Debt collectors visited 40 households in S'pore during Chinese New Year

Some consider it unlucky.

Mandy How | February 19, 2018, 06:17 PM

A debt collection company visited around 40 households over the Chinese New Year holiday to carry out their duty, and even put up Facebook pictures of their undertaking, Shin Min Daily News (SMDN) reports.

Source: Unity81 Debt Recovery's Facebook

Source: Unity81 Debt Recovery's Facebook

"Golden three days" for debt collection

The company, named Unity81 Debt Recovery, is co-owned by Getai singer Chen Xiao Xin, who also goes by the stage name "Little Cherry Blossom".

According to Chen, debtors are usually not around when the collectors come knocking.

Source: Unity81 Debt Recovery's Facebook

Source: Unity81 Debt Recovery's Facebook

However, the three days from Chinese New Year eve to the second day of the lunar new year (Feb. 15 — 17) are considered the "golden three days", as chances of locating the debtors are higher.

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Chen adds that although they still met with a number of closed doors, chances of it occurring are lower than usual.

Source: Unity81 Debt Recovery's Facebook

Chen's business partner Zhuo Wei Zhong reveals that the company has taken up over 200 cases since its inception in August 2017.

Debtors called police

Nonetheless, some of the debtors denied involvement, claiming it was their brothers who took the loan. Even the police were called in to intervene:

Source: Unity81 Debt Recovery's Facebook

Source: Unity81 Debt Recovery's Facebook

Source: Unity81 Debt Recovery's Facebook

Zhuo explained that the collectors possessed the necessary documents as evidence, and will request for family members to inform the debtor even if he/she is not at home.

Although the company only officially resumes work on Feb. 19, those working from Feb. 15 —17 came back just to help out.

Bad omen

Members of the public interviewed by SMDN expressed that they consider it unlucky for a debt collector to show up during the new year.

Chen, a 47-year-old taxi driver, said that some will make it a point to clear their debts before the lunar new year, as carried-over debts are considered inauspicious.

Another 28-year-old clerk known as Lin expressed the same sentiment, saying that she would be worried about being unlucky for the rest of the year if creditors showed up at her doorstep during the new year.

Zhuo concurs, saying that there are people who paid up of their own accord before Chinese New Year.

Top image from Unity81 Debt Recovery's Facebook page.

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