SHAH ALAM - Individuals who forge documents belonging to others, including their former wives, for the purpose of bank loan fraud can be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison and fined if convicted.
Lawyer Ng Xin Ru said such actions fall under Sections 467 and 471 of the Penal Code, which cover forgery of valuable documents and the use of forged documents as genuine.
"Any individual who suspects that their former spouse may have forged documents submitted to a bank or licensed moneylender should act immediately.
"One of the first steps is to obtain all documents that were submitted to the bank or moneylender.
"If it is found that the documents have been forged, a police report should be lodged immediately,” he told Sinar.
On steps that should be taken to protect oneself after divorce, Ng advised former wives never to sign blank cheques or any documents without reading and verifying them carefully.
He also said individuals should avoid handing over important documents such as identity card copies or bank details to any party.
Meanwhile, another lawyer, KK Baraneetharan said the most important evidence for victims to prove their innocence is their bank statements.
"The statements can show that no loan money was credited into the victim’s account and will also reflect any transactions made by an ex-husband without consent," he said.
He added that phone call records with individuals claiming to be debt collectors should also be submitted to the police to assist in investigations.