Security and fraud awareness - protect yourself

What’s personal information?

Any piece of information that – on its own or collectively – can uniquely identify you:

• Name and surname
• Identity/Passport number
• Cellphone number
• Bank account number, for example, cheque account
• Credit card number and CVV (the three digits on the back of your credit card) 
• Proof of income, for example, payslip or bank account statements
• Health information

You, or who you share your personal information with, need to protect it  against:

• Phishing – criminals send emails claiming to come from a genuine company to try and trick you into disclosing personal information
• ATM shoulder surfing – criminals steal your debit card PIN while you are transacting at an ATM
• Social engineering – criminals impersonate bank personnel and smooth talk you to share information, which gives these criminals access to bank accounts
• Dumpster diving – criminals trawl through your waste bins for bank statements or policy documents  to commit crime
• ID Theft – criminals can steal and assume your identity, buying goods in your name and leaving you in debt

Tips to avoid these risks

• Avoid leaving your personal information lying around in a public place, for example, on the train or on your desk at work;
• First confirm the need before giving personal information to anyone
• Carry only the credit cards or membership cards you need
• Before discarding invoices, statements or documents containing sensitive information, tear them up or burn them
• Choose strong passwords: include numbers, special characters, upper case and lower case
• Change passwords and PINs often
• When internet banking, check you’re on the legitimate website – don’t click on a link in an e-mail, but rather type in the web address and look for the secure lock

Fallen prey?

• Document it: The day, time and location
• Report it: Immediately to the police and the relevant financial institutes

Prevent fraud on your membership

• Ask for a copy of the claim: this will help you make sure charges are only for the services you received
• Check your statements regularly: Make sure claims paid match the services you and your family received
• Keep your details safe: Do not lend your membership card to anyone. If they’re not one of the dependants registered on your membership, they’re not entitled to benefits. 
• Beware of ‘make a plan’: Do not accept any proposals offering to offset co-payments or levies on any service or item.