KUALA LUMPUR: It is common for loan sharks to use red paint, SMS, verbal abuse and vulgar graffiti to threaten their borrowers but some are leaving hell money and joss sticks to scare their victims.

Businesswoman Kan Yoke Cheng, 41, had a shock when she found funeral prayer items outside her house and hardware shop in Cheras.

The prayer items - joss sticks and hell money - are meant to signify death.

Kan said it was only later that a loan shark went to her shop and demanded RM20,000 allegedly owed by her estranged husband.

'I had no clue he borrowed from loan sharks,' she said yesterday at a news conference organised by MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Michael Chong.

'I don't even know the exact amount owed because we have been separated for a while now and are in the middle of divorce proceedings,' she said.

'I just want to be left out of this mess,' the teary-eyed mother of five said.

'I begged them not to disturb my workplace because I need to make a living to support my children aged between 10 and 18,' she said.

Kan has lodged three police reports against the loan shark with the Cheras police.

Chong said he suspected Kan's estranged husband had purposely given her address and details to the loan shark to punish her for their bitter break-up.

'I have never seen this kind of act (leaving joss sticks and hell money),' he said.

'By doing that, the loan shark is indicating death to the entire family,' he added.

In another case, housewife Boo Lai Har, 35, has had 40 loan sharks visiting her house since early April. She finally lost her cool when she found diesel splashed all over her house on April 13.

'I was terrified and feared for my son's life because this has never happened before,' she said, adding that she knew her husband had borrowed money from loan sharks about four years ago for his business.

Boo said she has had enough and wants nothing but to disown her husband who has since run away.

Chong said he would do his best to help the families and pledged to publish photos of the borrowers.

'I have no pity for these culprits. If the loan sharks continue to harass the family members, I will ask the higher authorities to take action.'