11 WAYS TO AVOID BEING A VICTIM OF IDENTITY THEFT AND FRAUD

1 Don’t carry unnecessary personal information in your wallet or purse. If you misplace it or it gets stolen, your information can easily land up in the wrong hands.

Go through your purse regularly and remove anything that may give away information that can be used to gain access to your accounts.

2 Don’t disclose personal information. If you receive an email, an SMS or a telephone call requesting a PIN number or password, it is a scam. Your bank will never ask you to confirm your PINs or passwords, verbally or via SMS or email.

3 Don’t write down your PINs or passwords. Also, when choosing one, avoid easy-to-guess PINs and passwords such as birthdates and first names, and be sure to change them regularly.

4 When getting rid of your personal documents, burn or shred them. Don’t just tear them up and throw them out with the rest of the garbage where they can easily be found.

5 If you receive an OTP on your phone without having made an online transaction, it was likely prompted by a fraudster using your information. Don’t provide the OTP telephonically to anybody – contact your bank immediately to alert them to the possibility that your information may have been compromised.

6 Avoid internet cafes or nonsecure terminals to do your banking, such as those in hotels, conference centres, airports, etc… If you share a network, there’s a possibility that your information can be intercepted.

7 Should your ID or driver’s licence be lost or stolen, report it to SAPS immediately. Don’t think of it as a trivial matter that the police don’t have time for. Reporting it to them straight away will also provide evidence, should you become a victim of fraud.

8 Use a separate email address for online sites not linked to your personal or business email account.

9 Make sure that your PC or mobile device is updated with the latest iOS updates and antivirus/ malware software. Remove all your personal information from old PCs and mobiles.

10 Register for SMS notifications so that you are notified of any transaction on your bank account. That way, as soon as you see a suspicious SMS, you can contact your bank immediately.

11 Type the URL for your bank in the internet browser if you need to access your bank’s webpage, and never click on a link given to you through an email or SMS. The link could take you to a site that looks convincingly like your bank’s homepage – but is actually completely fake.