Understand the Singapore Private Licensed Moneylenders and their Personal Loan Package.
With the changes in moneylenders act, Private Licensed Moneylenders are popping up like mushroom. Where do they come from, how they operate and how much interest do they charge and what are the catch?

Friday, July 23, 2010

More Private Money Lenders Popping Up.

It has been long since I blog...

It seems these legal loansharks are getting more and more active. I also found 1 of them adding a comment in this blog. He said to put ourselves in the moneylenders' shoes for those who borrowed and did not return.

There is some logic but they simply expose the loophole in the new law on moneylender act. Thus they open their business only to those who earn $20k per annum so they won't be CAPPED at 18% per annum on interest. Therefore they can charge up to 15% per month. Thus more of these business come by as they do not have to avoid the law anymore.
SO why they do not open their business to those who earn less than 20K per annum? Simple LOANSHARK! add to the loan approval fee of 3% and they are worse than illegal loansharks.

They just paid couple of $k and they can start their business. The only thing i can think of that benefits the government and people of Singapore is they will be paying taxes and reduce the vandalism act and hostile threat to the borrow who default on their payment.

However on the other hand, I witness people who visited their firm which is usually a small office do simple have the look of losers. Apology for me saying that but it certain given me such an impression. Perhaps i do have sympathy on them which they are likely to have no way out.

My conclusion is unless it is matter of life and death, these moneylender should be your LAST solution to all your financial problem or else you are plunging deeper.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

No admin fee? Here is the catch.

No admin fee?

Yes there won't be an admin fee if only your loan is not approved.

If your loan is approved, there will be an admin fee charge + loan approved fee which total is 5% of your approved loan.

For 1k loan, it will be $50.
As mention in earlier blog, it used to be 2% loan approve fee + $30 admin fee.
it work out to be the same or more.

For 2k loan, it will be $100. This is $30 more as compared to last time you pay $30 for admin and 2% which is $40. Toal was $70.

Hmmmmmm........... Nice marketing gimmick.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Getting Tough on HDB Resale Exploiters

Hahaha! finally. I guess more of these advertisement will start to disappear from the Newpaper.

As brought up by 1 commenter, Mypaper report on 28 April 2010 that MND is keeping a close watch on these legal loanshark exploiting this as a means of money lending. thank mypaper.sg for publishing such a important news.

Good Luck to these Legal Loansharks!


Saturday, April 24, 2010

More Site Visits....

Seeing so many legal loansharks appearing and competing for advertisement on the newpaper, I decide to drop by a couple to check.

True enough, they waive the admin fee of $30 but i gather some interesting details.

As I browse through the paper, I saw an ad that is eye catching. 2x month income and flexible repayment.
So I dropped by to a moneylender based at Lavender MRT at French Road, it does give me the ah beng loanshark feeling. There were many mid age ah beng looking guy inside and I ask for 1K loan. They offer only weekly and bi weekly loan. They charge up to 5% for loan approval fee and 5.71% weeekly and 15% of the principal sum for late payment. So...... I decline the deal.

However I manage to catch hold of another interesting information from a borrower. Earlier 1 mentioned a lender at peninsula plaza, the place where the staff look more white collar and professional. You won't feel intimidated inside. He revealed he took a loan of 1k with a repayment of weekly interest 3.33% sound good?

Here the catch, Although there is no admin fee, he have to forfeit 5% for the loan approval fee which is $50 and $200 as first repayment. In the end he get only $750. The funny thing is the 1st repayment is on the day itself and the actual repayment start just the next week. He was issued a repayment tracking card to track his repayment and the person to liase with. He was told to make his repayment by 6pm on the repayment date and call the liasing person once he did a bank transfer. If he can't make it by 6pm, he just need to inform the person by sms or call. He even got photographed on a webcam. LOL! Impressive by the professionalism using technology.

Stay tuned for more Field Report..

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

No Admin Fee but more licenced moneylender poping up

Since the last time i blog, you see more and more of these moneylenders advertising nowadays and operating closer our heartland. In addition With Competition toughen up, have waived the $30 admin to stay competitive. They got no choice, No borrower = no profit

This saga remind me of Bubble tea craze burst... Lol

Or Maybe it time for them to realise it is also time to lower the interest to stay in competition.


Perhaps I should goes to Review this Article:

THE NEWPAPER ( 5 April 2010 , Monday )
Mr Mohamad, who is married with no children, said he initially needed $5,000 for bills and groceries but then became "greedy" and borrowed more.But that $17,000 "loan" ballooned when hidden costs and interest were added.When his flat was sold a few months later, he should have got more than $50,000, but got less than $8,000.Other home owners who have taken such loans said they too were hit after they sold their flats.Here's how it works - a homeowner approaches the licensed moneylenders who advertise their business openly.The HDB homeowner is given a loan upfront with the promise that the flat will be sold at a hefty profit.In high-risk cases, the licensed moneylenders get the homeowner to sign documents that allow them to lodge a caveat on the flat.The loan sounds attractive. The advertised interest may be just 1 per cent per month.But the actual repayment will be much higher, said problem consultancy firm Bilal Consultants.

Sound Very familiar? Everyday you see on the advertisement stating 1% interest loan for HBD seller... This is a secure loan but looking at it... Well I shall touch more on this next time. :p

Saturday, January 16, 2010

On Site Visit to Private Money Lenders

During my free time, I called and walked in to Various Licensed Moneylenders that advertised in the Newpaper.

This is what i found currently:

I visited the a moneylender office at Grandlink Square: I was entertained by a "Ah Beng" type of finance officer.
I was asking for 5k loan as I earn > 2500k per month.
I had to pay $30 for admin fee. After 8 hours (It advertised 3hour approval), I was Offered just $500 with 5.88% weekly interest! Ridiculous! Low budget company?

Next I went to Kitchener Road since I saw many advertisements claiming no application free and interest from 1.5%. I called up to enquired. The staff honestly told me they usually charge 15% monthly. I visited the place and it was manned by few "normal" looking people. No application free. so I asked for 5k loan again.
Finally i received a call 2 days later and told my loan was approved but only 1k can be loan to me at 5.88% weekly! Not what they claimed within 24hr and 5.88% interest is 4x5.88% monthly. Loan Shark!

I saw an ad at Joo Chiat Road... hmmm I think I should skip this. Joo Chiat Road to me is just like a mini Geylang. (where you can prostitution and contraband cigarettes sales and backlane gambling stall) Lol!

Hey Upper Serangoon Shopping Center do have 3 advertisements.
Started at 2nd level since it claimed it offers up to 100k loan and rate at 18% p.a
Walk in and saw 1 "Ah Beng" and a smart dress guy. Asked for 5k loan and paid $30 for admin fee. Got a call and told me the interest maybe too high for me at 15% monthly. They advise me to take GE money. There goes my $30. Strange? why people go to them if they can take GE money? Why they ask people to go GE money instead and they should tell me before i paid $30. Hmmm... felt cheated.

Went up to 3rd Level.
Saw a girl who i think is the clerk. She seems just doing her job to issuing receipt for application fee. A slight plump guy was answering to all my enquery, $30 admin fee required. Ask for 5k and called me up after 1 day to check for more information and then 3 day later told me my loan is approved but only 1k and interest rate is 18%. min 6mth which means 900 interest for 1k loan. !!!!!!

Went up to 4th level.
Saw a malay girl clerk. While applying for the loan, I wanted to ask for info but she told me her boss is not in. Thus i skipped this place. just to save my 30 buck. Haha!


Next Day, I decide to go Penisula Plaza since they offer no application fee. Too much $30 buck was lost. So go for a free type. saw 2 girl clerks. I fill up the application form and a mini questionaire which roughly determine my chance for getting a loan. So I asked for 5k loan and was told they usually offer 1k loan for trial borrower. I ask how much is the interest and she told me depends... DEPEND? I thank her and left.. just like that. Haha!

I saw another advertisement. No address was stated. I called and it was answer by an "Ah Beng Voice. I ask about the loan and interest rate and he told me to go down to his office to discuss. I ask where is he located. It was at golden mile 3rd level. Well... Golden mile do not seem a good place to get loan.

Thats all i have done... Will go for more site visit so stay tuned. Spent $90 so far. Hope you guy out there can link people to this blog and not let my $$ go wasted. :D

21 Jan 2010.
On Monday, I visit the private licensed moneylender at Jurong East.
As advertised, it offers the lowest interest. When i call and ask, a guy told me they won't reveal the interest rate over the phone. So i went down and I spoke to the guy about the interest rate. They offer 12% per month for 3 month repayment and 15% per month for 6 mth repayment. I choose the 6 month. Till today I yet to received any reply from them. Budget low? I also found out they do HDB loan stuff and CPF rebate stuff. Good thing about them is... No admin fee charged. So no loss on this place. :D

My thought is.. what happened to the 1.5% interest per month gone?

Sunday, January 3, 2010

International Personal Loan Scam!!!

You are desperate for a loan.

Your friends and family cannot help or do not want to help... Well... people are selfish or you are untrustworthy.

You search the net for help and found many people posting in the classified claiming to provide big loan with low interest.

STOP!

Think Again. On what ground are they going to trust you will return the money.

If you contact them... first they will find means and ways to make you wire some money over as "processing fee" Once you do so, they may ask for any amount... until you are broke or smart. You won't hear from them again.


Next. we go to 1% interest loan advertisement. Miss Tan? Sound familiar.
Not really a scam but you won't get big loan. Simply getting you to invest your CPF money. In return they give you some $.

My thought is they have link to insurance agents. As far as i know agent are give 3% commission for the investment you make with your CPF.

It mean when you invest $10K, the agent make $300. Usually you will be offered $150 per $10k and after 3mth you can "renew this again. This will eat into you CPF and everytime you start such an investment you will lost some $ as processing fee and commission. Worst they will invest your CPF in HIGH RISK stuff. If you have $50k in your CPF. is it worth to lost a few 10k for $750?