Shoppers in Bracknell and beyond are being asked to help catch illegal money lenders who advertise using postcards.

People in the area have been asked to 'shop a shark' by reporting suspected illegal money lenders as part of a national crackdown.

Anyone who spots this type of postcard in a shop window or on a community noticeboard is being asked to report it to the England Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT) to investigate.

The request to report has been made by the Public Protection Partnership, which covers Bracknell Forest, Wokingham Borough and West Berkshire.

If the person behind the advert is found to be offering a lending service but is not registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), action will be taken.

The IMLT, also known as Stop Loan Sharks, is a national organisation dedicated to investigating and prosecuting illegal lenders.

Dave Benbow, head of the IMLT, said: “Illegal lenders will often pretend to be a friendly face at first, offering a favour to someone who needs to borrow money, often a small amount, at short notice.

“On the surface, these postcard ads might appear to be someone offering a service to the local community but in reality the person behind the ad may be a vicious predator, targeting the most vulnerable people in that community.”

To report a suspicious ad, you can use the Stop Loan Sharks website. 

The IMLT team can also be contacted by calling the 24/7 confidential hotline 0300 555 2222 or joining the live chat which is available on its website www.stoploansharks.co.uk from Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.