27th June ‘08 - Loan Shark Helpline Launched
The Government have launched a new helpline for victims of loan sharks. Consumer Affairs Minister Gareth Thomas announced the introduction of the new helpline during a Trading Standards Institute conference in Bournemouth.
The helpline will be available to people in Yorkshire, Humberside and Central England, as well as those in the South East and North West. Run by a team of workers from Birmingham City Council, it is hoped it will help vulnerable people who have been targeted by unscrupulous loan sharks.
Commenting on the initiative, Gareth Thomas said, “It takes a real low life to prey on vulnerable people and bully and intimidate them out of their hard-earned money.
”This team is having great success cracking down on these criminals and supporting their victims.
”I want to encourage anyone who has been affected by a loan shark to use the new helpline and come forward in confidence. Any information, however small, on loan shark activities will help the team to take action.”
A loan shark is a business offering loans without a licence from the Office of Fair Trading. If you worry that you might have been targeted by a loan shark, the Loan Shark Project will be able to help you.