Identity checks and verification

The simpler it is for legitimate customers to access your service, the less likely they are to go elsewhere. Real-time digital ID checking tools, like those provided by Experian’s Prove ID, help you verify a customer’s identity in seconds, so you can onboard them quickly while meeting all regulatory requirements, including Know Your Customer (KYC) checks. 

Experian’s recent Global Identity and Fraud report showed that today’s customers prefer biometrics, PIN codes sent to mobile phones and behavioural analytics as methods of authentication. That’s not just because they’re faster than traditional approaches that rely on customers entering details into a form, but also because they’re seen as more secure. If you’re ready to upgrade to passive forms of verification, Experian can help you make the switch.

One way to speed up ID checks and improve customer experience is to remove manual authentication wherever possible, while still giving your agents the power to step in when required. One tool that can help with this is Experian’s Knowledge IQ. It offers a configurable, multifaceted authentication process that incorporates passive device checks and automated challenge questions. The resulting risk score is precise and clear, helping your operation make fast, fair decisions. 

You don’t need to sacrifice diligence for deftness. Using the right tools with the right data sources enables you to check more than just an individual’s name and address in real-time. Depending on your needs, you can also confirm their age, documentation, bank details, criminal record, employment status and more. With over one billion records and a wide choice of integration methods, Experian can deliver all manner of rapid ID checks.   

Selling age-restricted goods online comes with its own set of challenges. Whether you’re supplying downloadable games, streamed movies, gambling services or even alcohol, tobacco or medicine, your duty remains the same: to ensure your products aren’t bought by underage customers. This task can be handled by Experian’s Age and Date of Birth Verify solutions. These provide a quick and simple check against Experian’s records to verify buyers are the right age before any sale can go ahead.

It’s not enough simply to behave responsibly when selling age-restricted products. You also need to ensure that you adhere to the law. If not, you could face criminal charges. Once again, Experian’s Age and Date of Birth Verify solutions can help as they’re designed to meet all UK legal and regulatory requirements when selling age-restricted goods so you can rest easy.

Electronic document verification (EDV) is another option for businesses that need to confirm the age of their online customers. A quick and easy alternative to submitting documents manually, EDV happens in real-time, reducing friction and customer dropout. Experian’s EDV solution, Document Verification, can process passports, drivers’ licences, residence permits and ID cards from around the world.

Electronic document verification enables you to free up resources by automating the task of physical forms of ID. Available for use with Android and iOS mobile phones, tablets and PCs, it enables users to scan their identity documents and have them verified in real-time. Experian’s implementation, Document Verification, can authenticate UK and international passports, driving licences, residence permits and ID cards. 

Today’s smart AI routines can compare different facets of government-issued identity documents to ensure that they’re genuine. In the case of Experian’s Document Verification, its Mitek technology instantly analyses the ID document’s personal information, security features, font usage and photo ID and then performs a real-time check to ensure they match those on the original document. It also guarantees the data you collect is free from errors.

In addition to checking that a document is authentic, AI-driven technology can also check that it is being used by the legitimate owner of that identity. It does this by using facial recognition routines to compare selfie images, uploaded by the customer, to the photo ID on their document. Experian’s Document Verification currently uses this live form of photo validation with driving licences and expects to add support for passports soon.  

With cloud-based document verification systems, life isn’t just easier for your customers, it can be simpler for you, too. Systems like Experian’s Document Verification mean that there’s no need to make changes to your IT setup or manage new applications: interactions are handled through a straightforward API instead, meaning there’s less burden on your in-house resources.  

Client bank details need to be captured correctly and the best time to do that is when the customer is supplying them. Deployed online, face to face or in a call centre, a real-time modulus checking tool can guarantee that the bank details keyed into your system are always valid. Experian’s Bank Wizard can check particulars for accounts in the UK and around the globe. It’s also flexible, working as a standalone system or integrated into your existing systems. 

In addition to modulus checking, you also need to verify that the supplied account belongs to your customer. Taking money from the wrong account, whether by error or because of fraud, could lead to extra costs, a poor customer experience, reputational damage and negative PR. A tool like Experian’s Bank Wizard Absolute can help mitigate these risks by checking that the bank details supplied not only pass modulus checks but that they also belong to your customer.

It’s important to think about which type of verification solution best suits your business to avoid paying for something you don’t need. Some, like Bank Wizard Absolute (consumer), are intended for use in B2C situations and match customers and bank details based on the current account information held by Experian. Bank Wizard Absolute (commercial), on the other hand, queries the data Experian holds on business accounts, including CCDS business current account data.

When you sign up to use the Automated Direct Debit Instruction Service through your bank you must agree to key principles, including ensuring that the account details provided belong to the payer. If you’re receiving lots of Direct Debit indemnity claims, cancelled instructions and AUDDIS messages relating to new Direct Debit setups, it’s time to replace your current B2C or B2B bank verification solution with something more robust.