Phone Call from a Loan shark

I just got a call from a company asking for my previous helper. I said she didnt work with me any more and then they asked if I could send them her termination letter. I said on what basis would i do that, and who are they. They said they were a money lending company who had lent her HK$20K last july, and they needed a letter from me stating she no longer worked her in order to stop calling me.


They said they'd send me a letter asking for this evidence.


My question is: should I give them a letter confirming her termination? What if they forge my signature on a guarantee letter or some such thing? Obviously then cannot get the money from me, and she has already left. But I guess they can keep harrassing me. Is there anything I can do if they keep harasssing me, any service I can go to?


Another thing is, I keep getting crank phone calls on my landline, with somebody just listening on the other line and not hanging up. These could be the same people. Is there any way calls can be traced on a land line?


Thanks much for any advice.

hi, I dont think they have a right to demand anything of you - no letters, totally agree. I think the easiest way out in this situation is to change the phone number I am afriad. Dont send termination letter, they have no right to call you.

About the silent calls- Do you have the service where you can see the caller ID? then you can see it. If it's private number then there is a service where they block ALL private numbers but that will block also people you do want to talk. If none of these options relevant then maybe you can go to the police and tell them about this harrasment.

About the money lending company, I don't think you should give them anything. You told them over the phone and that should suffice. If they still call I can tell you what I will do, I just ask the person very calmly and a bit cheerful for his FULL name, company name, address, phone numbers... as much info as possible, when they ask "why you need this?" just reply you need as much info as possible so you could give it to the police to deal with.

You can also change your phone number.

Agreed that you owe them nothing. You will probably get a few calls though.


omaharrison has the correct tactic. Most of these companies are not happy being on the defensive and will probably stop bothering you if you keep asking THEM questions.

I had a similar situation a few months ago. We moved into a new apartment and the maid of the old tenants who moved out had an outstanding loan. We started to get hand delivered letters 2 or 3 times a week with 'Final Demand' printed all over it. The old tenants had left HK and took their helper with them so we forward the letters on. One of the letters had no name on it, just our address, so I opened it and discovered it was a demand for quite a large sum of money. There was a contact name/number which I called and explained the situation to them, but they didn't believe me and started to send someone to my home. I refused to let them in on a couple of occasions saying it was nothing to do with me ... however, on the final occasion one of my neighbours must have left the security gate downstairs open and they knocked on my door. The guy couldn't speak english but handed me a letter and his mobile phone to speak to his boss on the other end ... he was very very abusive. It was actually quite scary and I felt very intimidated ... then anger got the better of me!! I became very abusive to him and told him in no uncertain terms that if they ever bothered me again I'd have no hesitation in calling the police. My husband also the called their office again and left them with no misunderstanding about what would happen if we ever heard from them again. Thankfully, that was a few months ago and I think they finally got the message. Stand your ground ... they have no right to demand anything from you.

I had the same problem. I did fax them the termination letter. It's true you don't "legally" owe them anything, but to save yourself a lot of hassles, and harrassment, and midnight phone calls, and threatening phone calls, and letters, and at some point, they had actual people coming up to our apartment looking for her.


I faxed them the termination letter, and they really left us alone afterwards.

They do need the letter to pass the file to other " collectors" for these bad debts.


Termination letter don't have to have YOUR signature on it. I had the letter that was signed by the DH faxed to them. Technically, they want the name, signature, and HKID or passport number of your previous helper, not YOUR signature.

If you don't do something, they will not stop.


We have had a similar situation with a maid whose contract was terminated in March 2007. One company was at least honest enough to tell me who they were. I sent them a copy of the letter we received from the Immigration Department confirming receipt of our letter of termination. I blacked out our name but not the address as I was certain if she had given them our phone number she had also given them our address.


It's the company who found out our current maid's name and continue to constantly call her asking where the previous maid is (even though they never met and do not know each other). The reading is "private number" and they lie about who they are (a friend, a sister, a cousin) so we don't know how to get rid of them.


If it gets too bad, fill out a nuisance call report for the police: https://secure1.info.gov.hk/police/epol-forms/ComplaintTelephoneNuisance.htm

Then the police will be a bit of a nuisance, but the calls may lessen...

Everyone has their choices. However, I think giving them a termination letter or any evidence that this person really doesn't work at your address isn't too much to ask for.


The annoying phone calls, and letters were getting to be very interrupting and disturbing. There was also this phone company called Owtel, that kept calling us by automated system, it keeps calling and says there is an overdue account with $XXX amount.... everyday , twice. Alot of "private number" calls all day and night, ....


Is it really worth the stubborness, it's your choice.

Thanks so much for your responses! I think I will send them the confirmation letter from immigration, blacking out my name. Her termination letter is confidential and lists amounts given to her that she signed for, that might make them pursue her all the more.


I am so mad. grrrrrrrr


Thanks again!