Public awareness is a critical part of the SAICB's fraud-fighting efforts as it provides substantial support for both enforcement and prevention efforts throughout the country. Recently, the SAICB has taken the lead in a new crime awareness campaign commissioned by the Linden Police and the Linden CPF, comprising the development of strategically positioned tips and messages in their area of residence.
Research has shown that while most insured consumers would not commit insurance fraud, consumer knowledge of what constitutes insurance fraud is limited, and few people actually understand that insurance fraud is in fact a crime. Each campaign component, consisting of posters, flyers, notepads and other paraphernalia, will illustrate different types of fraud and crime-related matters. The use of real-life situations aims to give people a better understanding of what insurance fraud is, the severity of the crime, and its potential risks and consequences, as well as tips to prevent falling victim.
One of the key components of the campaign is the promotion of the Fraudline as a valuable tool to report suspicious activity. The campaign officially kicked off at the beginning of October 2013 and the messages are displayed in the Linden police station and on various streets throughout the area. The initiative is set to run for a period of three months upon which crime figures will be reviewed to measure the effectiveness of the campaign with the possibility of rolling it out into additional areas in the future.
