Loan-sharking is a term used to describe the activity of lending money at high interest rates, often to people with a poor credit history or low income. It is often associated with criminal activity and is illegal in most jurisdictions. Some synonyms for loan-sharking include usury, predatory lending, loan sharking, illegal lending, and extortionate lending. Other related words include loan shark, usurer, loan shark agent, and loan shark debt. These terms all convey the same negative connotation associated with taking advantage of people in need of money and profiting excessively from lending activities, often through intimidating or violent means.