Women involved in illegal money lending syndicates are now taking on a wider range of responsibilities, including acting as customer service officers, intimidation enforcers, money lenders and caretakers of syndicate operation premises.
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa said investigations revealed that women are no longer limited to making calls or serving as customer service personnel for illegal loan operations.
He said intelligence gathered by the department found that many women are responsible for contacting customers, explaining loan packages, processing loan applications and following up on repayments.
Apart from administrative duties, some women have also been identified as playing active roles in carrying out intimidation tactics against borrowers who fail to repay their loans.
“These include splashing paint on properties, hanging threatening banners, distributing warning leaflets and carrying out other forms of intimidation against victims,” he said.
Rusdi added that some women also manage loan collections and deal directly with borrowers, while others serve as caretakers or occupants of premises used as illegal loan operation centres, including girlfriends, housemates or individuals found at the locations during police raids.
He said investigations indicate that the number of women involved in intimidation activities has increased compared with other roles, while their involvement as customer service officers and lenders has remained relatively stable.
According to him, the trend reflects how syndicates are becoming more flexible in assigning roles to members based on operational needs while attempting to avoid detection by enforcement authorities.
Rusdi also revealed that 535 women were arrested for suspected involvement in illegal money lending activities between 2024 and June 2026.
Of that total, 184 women were arrested in 2024, followed by 200 in 2025, representing an increase of about 8.7 per cent, while another 151 arrests were recorded between January and June this year.
He said if the current trend continues, the total number of female arrests in 2026 is expected to match or exceed last year’s figure.
Rusdi stressed that the CCID remains committed to taking legal action against everyone involved in illegal loan syndicates, regardless of gender, including individuals who play supporting roles throughout the syndicate’s operations.
