Identity theft and an increase in fraud have led to the South African Banking Risk Information Centre (Sabric) getting access to the Department of Home Affairs fingerprint verification system.This seems like an extremely big deal to me. If this story is accurate an industry group, Sabric, will have direct access to the government's biometric identity management database. I'm not aware of something like this having been done before.
Bank clients will have to have their thumb prints scanned and produce their identity documents for any transactions.
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The system, known as Hanis (Home Affairs National Identification System), contains citizens’ ID numbers, fingerprints and photographs, allowing banks to do on-the-spot identity verification that can be checked against the ID produced by a client.
Senior researcher Charles Gorendema, of the Institute for Security Studies’ organised crime and money laundering unit, said the initiative would reduce crimes committed in banks by people who presented false identity documents.
But he warned that it would not be a panacea for identity theft and fraud because some crimes were committed electronically, when criminals did not need to appear in person.
More here:
Banks, home affairs team up to battle identity theft (Business Day)
