Good deed leads to ah long trouble

“He then introduced me to someone he claimed was his acquaintance who could help him repay the debt,” he said in an interview.

Koh subsequently contacted the alleged acquaintance and shared his personal details to facilitate the transfer of the funds to him.

“At first, I received RM20,000 in my bank account. However, I felt uneasy after I was added to a chat group a week later.

“I was shocked to learn that someone had taken out a loan in my name, and an individual, believed to be an ah long, told me I owed him RM25,000,” he said.

Koh, who works in Singapore, mentioned that he sold his car, which was manufactured in the United States, to settle the debt, as he wished to avoid complications.

“I thought the matter had been resolved. But on Sept 14, loan sharks came to the house and claimed that I still owed them another RM25,000.

“They have been hounding my family and me, besides threatening to splash red paint on my house if I do not give in to their demands,” he said.

Koh advised the public not to trust their friends too easily and to be cautious when sharing personal information.

When contacted, a police official confirmed that the victim has lodged a report and that the investigation is ongoing.