Experian: Phungula data theft leaves South Africans exposed to scammers for a while

The CEO of credit bureau Experian has told the Commercial Crimes Court that the personal information of all credit-active South Africans will remain exposed to scammers and fraud syndicates.

Ferdie Pieterse has been on the witness stand testifying against Karabo Phungula, the man convicted of fraud for stealing the personal information of over 23 million credit-active South Africans and planning to sell it for R4 million.

Phungula faces a minimum of 15 years imprisonment but he has on Tuesday been arguing for a non-custodial sentence.

If you have used credit to buy a car, house or even a credit card, your personal information is likely accessible to scammers on websites you’ve never heard of and Telegram.

That’s thanks to convicted fraudster Phungula, who leaked the information after stealing it from Experian.

The credit bureau’s CEO, Ferdie Pieterse, said the data leaked was for almost the entire credit-active population of the country.

“It is your name, surname, identity number, home address, and latest and best telephone record.”

Pieterse said this is not just a crime against Experian.

“Every single South African is now exposed and will be for a time to people who operate in these syndicates and who operate in identity theft and identity take over.”

Phungula’s lawyers have suggested retribution as a sentence, something Pieterse has dismissed.

-EWN

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