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Affordable credit

Illegal Money Lending

An illegal lender or loan shark might seem friendly at first, but:

  • You might be pressured into borrowing more money to repay one loan with another and end up in a spiral of debt that you can never repay.
  • You or your family might be harassed or threatened if you get behind with your repayments.
  • You will pay far more in interest than you would through any legal borrowing.
  • Help is available from the Trading Standards Scotland Stop Illegal Lending campaign.

You are not in trouble if you have borrowed cash or have been paying back a loan from an illegal money lender – they are the one committing a crime, not you.

Take the first step to getting your life back and managing your money and debts by calling a confidential loan shark helpline on 0300 555 2222

The helpline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for anyone who has any concerns or questions about illegal money lending or loan sharks. We can provide immediate support with urgent issues and longer term support to help you move away from using loan sharks.

What Is an Illegal Money Lender?

Page last updated:
17 Jun 2024

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