As we begin our journey in 2022, consumers are urged to remain vigilant and not let their guard down. Fraudsters are still trying to take advantage of the December shopping season which is when they are most active.
A new threat was recently flagged on social media. A woman received a call from an individual posing as a representative from her bank. The bank representative told the potential victim that there was a fraudulent transaction of R10 000 at a Makro in Polokwane. The bank representative then asked if they should block the card. The potential victim said yes.
The bank representative asked the potential victim if she had the card in question with her, the potential victim was then prompted to read out the bank card number to the representative. When the bank representative asked for the CVV number at the back of the card, the potential victim realised that her bank would never ask for this information and hung up.
“This is a classical case of how easy it is to become a victim. This lady was obviously in shock when she received the call and wanted to manage her loss. It is vitally important to remember that your bank will never call you and ask you for information like your bank card number or your CVV number. If you receive this call, contact your bank's fraud department immediately, then contact the SAFPS,” says Manie van Schalkwyk, CEO of the Southern African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS).
Protective registration
One of the most important services, and the core of SAFPS’ service offering, is protective registration. This is a free service protecting individuals against future fraud. Consumers apply for this service and the SAFPS alerts its members to take additional care when dealing with that individual’s details.
Protective registration provides an added layer of protection and peace of mind regardless of whether the identity of the applicant has been compromised.
“If a member of the public wants to become proactive in the fight against fraud, the SAFPS is there to serve them. Visit our website on www.safps.org.za. Click on the fraud prevention tab and protect yourself against identity theft with protective registration. For best results, use your smartphone to go to our website. Once you have uploaded key pieces of information, you will add another layer of protection against potential ID fraud,” says Van Schalkwyk.
Fraud victim registration
Through fraud victim registration, the SAFPS will assist applicants in preventing fraud that is a result of identity theft and impersonation. This will protect applicants from associated financial implications. The SAFPS will issue applicants with a victim of impersonation letter which they can share with future credit providers to assist in any verification processes.
Visit the website
Visit the SAFPS website on www.safps.org.za, and click on protect your identity. It is recommended that a smartphone is used in this process and that you have a copy of your ID with you. Alternatively, you can follow the manual process explained on the website.
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