Cumbria County Council’s Trading Standards is teaming up with the England Illegal Money Lending Team for a ‘Week of Action’, 7-11th September 2015, to encourage Cumbrians to stay away from loan sharks and get saving.
Illegal money lenders bring misery and pain to the people they prey on.
Not only are borrowers subjected to excessive interest rates, erratic fees and aggressive behaviour, but an illegal loan can seriously limit someone's ability to simply get on with daily life.
Often, people who turn to criminal lending are in desperate financial straits and can't get credit anywhere else and only fall deeper into debt.
The focus of this year’s week of action is tackling the rural areas of Cumbria where various activities and initiatives will take place next week, including training sessions for rural police officers so they can give the best advice to the public when tackling illegal money lenders.
Plans are also in place to visit local schools delivering lesson plans and ideas and offering assistance to deliver these activities if required.
The Illegal Money Lending Team (ILMT) in England is offering schools ready-made lessons designed to warn their pupils about the danger.
The educational packs, which include videos, have been funded by confiscated money from convicted loan sharks.
Officers will be attending the Westmorland County Show to hand out leaflets and offer advice to the general public and members of the farming community.
John McCreesh, Cumbria County Council's Cabinet member for Trading Standards, said the full program of events planned for the 'Week of Action' will put illegal loan sharks in the spot light and prevent then from preying on more victims.
"This sends a clear message that illegal money lending will not be tolerated under any circumstances,” he said.