'I worry for my kids': Loan sharks harass woman with funeral wreaths after friend allegedly uses her details , Singapore News
Speaking to AsiaOne, the woman, who only wished to be known only as Zhuo, said she was overwhelmed with despair and frustration after receiving funeral wreaths on the evening of July 7.
They were all addressed to her.
Several of these wreaths were delivered to the music studio she owns in Jurong West, as well as to a beauty salon and a neighbouring residential unit located below her unit.
"My son had arrived at our club to meet us when he noticed funeral wreaths placed outside our studio at around midnight. He called me immediately, and I rushed down and contacted the police," said the 60-year-old.
Zhuo later found out that two other wreaths had also been delivered — one to the beauty salon located on the third floor and another to a neighbour's residential unit on the second floor.
"I had to apologise to the neighbour and the salon owner for being dragged into this. I didn't want our relationship to turn sour because of this," said the mother of three.
"This isn't the first time I've been harassed or received such funeral wreaths. I'm at my wits' end — it feels like an endless cycle." Harassment started in 2022
Zhuo shared that her ordeal began in April 2022 when her former neighbour informed her ex-husband about loan sharks harassing them in their estate.
They were allegedly knocking on their doors, looking for the couple who have already moved out.
At the time, Zhuo was already separated from her then husband and was living elsewhere.
"My ex-husband relayed the message to our son, who then told me about it. I was totally dumbfounded as I had no idea what was going on. I've never borrowed money [from loan sharks before], so I was shocked," she said.
She and her second husband - a singing instructor - opened a music studio in Jurong West in year 2020.
She later discovered from her former neighbours that her name and details had been misused to borrow money from loan sharks.
She promptly lodged her first police report for harassment. Friend initially denied involvement
Shortly after that, Zhuo's former neighbours passed her a contact number which they had received from the loan sharks.
She then realised it belonged to her friend - a former student from her husband's singing class with the surname Lum.
According to Zhuo, Lum had once helped her to sign up for a health supplement membership during the Covid-19 period, during which Zhuo had sent her a copy of her NRIC details.
She now suspects that Lum used that information to take loans in her name.
"I confronted her, but she denied everything. Eventually, after much pressure, she agreed to settle the issue at that time," Zhuo recalled, adding that Lum managed to repay her debt to the loan sharks.
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What Zhuo hoped would be a one-time ordeal quickly spiraled into a never-ending torment.
"I thought that would be the end of it. But even after that, the harassment continued," she said.
"She kept saying there's nothing she can do and that she's tired. Once, she even said, 'I might as well die.' That really put me in a difficult and helpless position. It's not the first time she's said that."
Zhuo said that despite making police reports and repeatedly reaching out to Lum, things never improved.
She said that she has reached out to the loan sharks to explain the situation, but the harassment still continued.
She also pointed out that at some point, she become paranoid that loan sharks were stalking her on social media, prompting her to take down all her family photos on social media.
"I removed all my family photos from Facebook especially those that have faces of my children. I worry for my kids and I don't want them to involved in this situation," she said.
Zhuo revealed that she has filed eight police reports to date and estimated that the loans taken under her identity amount to more than $10,000.
"I just want this to stop. I've never borrowed any money. I shouldn't be dragged into something I didn't do," she said. 'My health has been affected'
Speaking to AsiaOne, Zhuo's husband who only wished to be known only as Chen, 59, said that he regrets taking in Lum as a student.
"If she hadn't come to me for singing classes, none of this would have happened. I truly regret taking her in as my student," said Chen.
"My health has been affected because of everything that has happened. I have suffered a stroke due to the stress, and I am now wearing a pacemaker."
Chen also pointed out that despite the stress he faces, he believes that as long as he and Zhuo have not committed any illegal activities or crimes, they shouldn't have to worry about anything.
"I am very upset but after all this I tell myself that life goes on and there is nothing much I can do. After all, I teach in this studio and there is a reputation for me to keep up to," said Chen.
The couple also shared that they will be reaching out to their MP for help.
AsiaOne has reached out to Lum for comment.
[[nid:628603]]
xingying.koh@asiaone.com
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