Banking News South Africa

Banks get access to fingerprint database

In a bid to prevent identity theft, South African banks are tying up with the Department of Home Affairs so that they can have access to an online database of fingerprints, according to Fin24.

It quotes Cabinet spokesman Jimmy Manyi as saying banks will be able to verify the identity of any person by accessing the fingerprint records of all South Africans in possession of a legitimate identity document from the Department of Home Affairs.

This is aimed at preventing people from switching photographs in the green identity books and stealing the identity of others. Identity theft is costing banks millions of rands every year.

The online fingerprint collaboration will be done between the Department of Home Affairs and the South African Banking Risk Information Centre.

Read the full article on www.fin24.com.

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