There have been many cases in which people received payments by fraud, even though they were not eligible for the specific grant. This creates unbalanced funds for the South Africa Social Security Agency (SASSA). Due to these frauds, the actual eligible people couldn’t get the payment. For most people, these payments by SASSA are the only source of income.
SASSA Takes Action Against Fraudulent SRD Grant Holders
Noticing these fraudulent activities in SRD grants, the SASSA made some changes in the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant system. These changes have been made to avoid the ongoing fraud activities in SRD grants. The payments will be received by only eligible individuals without any delay or confusion.
The grants are meant to provide financial support to South Africans with low income aged between 18 and 60. But in June, one week before the payment, many beneficiaries who were to receive the R370 SRD grant received notifications from SASSA that they had been placed on “referred status” and needed to complete a “biometric identity verification” to receive their grant. Because of this unannounced notice, many individuals who were eligible to get the grant couldn’t get it.
Measures Taken Against Fraudulent SRD Grant Holders
- Biometric Verification: To receive SRD payments for new accounts, an applicant needs to scan a fingerprint or facial scan.
- Website Traffic Controls: SASSA’s website has flagged and blocked all high-frequency requests.
- Limitation of Third-party Access: SASSA has limited access to its grant application system to authorized organizations only.
- Bank Account Audits: TymeBank and other banks are examining accounts to find beneficiaries who are not legitimate.
- SIM Card Verification: To stop abuse, stricter regulations have been put in place for SIM card issuance.
How Scammers Access Your SASSA Grant Data?
Scammers use many tricks to steal your data and access your grants. One needs to be very careful in these situations. Here are a few common examples:
- Fake Notification Scam: Scammers often follow this method in which they send you a fake SMS or email. The message claims that there has been some problem with your grant and you might lose it. They intentionally try to create tension and then ask for personal information and OTP. People often panic in fear of losing their grant and provide them whatever they want. This way they steal all the information and even someone’s identity.
- Fake Websites: These fraudsters often create fake websites that are identical to the official website of SSA. This way, some people will click on the fake website and login using their credentials. These credentials may be used in the future by those scammers. To avoid this, visit only the official website and take all the information from there only.
- Fake Phone Calls: This is one of the oldest methods of performing fraud. You may get a call claiming to be from SASSA. They will ask you for your personal information and important passwords or pins. They will always create a fake emergency with your grant.
Strategies to Prevent Fraud Activities
- Make sure to undergo biometric validation to confirm your identity.
- Perform regular audits of grant applications and bank accounts to identify and correct any irregularities.
- Provide a simplified channel for reporting alleged fraudulent activity.
- Enhance cybersecurity measures to prevent data breaches and identity theft.
- Educate the public on a large level on how to safeguard personal information to decrease vulnerability to theft of identity.
The SASSA has taken strict action against the fraudluents to protect applicants’s grants. SASSA has apologized and corrected it’s mistakes. There are many articles also published to suspect the fraud. Thanks for taking time and reading the article.