A Yorkshire woman has told of her fears from dealing with loan sharks, warning: 'If I don't pay I get a beating.'
Illegal lending is often not reported due to fear of reprisals, according to the Centre for Social Justice
It comes as a report from the Centre for Social Justice said fear of reprisals from illegal money lenders was preventing vulnerable borrowers from seeking help.The organisation wants to see improved training for debt advisers and greater powers to investigate loan sharks. The organisation analysed data from 700 victims of illegal lending and a survey of 171 debt advisers.
She said money lenders had come onto the estate and befriended people who have no alternative, and she feared the situation was getting worse as people struggled with rising costs.England's Illegal Money Lending Team is a government-funded group that investigates and prosecutes illegal money lenders and supports victims."It is not a community service, it is criminals getting rich on the backs of those who can least afford it," he said.
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