly to a case involving a suspicious person, believed to be the runner of an unlicensed moneylender, outside a residential unit along Rivervale Drive at around 9.50pm on Dec 25.
A man, who was found in possession of a black marker pen and two cans of red paint, was arrested at the scene.
The police also responded to a similar case involving the same Rivervale Drive unit on Dec 26, at around 12.20am.
This time, a woman found in possession of a black marker pen and two cans of red paint was arrested at the scene.
"Preliminary investigations revealed that the duo was not known to each other and had responded separately to job advertisements on Facebook for the promise of fast cash, which they did not receive," the police added.
The pair will be charged in court on Dec 27 under the Moneylenders Act 2008.
For first-time offenders, the offence of loanshark harassment carries a fine between $5,000 and $50,000, with up to five years in jail and up to six strokes of the cane.
The police said they have zero tolerance for loanshark harassment activities. Those who deliberately vandalise properties or cause annoyance and disruption to public safety and security will be dealt with severely in accordance with the law.
Members of the public are advised to stay away from loansharks and not work with or assist them in any way. Call the police at '999' if they suspect or know of anyone who could be involved in loansharking activities.
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