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STOLEN LIVES

In every corner of the world, borrowing money is a fundamental part of life. We take out loans to start businesses, buy homes, or even just to get by. While banks are the go-to lenders for many, riskier options exist on the margins—payday loans, private lenders, and quick-cash schemes. These alternatives promise fast money but often come with hidden costs that can spiral into a cycle of debt and despair.…

Quick Trap

Behind the flashy promises of quick cash lies a troubling reality: the financial stranglehold of so-called “money shops” on the population, a system not only unsupervised but actively enabled by the state. With shockingly high costs legally sanctioned and minimal oversight in place, these companies operate in a regulatory gray zone rife with opportunities for manipulation and exploitation. How did this unchecked financial tyranny become the norm—and who is paying…

Innocent Debtors

With stolen identities and forged ID cards from Kosovo and Albania, perpetrators siphoned money from quick-loan companies in the country. Innocent citizens—among them mentally disabled individuals and displaced persons—were left to face the consequences of a crime they didn’t commit.   Reported by: Aleksandra Denkovska Gocevska   Marija Kostovska is a 44-year-old woman from Skopje who works in a well-known wholesale drugstore, or beauty shop. When her working day is over,…