Debt collector

MRS Wong's ideas about banks have changed recently.

Her first encounter with debt collectors agents made her realise business is business and banks have no mercy for their debtors.

Now that the loan has been settled, she still looks back at the experience with fear and anger. ''It is extremely unfair to allow such activities in our society,'' she said.

The nightmare began last August, when her husband took out a $6,000 overdraft for a business trip to China.

He forgot about the loan until he received a letter from the bank. He deposited $2,000 before setting off for another China trip without realising that he was leaving his family open to threats and harassment.

When they were about to settle the rest of the loan, Mrs Wong received a phone call. ''The guy shouted at me as soon as I picked up the phone, he asked for my husband and he was so rude,'' she said.

The same man called later and swore at her for 30 minutes, warning things would get out of control for the whole family.

''I was so frightened and shocked. I knew that my husband had settled part of the loan already and I couldn't figure out why they sounded so fierce.'' The nightmare did not end there.

The phone rang in the middle of the night, early in the morning and the caller shouted at anyone who picked up the phone, including their 15-year-old daughter.

''I don't understand why we had to suffer all this trouble. The bank is suppose to provide service and we were following the rules except that the first payment was delayed,'' she said.