An ID check ensures that there is a real person behind a process and proves that they are who they claim to be. This prevents anyone from carrying out a process on other people’s behalf without authorisation, creating false identities, or committing fraud.
There are several methods and systems of carrying out offline and online ID check services. This means the ID verification process can be carried out in different ways depending on the channel and the way the method is used.
For the traditional face-to-face process, an individual must present him or herself personally and physically at the company’s location (store, branch, commercial office, etc), institution (tax agency, employment service…), or organisation.
Once there, they need to hand over their identity document to a worker or agent (passport, drivers’ license, or equivalent) for them to verify that the ID picture (in most cases visually) matches the person who is handling the document.
If according to the agent both match with each other, the identity check is successful. To complete the process, the agent may make a copy of the ID, make the individual fill a document, and make all the control procedures the agent or the company deem necessary to verify their identity.
If the verification process is completed successfully, the identified user is finally ready to carry on with their arrangements.
Online, the process had to be adapted since there were some digital challenges the digital identity verification system solutions had to overcome.
Opposite to offline, in the online world, there are no physical places to go to. Neither some agents can physically verify users’, ID in hand, to check its soundness.
Thankfully, nowadays most online ID verification solutions can safely and accurately carry out global verification and identity checks online for users and companies all around the world, with even greater legitimacy than the traditional process.