How to safeguard your investments

Given the prevalence of fraud and investment scams, it may feel as though you need to build a financial fortress to protect your investments. Twanji Kalula offers some simple steps you can take to safeguard your long-term wealth throughout your investment journey.

Financial historians have traced one of the earliest recorded cases of financial fraud back to 300 B.C., when two Greek sea merchants, Hegestratos and Zenosthemis, attempted to sink their vessels in the hope of cashing in their insurance policies. Although financial systems have evolved significantly over the centuries since, fraudsters continue to target financial services providers, and investors, in the digital age.

In South Africa, financial institutions detect and prevent thousands of cases of fraud each year. However, despite these ongoing efforts, fraud attempts remain prevalent. The Association for Savings & Investment South Africa (ASISA) recorded a 26% year-on-year uptick in the number of fraud cases affecting investors in 2024 and, according to a recent report, South Africans lost in excess of R2.7bn to financial crime in 2024.

As an investor, beyond basic awareness, there are proactive steps you can take to reduce the risk of fraud and protect your investments.

Sound investment vehicles make for a safer investment journey

Read full article on https://www.allangray.co.za/latest-insights/fraud-prevention-cybersecurity/how-to-safeguard-your-investments/

October 31 2025 By Twanji Kalula - Allan Gray