Accra, Aug 25, GNA - The SG-SSB on Thursday said it had adopted strict measures to prevent the possibility of impersonation and false representation in its money remittance service - "MoneyGram". Reacting to issues raised in a GNA story headlined "Collecting Money Through MoneyGram Is Frustrating" the SG-SSB said "as a bank we are very sensitive to the needs of all who walk through our doors, and we work hard to secure the confidence of customers"

A statement Mr David Johnson, SG-SSB Communication Officer, signed said in line with the "Knowing Your Customer" policies aimed at preventing fraud "we had to restrict our means of identification to Passport, Driver's Licence and Voter ID cards".

It said: "These means of identification have been proven to be relatively more credible because of their security features and the difficulty in reproducing them."

The statement noted that "the bank had taken these measures in the best interest of our customers" and "wish to apologise to the journalist in question for any inconveniences caused and assure him that our refusal to accept his press card is not an attempt to question his credibility".

It said: "Rather it is an action intended to protect his interest and that of all those we have business relationship with."

The GNA story had advised people not to ask their relatives to send them money through MoneyGram if they did not have a passport, driver's licence or voter identity card following the refusal of the Bank's staff at the SG-SSB MoneyGram branch at Premier Towers, Accra, to accept any other form of identification apart from the three.