Identity theft

A lot of fraud stems indirectly from identity theft. And many victims only realise their identities have been misused when they apply for credit. Protect yourself with these tips.

Protect your personal details

You may not be aware just how often you give out your personal details on a daily basis. Your full names, address and identity and contact numbers might seem like harmless information, but to a fraudster they're a potential source of illicit revenue.

Fraudsters use various ways of getting your information, including:

• running fake competitions;
• directing you to phishing websites;
• intercepting your mail;
• going through your trash – often finding bank statements, payslips, utility bills, and other documents with personal information;
• lifting your details off social media websites; or
• stealing your wallet, handbag or briefcase.

Fraudsters don't just steal personal identities, they steal business identities too, conning debtors into paying accounts, and buying items from creditors in the business's name. They will even go as far as copying a business's logo and website, stealing company letterheads, rifling through trash, sourcing meeting minutes, and using any other organisational information they can find to perpetuate fraud.

If you realise you have become a victim of identity theft, you must do the following immediately:

• Report your stolen identity to Nedbank immediately;

• Report the theft to the Swazi Police; and

• Notify all your creditors in writing of the theft. 

Tips to prevent identity theft

• Keep confidential information safe. Avoid carrying confidential information in your wallet, or leaving it in your car, and never give out personal or business information unless you are sure it will remain confidential. Keep all sensitive company documents in a safe place, and do not leave them on your desk or in unlocked cabinets.

• Sign up for emailed statements. Emailed statements are protected through the password protection of your email server. You could also request that sensitive attachments require an additional password to be opened. You can request eStatements by phoning the Nedbank Help Desk on 24081251.

• Shred before you throw away. If you are about to dispose of physical bank statements or invoices, shred them before you throw them away. Your trash could be a fraudster's treasure.

• Protect your computer. Install the latest antivirus updates and firewalls on your computer. You should also ensure that all computers, laptops and cell phones that may have company information are encrypted.

• Use different passwords for different services. If you use one password for all your sensitive-information services, you're at grave risk if you fall victim to a key logger who tracks your keyboard inputs through secretly installed software. Be particularly careful when using computers at hotels and in conference rooms.

• Not all computers are secure. Be particularly careful when using computers at hotels, internet cafes, and in conference rooms. Never use these terminals for online banking as data could be intercepted easily.

• Check your credit profile. By obtaining a credit report regularly you can spot any irregularities, or applications for finance, that you didn't make.

• Reconcile regularly. By reconciling all your accounts you are in a better position to see any unauthorised transactions.