Warning for green ID book holders from Home Affairs
South Africans with green ID books face a high fraud risk, here’s why…
If you’re one of the many South Africans still holding onto a green ID book, it’s time to rethink.
The Department of Home Affairs has issued a strong warning that these 16-page barcoded IDs, in circulation since 1980, have become incredibly vulnerable to fraud.
Minister Leon Schreiber highlighted that green ID books are now prime targets for identity theft and other crimes, putting their holders at significant risk.
The alarming rate of fraud linked to green ID books has pushed the Department of Home Affairs to act.
In August 2024, it launched a new initiative aimed at reducing fraudulent ID documents, targeting unauthorised holders and outdated green ID books. The issue is that these green ID books simply haven’t kept up with modern security needs.
Criminals find it easy to clone and manipulate these IDs, taking advantage of their lack of updated security features to commit fraud and access credit or loans in someone else’s name.
Why are green ID books so vulnerable? According to Tertius Wait, a cloud engineer at iiDENTIFii, these IDs are prone to physical damage, making them easy to alter and forge, reports BusinessTech.
Their outdated design doesn’t support digital verification, which adds to the risk. In fact, Smile ID’s 2024 Digital Identity Fraud in Africa report confirms that green ID books are the most attacked ID documents in Africa, with a fraud rate of 34%.
Switching to a Smart ID is the best way to protect yourself.
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