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The Police are investigating 76 individuals, aged between 17 and 66, for their suspected involvement in unlicensed moneylending activities, following an unlicensed moneylending suppression operation conducted from 24 to 28 November 2025.

During the five-day operation, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department and the seven Police land divisions conducted raids island-wide. Preliminary investigations revealed that five individuals had allegedly harassed debtors at their residences and 30 individuals are believed to be runners who had assisted in unlicensed moneylending activities by carrying out Automated Teller Machine (ATM) transfers.

The remaining 41 individuals are believed to have opened bank accounts and provided their ATM cards, Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) and/or Internet Banking tokens to unlicensed moneylenders to facilitate their unlicensed moneylending activities. 

Investigations against all the individuals are ongoing.

Under the Moneylenders Act 2008, when a bank account, ATM card or Internet Banking token of any person is used to facilitate moneylending by an unlicensed moneylender, that person is presumed to have assisted in carrying on the business of unlicensed moneylending. First-time offenders found guilty of the offence of carrying on or assisting in a business of unlicensed moneylending shall be punished with imprisonment term of up to four years, a fine of not less than $30,000 and not more than $300,000, and caning of not more than six strokes. First-time offenders found guilty of the offence of acting on behalf of an unlicensed moneylender to commit or attempt to commit any acts of harassment shall be punished with imprisonment term of up to five years, a fine of not less than $5,000 and not more than $50,000, and caning of not less than three and not more than six strokes. 

The Police will continue to take tough enforcement actions against those involved in helping unlicensed moneylending syndicates. This includes acting against individuals who open or give away their bank accounts to aid unlicensed moneylenders. Anyone who allows their bank accounts to be used by unlicensed moneylending syndicates for transactions may be prosecuted and barred from using ATM and internet banking facilities for a year.

Unlicensed moneylenders will not hesitate to carry out persistent and dangerous harassment acts on the borrowers and their families, such as setting fire, and splashing paint at their residences, and locking the gates using chains or bicycle locks to confine the occupants. Members of the public are advised to stay away from unlicensed moneylenders and not to work with or assist them in any way. Foreigners found to have borrowed from or convicted for aiding the unlicensed moneylenders may also have their student or work passes cancelled and subsequently deported from Singapore. 

The public can call the Police hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness if they suspect or know of anyone who could be involved in unlicensed moneylending activities. All the information provided will be kept confidential.