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Why does ID verification fail?

In KYC regulated industries, the need for identity verification is clear; i.e. regulatory requirement. In non-KYC regulated industries, identity verification is primarily used for fraud prevention, building trust, and increasing security for both customers and businesses.

It was probably not a long time ago you verified your identity online to either open a bank account or shop online or perhaps perform a transaction. The technology is so prevalent now that it is no longer restricted to banking but has become a necessity to manage workflows and avoid fraud.

Oftentimes verification attempt fails, which is very agitating for the end-user and the businesses concurrently. There can be multiple reasons for the failure. While system errors and glitches are common, issues in internet connectivity also result in verification failure. However, most of the times you couldn’t identify the reason for unsuccessful verification. 

In such cases, you can refer to this guide and find out the exact cause of failure. The following are the possible reasons why your attempt in different types of verification fails despite following the procedure.

Reasons for rejection in Document Verification

1. Name, Date of Birth, and Nationality doesn’t match the details provided

In some cases, the user misspells or enters wrong details in a hurry and it doesn’t match with information extracted from the ID document.

2. ID document is not an accepted type

Shufti Pro accepts authentic identity documents for verification such as government-issued id cards, passports, and driver licenses. For the list of accepted IDs, kindly refer to the supported identity documents.

3. Picture of the uploaded ID document is not clear

The uploaded photo must display a complete, readable, and color image of the document. The image needs to be of the physical document if a user uploads a screenshot or displays a picture from another screen, it’s rejected.

Another reason for verification failure is unclear information on the document. Common issues are:

  • Light obstructing information
  • Blurry image
  • Full document not visible, i.e. hiding some piece of information

4. The document is punched or expired

 The user’s proof of ID shouldn’t be expired or canceled. Both punched and expired documents are rejected.

 Reasons for rejection in Face Verification

1. The face is not visible

The most common cause why face verification fails is that the selfie and image on the ID document aren’t matching. It could be due to one of the following reasons:

  • Either selfie or document image isn’t visible
  • A cropped, forged or photoshopped image is uploaded instead of a selfie.
  • User is wearing glasses
  • The background is too bright, which fades the user’s face

2. The selfie doesn’t match the identity document

 If the selfie uploaded by the user doesn’t match the image on the document the user isn’t verified.

Reasons for rejection in Address Verification

1. Proof of address is older than 3 months

For verification of address, the user should submit a document that is not older than three months. If the document isn’t older than 3 months and still verification is not accepted, the user should ensure that the timestamp mentioned on the document is visible.

2. The address isn’t matching

The address written on the proof of address document should match the one on the ID document, in case of a mismatch address verification fails.

3. Image of the proof of address isn’t complete

To ensure that no error occurs when verifying the address, the user should upload a complete picture of the document. All the corners of documents should be in the frame when taking the picture.

Online customers are required to provide a set of ID and other required documents to verify their identity as well as confirm their address. This is how businesses comply with regulations and prevent fraudsters. 

Digital identity verification services enable customers to verify and authenticate their identity. However, it is necessary that the ID verification process is frictionless and fast enough to ease the user journey and build trust.