The US Department of Health and Human Services found Minnesota’s child care agency failed to adequately verify attendance records or “pursue fraud tips” following an oversight visit in late January, according to a letter obtained by The Post.
HHS’ Administration for Children and Families informed Minnesota officials that its handling of the distribution of federal taxpayer dollars for child care in the state had “not established adequate controls to verify the accuracy of county-issued provider payments based on attendance of children.”
As a result, child care centers could get funding from counties — and counties could then bill the state and the federal government by extension — “without reconciling billed hours against attendance records, even periodically.”
If you suspect you have been targeted by fraudsters, time is your most valuable asset. In the world of cybersecurity, we refer to the “Golden Hour”—the first 60 minutes after a compromise where you have the highest chance of stopping a transaction or preventing identity theft.
Here is your updated South African Fraud Response Action Plan:
PHASE 1: IMMEDIATE ISOLATION (0–30 MINUTES)
Do not wait for a “clear sign” that money has left your account. If you have shared a PIN, OTP, or clicked a suspicious link, act immediately.
Call your Bank’s Fraud Line: Do not use the general customer service number; use the dedicated 24/7 fraud lines listed in the table below.
- Request a “Global Hold”: Ask the agent to place a temporary hold on all digital banking channels, not just your physical cards.
- Secure your Email: If you suspect your email was hacked, change the password immediately and “Log out of all other sessions” in your security settings.
- Kill Remote Access: If you gave someone remote access (via AnyDesk or TeamViewer), disconnect your internet immediately and uninstall the software.
PHASE 2: OFFICIAL REPORTING (1–24 HOURS)
To claim from insurance or the bank, you must have a police case number.
- Visit a SAPS Station: You must lay a formal charge in person. Bring your ID and printouts of the fraudulent transactions or messages.
- The Affidavit: Explicitly state that you want a case opened for investigation.
- Get the CAS Number: Ensure you leave with a Case (CAS) Number. This is the “key” that unlocks further help from the SAFPS and the Bank’s forensics team.
PHASE 3: IDENTITY PROTECTION & DISPUTE (24 HOURS+)
- Register with SAFPS: Contact the Southern African Fraud Prevention Service. They provide “Protective Registration” which alerts all banks and retailers to extra-verify any new credit applications in your name.
- Escalate to the Ombudsman: If your bank refuses to refund you and you feel they were negligent (e.g., they didn’t spot a clear SIM-swap), you can lodge a free complaint with the National Financial Ombudsman.
2026 SOUTH AFRICA FRAUD DIRECTORY
- SAPS Crime Stop: 08600 10111 – saps.gov.za
- SAFPS (Identity Theft): 011 867 2234 – protection@safps.org.za
- National Financial Ombudsman: 0860 800 900 – info@nfosa.co.za
- Standard Bank Fraud: 0800 222 050 – reportfraud@standardbank.co.za
- FNB Fraud Line: 087 575 9444 – phishing@fnb.co.za
- ABSA Fraud Hotline: 0860 557 557 – cibfraud@absa.africa
- Nedbank Fraud Line: 0800 110 929 – phishing@nedbank.co.za
- Capitec Fraud Line: 0860 10 20 43 (WhatsApp) – 067 418 9565
- Discovery Bank Fraud: 011 324 4444 – discovery.co.za