I’ve noticed more than a few posts here regarding this debt collecting company called Panthera Finance, a company which makes its living preying on vulnerable people who have fallen into hard times. I was unlucky enough to have to deal with them recently and although the matter is now resolved I feel this information may help some of you guys who are unlucky enough to have to be in the same situation as me at some point in your lives.

From what i’ve been able to find out, Panthera Finance / State Merchantile are companies that operate from Brisbane and are owned by two holding corporations called HMB INVESTMENTS PTY LTD and HJK INVESTMENTS PTY LTD. State Merchantile are the acquisition branch which buys the debts and Panthera Finance run the call centre which harasses you.

The company has taken great pains to hide the following information from the public:

Registered place of business:
Level 4, 54 Jephson Street, Toowong, QLD, 4066
(This is a small office with a couple of staff used only for administrative purposes)

Call centre where the staff making the harassing phone calls work:
555 Coronation Drive, Toowong, QLD, 4066, bottom level of the building on the right directly as you walk in, “State Merchantile” on the sign.
(The head compliance officer and director of the company Mathew David Huges works here)

Another registered address of the company not used as the call center:
Merrotts Level 6, 241 Adelaide Street, Brisbane

Owners/Directors of Panthera Finance and State Merchantile are two twins from Wollongong who now live in Brisbane:

Mathew David Hough, 34 years old
Jamie Grant Hough, 34 years old

Mathews daughter who works in a management position for the company is named Bree or Corina (Not sure which) and Jamies wife is named Karen which I guess explains the choices of HMB and HJK for the holding companies.

The entire operation seems to be a family affair from the Hough clan who are making their money off the backs of those of us who fall into debt. Over the last 4-5 years they have managed to take millions of dollars from the less fortunate, often including the elderly and in some cases (looking through some posts on Whirlpool) even the family members of people who have died. Both Jamie and Mathew live in houses worth over $2mil and the company itself has an average of $1.86mil in Annual revenue.

If you are being harassed by them and live in Brisbane I suggest turning up to their office and dealing with the situation face-to-face. This a much more effective way to resolve your issues with them than through the telephone which is where they are in their element and most able to exert pressure on you.

I also have the home addresses of both Mathew and Jamie, their exact dates of births as well as the names and addresses of most of the people who currently work in their call centre. I haven’t posted this stuff because I don’t want to inadvertently break the law so if anyone can prove to me that I won’t be doing anything illegal by publishing it I will.

Don’t let these scumbags take advantage of you!

Caller: ‭0422 077 393‬

Calls at ridiculous times 4 5 6 AM in the morning
Not happy

Keeps calling even though my debt is on a NO call list with the national debt line

Biggest scammers, chasing me for some debt I don't even owe them. Be wary people, they use scare tactics to make people pay. If 1 out of 10 pay, that's a big win for them.

some finance scam

Bordering on harrassment

Panthera Finance

I called back number 0422 077 393 spoke to a woman who said company name is Panthera Finance.

Panthera finance