Borrower Safety
Scam Alert
Unlicensed lending is a criminal offence in Singapore, and unlicensed operators often impersonate real, licensed companies, including ours. These are the checks that take a minute and can save you a great deal.
The single fastest check
Licensed moneylenders may advertise through only three channels, set by the Registrar of Moneylenders:
- 1.Business or consumer directories, in print or online
- 2.The moneylender's own website
- 3.Advertisements at or on the moneylender's business premises
Every other channel is prohibited. An SMS, WhatsApp message, Telegram message, social media DM, email or flyer offering you a loan did not come from a compliant licensed moneylender, regardless of whose name is on it.
Warning signs, even from someone claiming to be licensed
They ask for your Singpass ID or password
No legitimate lender needs your Singpass credentials. Handing them over can expose every government and banking service tied to your identity.
They want to keep your NRIC or passport
Retaining your original identity documents, work permit or ATM card is not permitted. A lender may verify and return them, never hold them.
They approve without documents, or entirely over the phone
A loan approved by call, SMS or email before any application form or income documents have been received is a sign that no real assessment took place.
They disburse without meeting you
Face-to-face verification at the lender's approved place of business is required before any money changes hands. An instant transfer with no meeting is a serious red flag.
They ask you to sign a blank or incomplete contract
You are entitled to a completed Note of Contract, explained in a language you understand, and a copy to keep.
They hold back part of your principal
Beyond the one-time administrative fee, no part of your loan may be withheld for any reason.
They quote more than the regulated interest cap
The cap applies to every licensed lender, secured or unsecured, whatever your income. Anything above it is unlawful.
They threaten, abuse or harass
Threatening words or behaviour, vandalism and violence are criminal regardless of any debt owed. Report it to the Police.
Licensed or not: the differences that matter
| What happens | Licensed moneylender | Unlicensed lender |
|---|---|---|
| First contact | You approach them, or find them through a permitted channel | They message you unsolicited by SMS, WhatsApp or social media |
| Fees | The administrative fee is deducted once at disbursement, after approval | A fee is demanded upfront, before you receive anything |
| Identity check | Face to face at the approved place of business, as the law requires | Entirely online, or they offer to skip it |
| Your documents | Seen, recorded and returned to you | They keep your NRIC, passport or ATM card |
| Singpass | Never asked for your password, under any circumstances | Asks for your Singpass ID and password to "help" with the application |
| The contract | Explained in a language you understand; you keep a signed copy | Blank, incomplete, rushed, or never provided at all |
| If you fall behind | Contact through lawful channels, with charges capped by regulation | Harassment and threats against you, your family or your employer |
Singpass: the safe use and the dangerous one
Singpass appears in two very different conversations about borrowing. In the legitimate one, a service supports Myinfo: you are taken to an official Singpass page, you log in with the government directly, and you approve exactly which pieces of your information are shared. The business never sees your password.
In the dangerous one, somebody asks you to hand over your Singpass ID and password so they can apply on your behalf, check your eligibility or speed things along. There is no legitimate version of that request. Anyone holding those credentials can reach your government records, your CPF and your tax information, and can take out loans in your name.
The rule that survives every variation: you log in to Singpass, on Singpass. Nobody logs in for you, and no lender needs your password to lend you money. Our own Myinfo-linked application runs at one address only, onlineapplication.abmcreditz.com.sg, and you can always reach it from the Apply page on this site. Any other site running a Singpass application in our name is not us.
If you have already shared something
Act in this order, and do not wait to be certain you were scammed. Acting early costs nothing if you were mistaken.
- Change your Singpass password immediately Do it from the official Singpass app or singpass.gov.sg, never from a link someone sent you. Review any linked services while you are there.
- Contact your bank If you have shared banking details or transferred money, call your bank directly using the number on your card, and ask them to secure the account.
- Report it to the police Unlicensed moneylending and harassment are criminal offences. Reports can be filed through the Singapore Police Force e-services, or call the X-Ah Long hotline.
- Keep everything Screenshots, messages, phone numbers, account numbers and transfer records. Do not delete the conversation, however much you want to.
- Do not pay more to fix it A demand for a further fee to release a loan, unlock a transfer or clear your name is the same scam continuing. Paying again does not recover what has gone.
Verify before you borrow
Check any lender's name and licence number against the Ministry of Law's official register. We appear there as Licence No. 46/2026.
Where to report
Unlicensed moneylending
Singapore Police Force, X-Ah Long hotline 1800-924 5664, or report online via I-Witness.
Conduct of a licensed lender
Registry of Moneylenders, 1800-2255-529. Your details are not disclosed to the lender without your consent.
Struggling with repayments?
If debt is becoming difficult to manage, free help exists before the situation worsens. Credit Counselling Singapore and several voluntary welfare organisations assist borrowers in negotiating with licensed moneylenders at no cost. You may also apply for self-exclusion through the Moneylenders Credit Bureau, which prevents licensed lenders from granting you further unsecured loans for one or two years.
Use this page to check whether a message, website or person claiming to represent a lender is genuine. A licensed moneylender will not ask for your Singpass password, retain your original identity documents, or demand a fee before approval and disbursement.
Verify the lender name and licence number against the official Ministry of Law register. Face-to-face identity verification at the approved place of business is required before a loan can be granted.
Not sure whether an offer is genuine?
Call us and ask. We would rather answer a question than see someone lose money.