POLICE have arrested a woman who had allegedly borrowed money from loan sharks using false contact information.

 

The 35-year-old is said to have given her previous home address to an illegal moneylender when she took a loan.

 

When she defaulted on her loan payments, the loan sharks went to the address she is said to have provided to harass her, but instead victimised the new owners and occupants instead.

 

The police said yesterday that officers investigating the case found that the woman had moved out in 2009, but failed to report the change of her residential address within 28 days.

 

She was arrested on Wednesday near Hougang Avenue 9.

 

Acting commander of Ang Mo Kio Police Division, deputy assistant commissioner Chua Chuan Seng, said in a statement yesterday that the police took a serious view of individuals who borrow from illegal moneylenders using their old addresses, and as a result, cause inconvenience and distress to innocent parties.

 

Under the Moneylenders Act (Revised Edition 2010), any person who is found guilty of providing false contact information to obtain loans from loan sharks can be jailed for up to 12 months.

 

Under the National Registration Act, any person who is guilty of not reporting a change of address can be fined up to $5,000 or jailed for up to five years, or both.