A 71-year-old man and a woman, aged 64, were arrested on suspicion of illegal money lending following an early morning operation in Birkenhead today, March 12, 2025.
The England Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT) worked in partnership with officers from Merseyside Police to execute a warrant at an address in the Prenton area.
Officers seized documentation and electronic devices, and the suspects were taken into custody to be questioned by IMLT investigators.
The IMLT works in partnership with Wirral Trading Standards Service to investigate and prosecute illegal money lenders.
Dave Benbow, head of the IMLT, said: “Illegal money lending will not be tolerated in England, and we work with partners across England to take action against those who blight our communities in this way.
“If you have borrowed from someone you may have thought of as a friend, but you are now feeling afraid or threatened or being charged very high interest, you may have been targeted by an illegal lender.
“We would urge you to contact our team in complete confidence to discuss your options.”
There are up to 1.08 million people in debt to loan sharks in England, according to figures from the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ).
Many illegal lenders are well known within their communities and are often introduced to borrowers through friends or family members. They are unregulated and give loans with no paperwork, charging extortionate interest rates. They often resort to threats, intimidation and even violence if repayments are not made.
The warning signs of an illegal lender include:
- Giving you no paperwork or agreement on a loan
- Refusing to give you information about the loan
- Keeping items until the debt is paid such as your bank card or passport
- Taking things from you if you don’t pay on time
- Adding more interest or charges so the debt never goes down
- Using intimidation or violence if you don’t pay
Anyone who has been affected by illegal money lending should call the Stop Loan Sharks 24/7 Helpline on 0300 555 2222 or access support online at www.stoploansharks.co.uk. Live Chat is available on the website from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
