What to do if your identity is stolen
Credit opened in your name is distressing and it is fixable, but the process is administrative and takes persistence. Doing the steps in order, and keeping records, is what makes it work.
Report it to the credit provider immediately, in writing, stating that the account is fraudulent and that you did not apply for it. Ask for their fraud process and a reference number.
Dispute the listing with every credit bureau showing it. The dispute is free and the bureau must investigate. Send the police case number as soon as you have it.
Lay a charge with the police. You will need the case number for the bureaux, the lender and any bank dispute, so do this early rather than last.
Register a protective registration with the South African Fraud Prevention Service, which adds a verification step to future applications in your name.
Then keep checking. Fraudulent applications frequently come in clusters, so pull your report again in a month and again in three, and keep every piece of correspondence in one place.
Related
Sources and last checked
- National Credit Regulator — register of credit providers — Regulator, as at 10 August 2026.
- Information Regulator — guidance note on direct marketing under POPIA — Regulator guidance, as at 10 August 2026.
Page last checked 10 August 2026. Statutory caps and lender terms change — confirm anything you intend to rely on with the provider or the National Credit Regulator. Found something wrong? Tell us and we will correct it.