He listed himself with the South African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS) , a crucial step that alerts banks and retailers to extra-verify any applications in his name.
If the bureaus hadn't listened, Thabo’s next stop would have been the Office of the Credit Ombud , which helps consumers resolve disputes with credit providers and bureaus for free. Credit Bureau Check South Africa
While Thabo was working hard in Jo'burg, his "double" was living it up on credit in Durban and Cape Town. Because the identity thief had paid the minimum installments for the first few months to keep the accounts active, Thabo’s credit score actually rose initially, masking the fraud until the thief finally disappeared and the accounts went into default. The Battle for a Clean Name He listed himself with the South African Fraud
In South Africa, a "good" credit score usually starts around 600+. Thabo went from a 680 to a 450, and back up to 710 after the corrections. Because the identity thief had paid the minimum
Just as the bureaus cleared his name, Thabo received a notification for another credit check. Panic set in—was the thief back?
South Africans are entitled to one free credit report per year from every registered bureau under the National Credit Act.
He called the inquiring company immediately. It wasn't a thief; it was a high-security tech firm he had interviewed with months prior. In South Africa, many employers in the financial and tech sectors perform a credit check as part of their vetting process. Because he had cleared his record just in time, he passed their "financial integrity" test and landed an even better job offer than the promotion he had originally sought. Why this matters in SA: