Claim Back Your Identity

2009/08/06

At a prestigious annual conference held for the insurance industry and hosted by the Insurance Institute of South Africa, at the end of June, Europ Assistance South Africa (EASA) launched its ground breaking ID Assist product. The breakthrough of ID Assist arrives at the height of identity theft which, according to a major credit bureau and a national insurance organisation, costs South Africans an estimated R1 billion every year in recovery costs.

The rise in internet and cell phone banking has made it easier for hackers to access one’s personal details such as credit card information and use it fraudulently. Identity theft is further made worse by people who gladly provide their identity details on the phone. “There is a general lack of understanding of just how easy it is to steal identity details” said Zohar Green, Head of Legal department at EASA. “If you leave your bank cards or ID documents lying around or you don’t hide or shred your account statements, there’s no telling in whose hands those documents will land.” said Green. Identity theft continues to thrive due to its chameleon like features. It can occur as a result of a robbery or at a restaurant when a waiter is allowed to swipe a credit card outside the owner’s view.

ID Assist is intended to combat the negative consequences of identity theft or loss. ID Assist primarily assists the caller with preventing any identity information or documents from being used illegally and secondly, by providing redress when identity information or documents have been used fraudulently.

Identity theft in South Africa has unique challenges in that it may be associated with a traumatic event such as a hi-jacking or house breaking and for this reason Europ Assistance SA has included both trauma counselling and locksmith services to further minimise the damaging ramifications of identity theft . ID Assist is an all-inclusive response to all aspects of an identity theft situation.