The number of illegal high-interest loans extended to owners of small companies in the first half of this year rose by 33 cases over a year ago to 116, apparently reflecting the economic slump, the National Police Agency said Thursday.
The NPA said in a report there were five cases in which introduction fees were fraudulently taken from customers who applied for loans and were told they would be introduced to a financial company, up from one case in the same period last year.
Illegal disposal of household electric appliances also rose after the debut of a new recycling law April 1, with 11 cases reported in April, 28 cases in May and 16 cases in June. All of the violators in these cases were punished, the report says.