Story bites back at illegal lenders

A new story book is warning children about the dangers of loan sharks.

Amsty Meets Mr Loan Shark tells the story of wise old computer Amsty, who lives in the library.

But he’s not the coolest PC on the block. When keen gamer Hassan is tempted with a loan that seems too good to be true however, Amsty’s wisdom is a lifesaver.

The loan sharks book, by Salim Shaikh and Hafsha Dadabhai Shaikh, is aimed at children aged five to eleven.

And publishers used cash seized from convicted loan sharks to print the book.

Co-author Hafsha said: “Amsty has proved to be a massive hit with the children, and his story is helping educate families about the perils of loan sharks.

“We are pleased to support the vital work of the Illegal Money Lending Team, who do so much to bring loan sharks to justice and prevent the damage they do to people’s lives.”

A loan shark is someone who lends money without permission from the authorities. They’re known to prey on vulnerable people on social media, where they advertise their loans. And the deals often seem too good to be true. They are!

Fighting back

Because loan sharks start out friendly they can trick us into paying huge fees. So this means the loans spiral into debts that their victims just can’t repay.

And the crooks then often use violence and blackmail to pile the pressure on.

But along with brilliant people like Hafsha, there are others fighting back. 

Stop Loan Sharks tracks down the crooks and supports their victims. We can call them on 0300 555 2222 or safely report a loan shark on their website.

Amsty Meets Mr Loan Shark is available to buy from Amazon.

And Quids in! recently produced a special loan sharks magazine in both English and Bengali.

Photo: RODNAE Productions / Pexels