ID theft is growing very fast all around the world, especially as so much of our personal information is now digital. We are regularly asked to produce photocopies of our ID or Passport information or it is placed on to the digital system and stored ‘in the cloud’ making it easier for hackers to access.
I have been a victim of ID theft and it is not funny. Even though the persons who used my information did not open accounts or do any shopping in my name, they used it to obtain Social Grants illegally. To read more about this go to my Ideas & Social Justice site.
ID theft is growing very fast all around the world, especially as so much of our personal information is now digital. We are regularly asked to produce photocopies of our ID or Passport information or it is placed on to the digital system and stored ‘in the cloud’ making it easier for hackers to access.
I have been a victim of ID theft and it is not funny. Even though the persons who used my information did not open accounts or do any shopping in my name, they used it to obtain Social Grants illegally. To read more about this go to my Ideas & Social Justice site.
I am putting this information on this site is because ID theft of deceased persons is more common than we realise. The information gleaned is used to make claims on insurance policies, in particular, but also by claiming to be beneficiaries of the deceased. Frequently the fraudsters make claims using fraudulent death certificates in the name of a person who has not died. Besides the money being claimed fraudulently the person whose ID information has been used now has to prove that it is their ID and that they are still alive. One pensioner had not realised that her ID information had been hacked until her pension did not arrive one month and she was told that it was because she was dead! In another case, which I heard on the radio this week, is that of a 32 year old woman was advised to change her name and get a new ID number. Added to this, she had recently married and now had to change her ID document details to her married name.
*Some important things you can do to best protect your ID and any other personal information are:
- Do not divulge ANY information to persons who phone claiming that they are from your bank, or a government department. Instead, offer to call back or say that you will go to the bank or department yourself.
- Make sure that you have nominated persons as beneficiaries for your insurance and retirement annuity policies. It is VERY important that you update your beneficiaries should one of them die or you have simply changed your mind.**
- Similarly ensure that your Will is updated when there is any change in your or your beneficiaries’ circumstances
- Make a Will and ensure that you appoint an Executor who has your interests in mind
- Report any lost documents or bank cards to the police and to your bank as soon as possible
- Keep your ID book with you or in a safe place at all times.
- Do not place anything with your personal details eg invoices, contracts, medical statements etc in a rubbish bin. Burn or shred it.
- Know the details of the family of any of your employees. It has become common for a person to phone an employer claiming to be a son, daughter, brother or sister of your employee. The person then tells you that your employee has died and they need money for a funeral. You are requested to deposit a fairly large amount into a particular bank account which is closed the next day so cannot be traced. I received just such a call and, fortunately, I know the names of all my domestic’s family so when the caller said that he was her son, Vusi, I was able to say that she does not have a son named Vusi. The person rang off immediately.
* Most of these recommendations were in the Personal Finance of 26 March 2016. Article by Lorraine Kearney.
**These policies do not form part of the estate under normal circumstances and this makes it easier for unscrupulous persons to use false documents and make claims. Should the beneficiaries of a policy not have been updated and there has been no fraudulent activity the monies do become part of the estate.