Document Verification

A document verification process incorporates identity documents such as a passport, national ID card, papers issued by the state government, utility bills and tax statements. The verification procedure takes into account documents with an original photo of the user, so that a foolproof identity verification could be carried out, and the risk of potential impersonation be eliminated.

How Does it Work?

A document verification procedure comprises three fundamental steps which are listed below:

Submitting User Information
The document verification solution prompts the user to submit a photo of their identity document by scanning it through their webcam or smartphone camera. The system at the back-end receives input from the user in the form of an image of the document with their photo on it. The user also submits a selfie of their face for further verification of identity.

Evaluation of Credentials
The user submissions are put through a series of checks to determine if the information is genuine, and the document is original and not fake, compromised or altered. Then, the photo on the document and the selfie submitted by the user are cross-checked to verify if they are similar.

Verification and Results
Upon successful evaluation of user credentials, the results regarding the validation of user identity are shared with the client.

Components of Document Verification

Document Authenticity

The document authenticity is verified against a set of parameters like holograms, rainbow prints, MRZ codes, document edges, tampering, and photoshopped information.

Here is a list of documents which are not validated in a document authentication process:

Illegitimate Documents

These types of documents are completely fake, not issued by any government authority and lack official stamps, holograms, and signatures.

False Documents

These documents belong to someone else and may be stolen physically or have been accessed through an electronic means. Fraudsters try to use these documents to bypass the system.

Modified Documents

The documents that are legal but are modified or photoshopped, for instance, someone changes the date of birth or address without government approval.

Identity Verification

The user’s information is verified by comparing the details on the identity document and matching them with the information provided by the user. This helps online businesses take down possible instances of identity fraud.

Significance of Document Verification

Automated Identification
Manual verifications of user identity has become an old thing. With digital document verification of the user’s identity, automated procedures can significantly save the cost and effort in sum.

Identity Theft Prevention

Online document verification helps businesses protect their customers’ identity from getting wrongly used by online scammers, and identity thieves and keeping them off of their platforms.

Remote Customer Onboarding

Remote verification of customer identity using document authentication is foolproof since it incorporates intelligent solutions to determine if the onboarding user is a potential threat or a safe customer.

KYC and AML Obligations
Document verification offers a solution to comply with Know Your Customers (KYC) and Anti Money Laundering (AML) obligations which are useful in preventing potential cybercrime.

Age Authentication
Verifying identity documents digitally can help age-exclusive service providers to ensure that their customers are above the appropriate age limit.

Which Industries can benefit?

Here are some industries which can use document verification to streamline their operations:

• E-commerce stores
• Insurance firms
• Healthcare industry
• Real Estate businesses
• Banking institutes
• Cryptocurrency exchanges
• Sharing economy
• Travel industry
• Legal sector