Identity Theft - Updated Warning

This notice is issued by the Financial Supervision Commission (“the Commission”) in accordance with the powers conferred upon it under Section 22 of the Financial Supervision Act 1988.

IDENTITY THEFT – UPDATED INFORMATION

This Warning should be read in conjunction with that issued on 11th September 2002. This is available on the Public Warnings area of our website at www.fsc.gov.im

Information received by the Commission following our earlier warning strongly suggests that account holders living in South Africa are being particularly targeted by this type of fraud. No specific evidence is held but a pattern appears to be emerging which suggests that bank mail destined for South Africa is being intercepted within the postal system either in the UK or South Africa.

The Commission is aware that attempts to carry out this type of fraud are continuing and therefore warns all financial institutions, particularly banks, to take extra caution when dealing with unusual transfer requests from South African customers. The Commission also urges that financial institutions follow correct internal procedures when dealing with outward transfers, such as customer call- back, to ensure that they are certain that the person who they are dealing with is their genuine customer.

Should any financial institution suspect that they, or one of their customers, may be the potential victim of this type of fraud they should not delay in contacting the Financial Crime Unit by writing to:

The Officer In Charge

Isle of Man Constabulary

Financial Crime Unit

PO Box 51

Douglas

Isle of Man

IM99 2TD

Or by telephoning: 686000.

The Jersey Financial Services Commission has also issued a warning on this subject which is available from its website at www.jerseyfsc.org under the heading - Enforcement Warning “Interception of mail”