A Johor shoe salesman who tried to help a longtime friend in financial trouble has found himself caught in an online loan scam, with his family eventually targeted in a red paint attack.
Zhang Zufan (transliteration), 34, said his secondary school friend contacted him in September seeking financial assistance, claiming his house had been set on fire due to unpaid debts.
However, the friend did not explain the reason for the debts or how much he owed.
Wanting to help, Zhang began searching for online loan advertisements on social media on October 11 and contacted one individual to enquire about a loan.
The individual requested his bank account and MyKad details, as well as his parents’ phone numbers, which Zhang provided.
Zhang said he initially planned to borrow between RM2,000 and RM3,000 but changed his mind after being told to pay an upfront deposit of RM600 to RM700.
He claimed the individual continued contacting him and pressuring him to borrow at least RM500, despite his decision to withdraw from the application.
Zhang eventually received only RM300, which was deposited into his bank account the following day without his consent to proceed with the loan. He later blocked the individual’s number after facing persistent harassment.
However, the individual then began contacting Zhang’s parents and demanding RM600 to settle the matter.
Even after his younger sister paid the amount on his behalf, another RM600 was demanded, allegedly because the payment had been made without a reference number.
Zhang said his father eventually paid a total of RM1,200, but the individual then demanded another RM1,000 to erase his records, threatening to send people to their home to splash paint if the money was not paid.
His younger sister refused to make any further payments after suspecting that the individual was involved in a scam.
The situation escalated on the morning of October 27 when Zhang’s father discovered that their house had been splashed with red paint.
He also received a message from the individual claiming that his people had carried out the attack, followed by a demand for RM10,000.
Concerned for the family’s safety, Zhang’s father lodged two police reports on the same day.
The case was highlighted at a press conference organised by Parti Wawasan Negara (PWN) Johor Public Complaints and Service Bureau chairman Lim Thow Siang.
Lim said Zhang had fallen victim to an online loan scam, stressing that legitimate moneylenders would not use threats to pressure borrowers into making payments.
He urged the public to lodge police reports immediately if they encountered similar incidents and called on the authorities to step up action against illegal moneylending activities.
Lim also advised Zhang’s family to stop engaging or responding to the alleged scammers.
