SECUNDA – Col Willie Nel, station commander of the Secunda Police Station, warned that there is a steady increase in reported cases of fraud, particularly in the clothing and furniture section.
The Secunda Police have implemented an action plan to combat this type of crime.
“The community must take care and always ensure that their travel documents, passports, RSA bar-coded identity documents, driver’s licenses, smart cards and any other identification documents are kept safe and private.
“This is to prevent loss, but also to prohibit others from using them to commit fraud by opening accounts at shopping outlets.
“The public are urged to register with credit bureaus and other personal IT security companies for credit check-ups and notifications when accounts are opened.”
Local residents are also urged to report lost or stolen identity documents to the Department of Home Affairs as soon as possible.
“All creditors must take responsibility before granting credit to prospective clients and to check with the Department of Home Affairs if they are suspicious about a person’s identity or identity documents.
“Residents must contact the police if they have any information about suspected fraudulent behaviour,” said Col Nel.
