CyberLogic Blog

Identity theft has become a widely-used term in recent years, and with good reason: according to Reuters the worldwide rate of identity theft is increasing by as much as 70% per year. South Africa is no exception, with the South African Fraud Prevention Services (SAFPS) reporting that they receive an average of 25 reports of identity theft per day.

The potentially life-changing effects of identity theft were illustrated last week when Hanan al-Samawi, a Yemani student, was arrested by police for allegedly shipping two parcel bombs to the United States. Fortunately they soon discovered that she had been the victim of identity theft and she was subsequently released. Nonetheless, the potential consequences of identity theft are frightening!

So how can I protect myself from this threat, you may ask? The answer is not simple – fraudulent actions can range from the physical (credit card skimming, for example) to the electronic (impersonation on social media sites, etc.) Protecting yourself from identity theft therefore requires a change in mindset as well as a change of your daily habits.

Below are some general guidelines:

1. Protect your sensitive information. Never give out personal details such as credit card information, PIN numbers and ID numbers over the telephone, via the Internet or to anybody you don’t know.
2. Follow good IT security practices such as using secure passwords, locking your computer when you step away from it and ensuring that your anti-malware protection is up to date.
3. Shred old documents such as bank statements, etc. Never discard those documents witout shredding them first!
4. Make sure that you only transact with verified parties via the Internet. Look for valid SSL certificates on banking and shopping sites, for example.
5. Whenever possible, choose companies that have been verified by an online verification provider.
6. You may want to consider taking out an identity theft protection policy from your insurance company. There are also companies that offer specialised identity theft protection services.

Of course, companies are also at risk of identity fraud and there additional steps that a company should take to protect itself and its clients:

1. Create and enforce a suitable corporate security policy.
2. Manage your physical security effectively – all the passwords in the world won’t help if a thief can walk in and steal your server or a backup drive.
3. Ensure that your IT Support company closely monitors and maintains your security systems.
4. Ensure that your corporate network is properly managed and that the latest security patches and anti-malware updates are applied. Your IT Support provider should provide you with regular reports on the health of your network.
5. Ensure that ex-employees have their access priveleges revoked as soon as they leave.
6. Limit access to information within the organisation. A receptionist probably doesn’t need access to the finance drive on the server, for example.
7. Destroy any company records before discarding them.
8. Ensure that your customers can confirm your online identity. An online verification provider such as Infointeg will give your customers the peace of mind they need to transact with you.
9. Ensure that you have a valid SSL certificate if you offer online shopping or if you deal with sensitive information via your website.

For more information, contact the South African Fraud Prevention Services.