A 36-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of illegal money lending and money laundering today following an operation by the England Illegal Money Lending Team in Middlesbrough.
The IMLT worked in partnership with officers from Cleveland Police to execute a warrant at an address in the Pallister Park area.
Officers seized a mobile phone and the suspect was taken into custody to be questioned by IMLT investigators.
The IMLT works in partnership with Middlesbrough Council 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 will continue to work with our partners to take action against those who blight our communities in this way.
“If you have been offered a loan, bee threatened when you couldn’t pay, had your bank card taken from you as security or if what you owe keeps growing even though you are making payments, then you may well have been targeted.
“If you, or anyone you know, has experienced any of these things or has any knowledge of illegal lending then contact our team in complete confidence.”
There are up to 1.7 million people in debt to loan sharks in England, according to figures from the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ).
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
Many illegal money 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.
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. There is a Live Chat facility on the website and the team can also be contacted via WhatsApp on 07700 102773. The Live Chat and WhatsApp services are monitored from 9am to 8pm, Monday to Friday.
