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Our passion for technology brings biometric benefits to millions of people.
Identity Verification has evolved significantly from traditional paper-based methods such as passports and national ID cards to modern digital techniques like contactless palm recognition and facial recognition. Today, it includes technologies like electronic IDs and AI-driven verification to ensure a user is who they claim to be.
Identity verification is the process of confirming an individual’s identity by comparing their identifying information or documents (such as an ID card, biometrics, or personal data) against reliable sources. This ensures the person is who they claim to be before granting access or services. An ID verification service can check these documents thoroughly, to a very high level of accuracy, often remotely via online identity verification.
There are several different ways to carry out identity verification:
It’s important to distinguish identity verification from identity authentication, as the two terms are related but not identical:
By clarifying these terms, businesses and organizations ensure they apply the right processes.
While both identification and authentication are critical components of a robust security framework, they serve distinct purposes and occur at different points in a user’s interaction with a system or service.
Online or remote identity verification is a pretty straightforward process. Instead of physically taking a photo ID and other forms of written information for someone to manually check, the process takes place over the internet. The user captures a photo of themselves and uploads it to the identity verification platform. Here, it is checked against a list of document-related trust factors, including document expiration, valid MRZ checksum, text consistency, black and white photocopy detection, and screen attack detection. In addition, biometric-related trust factors such as face match, passive/active liveness, age, and gender consistency are analyzed.
The online process also enables the uploading of scanned or photographed documents for analysis. Identity verification can take place then and there, or it may take time for everything to be checked and verified. Either way, it reduces time spent travelling to have physical copies verified and minimizes the cost and inconvenience of producing multiple certified copies of important documentation.
Identity verification methods differ based on the type of ID presented, the purpose of verification (such as onboarding, access control, or regulatory compliance), and the level of security required.
Modern solutions typically combine biometric technologies, document verification, and data checks to accurately and securely confirm an individual’s identity.
Document verification involves confirming the authenticity, accuracy, and suitability of documents for their intended purpose. This process is crucial for identity documents like driver’s licenses, ID cards, and passports to ensure they genuinely represent the individual.
Facial recognition matches a live image (selfie or video) against the photo on an official ID to verify that the user is the legitimate owner. Advanced facial recognition systems also detect signs of presentation attacks, such as the use of printed photos, masks, or screen replays, to prevent spoofing attempts. In certain scenarios, facial data is checked against internal or governmental databases to uncover potential identity theft or multiple accounts associated with one person.
Liveness detection uses algorithms to determine if a biometric sample is from a real, living person, not a fake. When users submit facial photos, these algorithms can tell the difference between a live individual and presentation attacks like masks, photos, or videos.
Identity verification methods offer many benefits. These include enhancing security and preventing fraud to streamlining user onboarding and building trust. By confirming that individuals are who they claim to be, businesses and institutions can protect sensitive data, comply with regulations, and create safer, more reliable digital experiences.
Advanced identity verification stops fake or stolen identities from being used to open accounts or access systems. This capability is vital in mitigating identity theft, financial fraud, and related abuses.
Verifying customer identities is a strict regulatory requirement (Know Your Customer, Anti-Money Laundering, etc.) across many industries. Effective identity verification helps businesses adhere to these laws, preventing penalties and bolstering overall security by deterring activities like money laundering and terrorist financing through the confirmation of legitimate users.
Knowing that a service verifies identities can boost end-user trust. People feel more secure on platforms prioritizing security. For businesses, IDV protects their reputation by mitigating fraud and unauthorized access. This trust is crucial for fintech apps, online marketplaces, telcos, and any platform dealing with sensitive data.
Modern identity verification can streamline onboarding. Instead of requiring in-person verification (which is slow and inconvenient), digital IDV allows users to quickly verify their identity from a smartphone. This reduces drop-off in customer onboarding flows. A quick selfie and ID scan is faster than visiting a branch, thus improving conversion rates for businesses while still ensuring security.
Reliable identity verification for individuals fosters inclusivity and convenience by enabling remote access to essential services like banking, government services, and age-restricted products. This capability is particularly significant in online education, e-voting and healthcare, providing secure access without the need for physical presence. In the digital economy, proving one’s identity online unlocks instant access to crucial services.
Biometrics focuses on a person’s unique characteristics, such as fingerprints, iris and retina scans, facial features, and palmprints. These are unique to each person, making them a highly effective identity verification tool. Advantages include the fact that they are extremely difficult to fake or manipulate. The person will not lose, damage, or forget to bring them along to an identity verification session. Moreover, they are quick and easy to process.
Many online and in-person ID verification methods involve the use of biometrics. Fingerprint scanning pads, retina or iris scanners, palm readers, and facial recognition software can all produce highly accurate results in a very short space of time. Biometrics can also help authenticate photographs and selfies provided by the person for remote ID verification. The process is also highly effective when it comes to analyzing biometric ID documents and passports.
While identity verification may seem like a given to industry professionals, clearly outlining its importance helps connect the technology to the real-world problems it solves.
Enabling Digital Transformation: Finally, identity verification is a key enabler for digital transformation. As services move online, from opening bank accounts to signing legal documents digitally, having a reliable way to verify “you are who you say you are” remotely is fundamental. Without it, organizations would be stuck requiring in-person verification, which is impractical at scale. In other words, secure digital identity verification is needed to unlock the convenience and efficiency of online services in a trustworthy manner.
Identity verification has taken on many forms in the past, from paper-based documents like passports and national ID cards to facial recognition and photo of and ID, and even being able to repeat a mutually agreed password to confirm your intentions are genuine. As technology has enabled increasingly sophisticated ID verification systems and techniques, methods have expanded to include electronic identification identity, biometric identity verification, end facial recognition identity verification and more.
The area has also widened to include services such as unemployment verification, customer verification, simple bank identity verification and ID verification for onboarding services. Online ID verification methods include facial recognition, ID document verification and comparing data with large databases for fraudulent or erroneous applications and instances of money laundering and other illegal activity. Secure methods of paying for goods have evolved too, in order to confirm the customer is who they claim to be before releasing their funds to pay for ordered goods.
There are several different ways to carry out identity verification. The process works by comparing a person’s unique characteristics (e.g. facial biometrics or fingerprints) with verified data held by an officially recognized source, such as a passport or national ID card.
As well as checking the individual’s submitted identity details, the process captures and analyzes data to help verify the authenticity of government-issued documents to help identity instances of fraud or human error. This can be done in real-time and within a very short time span to ensure results can be returned rapidly and delays in verifying authentic data prevented.
Many important processes require the applicant to complete identity verification to prove that they are who they claim to be. Methods include facial verification, fingerprint matching, and comparing biometric data from verified sources to the person being checked. ID verification can be done online and offline, in person or remotely, depending on the circumstances. A common way of doing this involves someone showing an ID document that carries a photo of their face to the person checking their identity. That person then compares the photo to the person standing in front of them.
Another method of verifying identity is asking the person to scan or photograph their ID document and upload it to a secure website for checking. Alternatively, you might have to send it by email or post it to a secure address. Either way, you must ensure that all details are clearly legible or visible and that there is no damage or tampering to the ID document. You may need to have copies of paper documentation signed and certified as a genuine copy if the process is carried out offline. Also, digital ID verification methods are emerging with technological development.
Online or remote identity verification is normally a simple process. Instead of physically taking photo ID and other forms of written information to someone to manually check, the process takes place over the internet. The person captures a photo of themselves and uploads it to the identity verification platform. Here, it is it checked against a list of document-related trust factors, including document expires, valid MRZ checksum, text consistency, black and white photocopy detection, and screen attack detection. In addition, biometric-related trust factors such as face match, passive/active liveness, age, and gender consistency are analyzed.
The online process also enables the uploading of scanned or photographed documents, again for analysis. The identity verification itself can take place then and there, or it may take time for everything to be checked and verified. Either way it reduces time spent travelling to have physical copies verified and the cost and inconvenience of producing multiple certified copies of important documentation.
ID verification can comprise a number of stages, each designed to confirm the person’s identity and their eligibility apply for something, enter somewhere or gain access to sensitive or confidential information. At the start of the process, the individual will be asked to supply genuine forms of ID that contain up-to-date personal details. These forms of ID could include photo cards, national ID cards, passports, driving licences, employment passes, bankcards, utility bills, property paperwork and more.
Details that will be checked by identity verification services can include photo (facial recognition), address, date of birth, qualifications, social security number, phone number, and more. If the identity data passes muster and matches with the person’s claimed details, the process is complete and the person’s application approved. If it is not, the application is halted or rejected and the appropriate security measures taken.
Identity verification solutions can vary and take in several different methods. The specific methods chosen will depend on the type of identity documents provided, what the process is being used for and the level of security, sensitivity or importance placed on what the individual is trying prove their identity for.
For photographs, facial recognition techniques are used, as well as cross-checking against databases for evidence of attempted fraud or identity theft. Online systems can also check for image manipulation, cropping and edge detection, colour mismatches and more. For written ID, checks take in wording, document layouts, watermarks, stamps and holograms, signatures, dates and fonts. Whatever identity verification methods are used, their aim remains the same: to confirm or reject the authenticity of an individual’s presented ID documentation.
Identity theft is a growing concern, with increased reliance on online services for more sensitive tasks, such as banking, shopping, and data storage. Always use websites and companies with robust cyber security measures in place with strong identity verification processes, such as two-stage authentication, facial recognition log-in methods, and adequate security protection around the sensitive personal data it holds about its users.
Biometrics focus on a person’s unique characteristics, such as fingerprints, iris and retina scans, facial features and palmprints. These are unique to each person, making them a highly effective identity verification tool. Advantages include the fact that they are extremely difficult to fake or manipulate. The person will not lose, damage or forget to bring them along to an identity verification session and they are quick and easy to process.
Many online and in-person ID verification methods involve the use of biometrics. Fingerprint scanning pads, retina or iris scanners, palm readers and facial recognition software can all produce highly accurate results in a very short space of time. Biometrics can also help authenticate photographs and selfies provided by the person for the purposes of remote ID verification. The process is also highly effective when it comes to analyzing biometric ID documents and passports.
Identity verification solutions are processes and technology that are in place to protect personal or sensitive data through authenticating someone`s identity and helping to prevent fraud and identity theft. Through sophisticated algorithms and software, machine learning and AI detect key images, written content, digital data, and other elements in identity documentation and cross-checks them to ensure that they are genuine and also compare with the face of the person.
Many sectors and facilities use identity verification solutions to work out whether people attempting to gain access are who they say they are. These include financial services (banks, offices, storage vaults), digital businesses (retailers, e-commerce and onboarding services), travel and leisure (airports, ports, hotels, membership facilities), digital businesses, gaming and entertainment and telecoms.
Our passion for technology brings biometric benefits to millions of people.
