SASSA Biometric Verification – The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has rolled out biometric verification and this technology is crucial in enhancing security, strengthening fraud prevention and ensuring that all grants are paid to the right recipients at all times.
This new innovative security technology has raised questions among beneficiaries, more especially those who live in rural areas.
What Is Biometric Verification?
Biometric verification is a security technology that uses unique biological traits like:
- Fingerprints
- Facial recognition
- Iris scanning (eye scanning)
- Voice patterns
This state-of-the-art security technology is being integrated by SASSA at various points, including payment centres, SASSA offices, and even through mobile devices for remote verification.
Why Is This New SASSA Biometric Verification Security Technology Implemented?
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has been having a big rise in social grant frauds over the past years, frauds like identity death, unauthorized withdrawals, card cloning, corrupt SASSA officials, ghost beneficiaries, fake beneficiaries and undisclosed income fraud (this mostly refers to Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant recipients who are hiding additional earning they have to keep receiving the grant.)
The Biometric Verification technology will make it way harder for criminals to commit social grant fraud, because this verification will require any of those unique biological traits mentioned above, for example, a criminal attempting to get access to your SASSA grant will require your physical eye to be successful (If iris scanning is required).
How SASSA Biometric Verification Will Affect You?
Here is what you need to know if you collect your grant from the following places:
- South African Post Office (SAPO) or retail stores (e.g. Boxer, Shoprite, etc.): You may be asked to scan your fingerprint to get your grant money.
- Bank: Facial recognition or fingerprint scan may be required and you will also need to have your ID card or book and your bank details must match exactly.
- Home visits (for the elderly recipients): The SASSA Officials may use portable devices to verify your identity on the spot (using any one of the biological traits mentioned above)
What Every SASSA Grant Beneficiary Must Do:
- Visit your nearest South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) office to register your biometric data only if prompted via SMS (to the cellphone number linked to your grant application) or letter (sent to the address you registered).
- Your ID must stay up-to-date to avoid any mismatch which can lead to suspension.
- If your social grant gets suspended because of failed biometric verification, you can simply appeal online within 30 days (unlike the SRD grant there is no platform to appeal online, you can visit your nearest SASSA office or give them a call or send a WhatsApp message using the contact details below.
Beneficiaries must know that this new Biometric verification technology will help speed up future payments, reduce fraud, and ensure fairness in the system.
Get In Touch
You can contact SASSA using the following details if you have questions:
- WhatsApp Number: 082 046 8553
- Cellphone Number: 0800 60 10 11
- Email Address: GrantsEnquiries@sassa.gov.za or srd@sassa.gov.za