Sam Rowlands, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, is warning his constituents not to get caught out by illegal moneylenders.
He said:
Unfortunately illegal money lending is on the rise and I am happy to support any initiative to help warn people about the dangers of getting involved with these individuals.
These loan sharks prey on vulnerable and desperate people and taking out a loan with them can have serious consequences. There is no doubt we are living in challenging financial times at the moment but going down the route of using an illegal money lender is not the answer.
I fully support Wales Illegal Money Lending Unit’s campaign ‘Stop Loan Sharks Wales’ and raise awareness of how to avoid loan sharks and how to get help and support.
Many local authorities, including Flintshire County Council, are committed to helping residents and offering financial help and advice during these difficult times and warn of the dangers of engaging with these illegal money lenders.
Wales Illegal Money Lending Unit, WIMLU is one of three national teams in Wales, England and Scotland which targets loan sharks, investigates illegal lending and any other related crime and supports victims of loan sharks.
The units are funded by the Financial Conduct Authority and work in partnership with local Trading Standards Authorities.
Illegal money lending is on the increase and is known to have serious consequences and yet, people across Wales are still seeing this as their only option. The impact of the pandemic, combined with the increase in the cost of living, means some people are struggling to make ends meet and are unable to cover everyday expenses such as clothing, paying bills or feeding their family. The temptation of falling into an illegal money lender’s trap will seem like the only option.
People need to be aware of the dangers of illegal money lenders, who they are, where they are and what they can do.
The cost of borrowing from the wrong people could be higher than you think. A victim in a Welsh community borrowed £100 from an illegal money lender, but over 10 years they were forced to pay back £96,000! For safe, confidential advice and support call 0300 123 3311 or visit stoploansharkswales.co.uk.
Sam Rowlands AS yn cefnogi ymgyrch i godi ymwybyddiaeth o fenthycwyr arian didrwydded
Mae Sam Rowlands, Aelod o'r Senedd dros y Gogledd, yn rhybuddio ei etholwyr i beidio cael eu dal allan gan fenthycwyr arian anghyfreithlon.
Meddai:
Yn anffodus, mae benthyca arian anghyfreithlon ar gynnydd a dwi'n falch o gefnogi unrhyw fenter sy'n helpu i rybuddio pobl am beryglon ymwneud â'r unigolion hyn.
Mae'r benthycwyr arian didrwydded hyn yn manteisio ar bobl fregus ac anghenus ac mae cymryd benthyciad gyda nhw yn gallu arwain at ganlyniadau difrifol. Does dim dwywaith ein bod ni'n byw mewn cyfnod ariannol heriol ar hyn o bryd ond nid defnyddio benthycwr arian anghyfreithlon yw'r ateb.
Dwi'n llwyr gefnogi ymgyrch 'Stopio Siarcod Benthyg Arian Cymru' Uned Benthyca Arian Anghyfreithlon Cymru ac yn codi ymwybyddiaeth o sut i'w hosgoi nhw a chael cymorth a chefnogaeth.
Mae llawer o awdurdodau lleol, gan gynnwys Cyngor Sir y Fflint, wedi ymrwymo i helpu trigolion a chynnig cymorth a chyngor ariannol yn ystod y cyfnod anodd hwn ac yn rhybuddio am beryglon ymwneud â'r benthycwyr arian anghyfreithlon hyn.
Mae Uned Benthyca Arian Anghyfreithlon Cymru, WIMLU yn un o dri thîm cenedlaethol yng Nghymru, yr Alban a Lloegr sy'n targedu benthycwyr arian anghyfreithlon, ac mae’n ymchwilio i achosion o fenthyca anghyfreithlon ac unrhyw drosedd gysylltiedig arall ac yn cefnogi dioddefwyr.
Ariennir yr unedau gan yr Awdurdod Ymddygiad Ariannol ac maen nhw'n gweithio mewn partneriaeth ag Awdurdodau Safonau Masnach lleol.
Mae benthyca arian anghyfreithlon ar gynnydd ac mae'r canlyniadau'n ddifrifol, ac eto, mae pobl o Fôn i Fynwy yn dal i weld hyn fel eu hunig opsiwn. Mae effaith y pandemig, ynghyd â'r cynnydd mewn costau byw, yn golygu bod rhai pobl yn ei chael hi'n anodd cael dau ben llinyn ynghyd ac yn methu talu treuliau bob dydd fel dillad, talu biliau neu fwydo eu teulu. Bydd y demtasiwn o syrthio i fagl benthycwr arian anghyfreithlon yn ymddangos fel yr unig opsiwn.
Mae angen i bobl gofio am beryglon benthycwyr arian anghyfreithlon, pwy ydyn nhw, lle maen nhw a beth maen nhw'n gallu ei wneud.
Gallai'r gost o fenthyg gan y bobl anghywir fod yn uwch na’r disgwyl. Fe wnaeth dioddefwr mewn un gymuned yng Nghymru fenthyg £100 gan fenthycwyr arian anghyfreithlon, ond dros 10 mlynedd fe gawson nhw eu gorfodi i ad-dalu £96,000! I gael cyngor a chymorth diogel a chyfrinachol ffoniwch 0300 123 3311 neu ewch i https://stoploansharkswales.co.uk/?lang=cy.
