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Have you been bitten by a Loan Shark?

Cartoon drawing of a loan shark

  • Have you or anyone you know been approached by someone offering you a loan?
  • Have you been offered a loan without a credit check?
  • Are you paying lots of interest on the loan?
  • Are you unsure how much you owe or how many more payments you have to make?
  • Have you or your family been threatened as a result of not making repayments, including threats of violence or damage to property?

Cover of Have you been bitten by a loan shark? leaflet

Help is available!

Download the Public Protection Project Teams 'Have you been bitten by a loan shark?' information leaflet [PDF 2.6MB] pdf logo

The Public Protection Project Team, a locally based team, employed by the government to tackle loan sharks are here to help.

What the Public Protection Project Team can do to help

They can:

  • Offer advice and support
  • Refer you to legitimate credit agencies including credit unions, which are funded especially to help people like you
  • Investigate complaints
  • Prosecute people involved in loan sharking.

How you can help the team

You can help them to:

  • Reduce illegal money lending
  • Discourage potential loan sharks
  • Increase awareness
  • Encourage other victims to come forward.

Don't let loan sharks take a bite out of your life.Cartoon drawing of a loan shark

Contact us

If you or anyone you know has been affected, please call the Public Protection Project 24 hour, 7 days a week confidential hotline:

Hotline number: 0300 555 2222

  • Your call is confidential
  • We can call you back if you need us to

or you can email them at: reportaloanshark@stoploansharks.gov.uk

You can also text 'loan shark' and your message to 60003

Did you know?

  • A loan shark is an unlicenced money lender. This means you may not have to pay back the loan
  • A loan shark, if prosecuted, can be sent to prison.

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