Loan Shark Who Made Berkshire Man's Life a Misery Over Online Loans Sentenced Yesterday - Press Release from Stop Loan Sharks
Customers of illegal lenders (sometimes referred to as “loan sharks”) are often exposed to unscrupulous lending practices: threats, high interest rates and penalty charges.
Illegal money lender Rovin MAVUNGA, aged 24, of Doncaster, paid an ‘Influencer’ to advertise his illicit loans on Snapchat.
Berkshire resident Ahmed* got Rovin Mavunga’s details from Snapchat and when he needed money, contacted him via the platform.
Initially two loans totalling £281 were provided with £547 to repay. Further loans totalled £1,000 with £3,000 repayable. Ahmed got into trouble making repayments and the relationship between the men deteriorated. Early last year the illegal lender posted his location on Snapchat – he was close to Ahmed’s home. This was clearly to intimidate him into believing the lender would physically attend his house to enforce the debt.
Some of the texts that Ahmed received from Mavunga included:
- I hope this is about you sending my ps (sic – payment) because l don’t want to hear any excuses
- You are running out of time!
A man that Mavunga introduced to Ahmed made threats on social media to burn down his house, and told him he owed £7,000 on a £1,000 loan.
*Ahmed’s name has been changed to protect identity.
Mavunga was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court to 16 months imprisonment. The court was told Mavunga would ask for images of the borrower’s identification documents to be sent to him through the social media platform and these would be saved into his phone. On many occasions he also asked for photographs of the borrower’s front door and proof of income such as wage slips or benefit letters. Mavunga charged just under 100% interest and had at least 130 customers.
The case is the first of its kind to be brought by the IMLT after a recent study showed an increase in the number of people meeting illegal money lenders online.
The IMLT’s The Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT), a specialist unit that investigates and prosecutes unregulated lenders can help those targeted by illegal lenders.2020 statistics report showed that one in ten people affected by an illegal lender met the lender via social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Snapchat and Facebook, or through dating websites.
Tony Quigley, Head of the England Illegal Money Lending Team, said: “Mavunga preyed on financially vulnerable victims.
We would urge anyone affected by illegal money lending to get in touch on our 24-hour helpline or contact us via live chat on our website.
“Our advice to residents in need of financial support would be to turn to a credit union rather than a loan shark who could take advantage and charge extortionate interest rates.”
Confidential help and further information for victims of loan sharks is available from the Illegal Money Lending Team, 24 hours a day, seven days a week on the hotline number 0300 555 2222 or at www.stoploansharks.co.uk. Live Chat is available on the website between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
