Hugo van Zyl, South African Insurance Crime Bureau
The South African Insurance Crime Bureau (SAICB) and South African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS) announced in Johannesburg today, that they have entered into an agreement whereby both organisations will share confirmed fraud data on people who have defrauded any of their member organisations.
The SAFPS is a unique South African bred service which is committed to combating fraud in society and to offering the South African public a means whereby they can protect themselves against Impersonation and Identity Theft. SAFPS provides shared fraud data services to all South Africa’s major banks, many retailers, asset finance organisations and micro lenders.
The SAICB was formed in July 2008 to address organised fraud and crime in the short term insurance industry, and to identify repeat fraudulent offenders that target more than one insurance company. The SAICB currently has 11 member companies namely: Santam, Mutual & Federal, Hollard, Outsurance, Lion of Africa, Zurich, Standard Insurance, Absa Insurance, Regent, Telesure, and MiWay.
Hugo van Zyl, Head of Operations for SAICB, said that the agreement will mean that the fraud prevention footprint in South Africa will now spread across insurance and financial services and will enhance the services provided by both organisations to their members.
Pat Cunningham, Executive Director of SAFPS added, “This agreement will mean that people who have been investigated and proven to have defrauded short term insurance companies, through fraudulent claims, will now be listed on the SAFPS systems and this information will be available to SAFPS members, and the SAICB will have access to the information of fraudulent activity from the SAFPS member companies to share with the short term insurance industry.”
Both Cunningham and van Zyl believe that by sharing their fraud related data both organisations will be making a significant impact in the fight against fraud and crime in South Africa.
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