TAXPAYER VERIFICATION AND eDNA IDENTITY SECURITY

SARS has implemented additional security measures at their branches for taxpayers who decide to visit a branch to change their banking details or applicable registered details. Taxpayers will be authenticated to make sure that their information is secure through the eDNA security system. However, you can make selected sensitive detail changes on efiling such as the following:

• Selected identity information (Name, surname)
• Bank Account details
• Address details
• Contact details
• Add trading names
• Add a new tax product subscription

However, if the validation of your banking details are unsuccessful on eFiling, you will be requested to visit a SARS branch to validate your banking details in person.

The only time you will be required to visit a SARS branch, would be for changes to the following:

• The Nature of the Entity or taxpayer type (e.g. Company, Trust etc.)
• Identity number/ Passport number/ Enterprise registration number (e.g. ID number, CIPC number or Trust number etc.)
• Bank details – only under the following conditions:
  
  
  • When a 3rd party bank detail is involved
  • When the legal entity (taxpayer) that makes the change is a Trust
  • When the legal entity (taxpayer) that makes the change is coded as Deceased Estate, Liquidation or Insolvency
  • When bank details are changed via eFiling and additional validation is required.

What is the eDNA identity security system?

To protect taxpayers against fraudulent activities and to safeguard your sensitive information, SARS has introduced additional security measures at all their branches. 

The verification system will require taxpayers to provide their valid RSA identity document or ID card, the SARS official will take the taxpayer’s photograph and scan his / her fingerprint. The fingerprint will then be checked against the data that the Department of Home Affairs have on record. If there is any discrepancy the verification system will require the taxpayer to visit their nearest Department of Home Affairs to verify their biometric information.

Authentication steps:

Tax Practitioners and representative taxpayers with Power of attorney from taxpayers will also be authenticated via the Taxpayer Verification System before they will be allowed to do transactions with SARS on behalf of taxpayers.

To provide a high level of security and privacy to taxpayer’s sensitive information, SARS officials will also be subjected to eDNA verification (scanning of their fingerprints) when they perform certain tasks.

BEWARE OF SCAMS

Do not fall victim to tax identity fraud - protect your taxpayer information, banking details, login name and password at all times.

SARS requests that taxpayers take note of the following:

• Do not open or respond to emails from unknown sources.
• Beware of emails that ask for personal, tax, banking and eFiling details (login credentials, passwords, pins, credit / debit card information, etc.).
• SARS will never request your banking details in any communication that you receive via post, email, or SMS. However, for the purpose of telephonic engagement and authentication purposes, SARS will verify your personal details. Importantly, SARS will not send you any hyperlinks to other websites - even those of banks.
• Beware of false SMS's.

You can find examples of the latest scams on SARS’ website.

OFFICE NEWS

We say goodbye to Anso van Wyk (Secretarial), Bennie van Zyl and Marike de Villiers (Accounting). We wish them all of the best and thank them for their hard work.