Cape Town - The Insurance Crime Bureau (ICB) has warned about a concerning trend involving criminals directly targeting insurance companies.
In the new modus operandi, perpetrators set out to source information through call centres, by impersonating policy holders and requesting copies of their policy schedules and claims history.
“They would contact insurance companies’ call centres and pose as legitimate policy holders. They request sensitive documents such as Policy Schedules and Claims History under the guise of routine updates, which is not unusual, especially when consumers are shopping around for better premiums,” the ICB explained.
“In the wrong hands, this information could be used to perpetrate various criminal acts, including identity theft, fraudulent insurance claims, and financial scams.
“Policy schedules contain personal information, including the name of the insured, their ID, residential address, policy details, and other confidential data. Identity theft and insurance fraud are illegal, and perpetrators can be sentenced to jail time, if found guilty by a court of law.”
Santam’s group chief risk officer, Charisse Ras, cautioned clients to stay vigilant, verify authenticity and report suspicious activity.
“Before sharing any personal information, verify the identity of the requester. If you suspect that you have been targeted by fraudsters or have inadvertently shared personal information with them, report the incident to your insurer and the appropriate authorities immediately,” Ras said.
“Should policyholders or members of the public wish to contact Santam regarding alleged acts of insurance crime or advice; they may direct communication to [email protected] or call the company fraud line on 0860 600 767.”
The ICB said at least 8 931 cases of insurance fraud and dishonesty with a financial loss of R77m were detected and investigated in 2022, while more and more perpetrators of such fraud continue to be arrested.
Police spokesperson, Andrè Traut, said their office has not received any complaints about the crime trend.
“Statements cautioning the public are carefully considered, and only issued if a trend is prevalent.
“If you have any information that criminals are accessing insurance policies of clients, you are encouraged to advise SAPS and the relevant insurance companies so that investigations can be initiated,” he said.