Many residents in Ho Chi Minh City are literally losing sleep as mafia-like debt collectors are using all types of methods, including dirty practices, to force them to pay up.

Debt collection has become quite common across the southern metropolis, with agencies acting as agents of creditors and collecting debts for a fee or percentage of the total amount owed.

In order to get the job done, these collectors are willing to apply as many measures as they can think of.

Q., a resident in Go Vap District, is a rather unfortunate victim as he has had to suffer the consequences left by his sister-in-law over the past four months.

“She borrowed money from a group of people and later vanished along with her family,” Q. stated.

The debt collectors have been splashing paint over and throwing rocks at Q.’s house, causing the glasses of the windows and doors to crack.

“My mother was previously hospitalized after suffering hypertension due to stress and fear of being attacked by the collectors,” Q. recalled.

He has decided to report the case to local police, along with CCTV footage, to seek help.

A bag of paint the debt collectors left in front of the house. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Another victim, 85-year-old Nguyen Thi Kheo, who resides in District 8, has also been living in terror due to the debt of her daughter-in-law.

As the debtor already ran away, along with her husband and children, collectors decided to go after Kheo.

One day, up to 20 men gathered in front of her home to pressure the elderly woman. They only left when law enforcement officers arrived at the place.

Kheo said she has been unable to eat and sleep, which negatively impacted her health.

Nguyen Thi Kheo tells her story to reporters. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Meanwhile, L., who lives in a rented house in District 2, recalled one time when debt collectors locked her house from the outside to pressure her family.

It took two hours to cut open the lock, L. stated.

A group of eight to ten men then arrived at the house the following days to resume their debt collection.

After being blocked by competent authorities, they began terrorizing the victims via phone calls, overwhelming her with threats.

The municipal People's Committee recently called on the Ministry of Finance to advise the government to add debt collection to the list of prohibited businesses, as it is being transformed into mafia-like activities by some agencies.

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