70-year-old employer helps to pay off maid's debts not once, not twice, but three times

A maid was discovered to have been borrowing money from multiple sources on separate occasions — all of which her elderly employer helped to pay off.

Ms Shen, 70, told Shin Min Daily News that she hired the maid around six years ago to take care of her father.

She said her maid has always been on good terms with her neighbour's maid. Hence, she was shocked when the other party demanded that her maid pay back $1,900 earlier in March this year.

Ms Shen helped to pay $1,450, but the knowledge that her maid has been borrowing money from external sources left her uneasy.

Soon after, Ms Shen started receiving strange calls, including those requesting her to sign for a package from Indonesia and asking if she was the maid's employer. Delivery workers also showed up with packages for the maid to sign.

"I told them no one at home was waiting for any package and even said I would call the police, but they did not leave," recounted Ms Shen.

After a string of weird occurrences, Ms Shen asked her maid if she had borrowed from loan sharks and the latter finally confessed to doing so.

Ms Shen added: "She said she had handed over her work permit to the loan shark and borrowed about $500. She even gave out my phone number and used me as her guarantor."

However, the loan shark harassment did not stop even after Ms Shen helped her maid to repay the debt. Left with no choice, she brought her maid to lodge a police report.

"The matter did not subside even after I informed the police and I continued to receive threatening text messages," said Ms Shen, who regards the maid as family.

When asked why she did not fire the maid, Ms Shen explained that she needed help with taking care of her elderly father, adding: "She has been with me for six years and I am reluctant to let her go, but I have grown wary."

Although Ms Shen thought about sending the maid back to Indonesia, she is worried that the maid will borrow money from loan sharks again after returning home.

She then revealed: "Actually, she previously borrowed from loan sharks in Indonesia to come and work in Singapore, and I helped her to pay off that debt too."