A 15-year-old boy found himself drowning in debt after borrowing money from loan sharks to pay for a meal.

The teenager wanted to satisfy his girlfriend’s craving for Siakap 3 Rasa (barramundi cooked in spicy, sweet, and sour sauce) but didn’t want her to know he couldn’t afford it. To hide his financial struggles, he borrowed RM500 from a loan shark after seeing an advertisement on TikTok.

Unfortunately, this was just the start of his troubles. According to Fariz Izhar Adrus, manager of the Darul Muttaqim (DM) Fardu Ain and Al-Quran Studies Centre, the boy ended up borrowing from 11 additional loan sharks when he couldn’t pay the interest on the first loan. His total debt snowballed to a staggering RM13,000, as reported by Utusan Malaysia and Kosmo.

Fariz revealed that the boy approached him for help and that his parents have been informed of the situation. However, the teenager is no longer living with his parents and is staying with his uncle instead.

“He has dropped out of school, possibly due to embarrassment over borrowing money from his parents,” Fariz said.

The case is one of over 3,700 reported to the centre in the past three years, involving individuals aged 15 to 60 who have fallen victim to loan sharks. The centre reportedly receives about 50 cases daily related to such financial troubles.

This alarming incident highlights the dangers of borrowing irresponsibly and serves as a harsh lesson on the importance of living within one’s means, especially for young individuals.