Independent coverage of how identity is verified online, across every industry: the technology, the fraud it stops, the rules that govern it, and what it means for your privacy.
When a ride-hailing driver or courier account changes hands, the person completing the job may not be the person a platform screened. Closing that gap requires stronger checks, but those systems can also put legitimate workers at risk of error and opaque suspension.
PrivacyThe Federal Trade Commission’s revised COPPA rule sharpens limits on children’s data and raises a practical question for platforms: how can they check age without building new pools of sensitive information about young users?
TechnologyBehavioural biometrics assesses the way a person interacts with a device, from typing cadence to swipe paths. It can add a quiet layer of fraud defense, but its accuracy, accessibility and privacy trade-offs need close scrutiny.
Fraud & ThreatsA phone number is useful for reaching people, but it is a poor standalone credential. SIM swaps exploit that mismatch, turning mobile account takeover into access to email, banking and other services that rely on texted codes.
Regulation & PolicyThe EU AI Act draws a consequential line for identity verification: one-to-one checks are generally not high-risk, while systems that identify people at a distance face stricter controls. GDPR and other obligations remain central.
Industry MovesSince June 2023, the US INFORM Consumers Act has required online marketplaces to verify key details for high-volume third-party sellers. The law brings identity verification into routine e-commerce operations while leaving important enforcement questions to regulators and courts.
PrivacyA verification selfie is not simply compared with an ID and discarded. Its path depends on the business requesting the check, the vendor running it, contractual retention settings and laws that may require records to be kept or deleted.
TechnologyDevice fingerprinting can help identity systems recognise patterns across sessions without relying on cookies. Its value lies in risk assessment, not in proving who is behind a screen.
Fraud & ThreatsMoney mule schemes turn legitimate bank accounts into temporary channels for stolen money. Because the account holder’s identity is genuine, the most important warning signs often emerge only after onboarding.
Regulation & PolicyREAL ID enforcement has changed the documents many US travelers need at airport security and certain federal sites. The law does not create a national ID or replace passports, but it raises the baseline for state-issued identity cards used in federal contexts.
Fraud & ThreatsUK payment firms have had to reimburse many victims of authorised push payment fraud since October 2024. By splitting the cost between the sending and receiving firms, the regime puts new financial weight behind controls against mule accounts.
Regulation & PolicyThe EU’s new Anti-Money Laundering Authority, or AMLA, is designed to make enforcement more consistent across the single market. Its biggest near-term effect for most businesses will come from a unified AML rulebook, including more harmonised customer due diligence requirements.
Regulation & PolicyA fake ID is not automatically a felony in the United States. The result depends on the state, the document, the conduct and the intent, with consequences that can extend well beyond a fine or jail term.
Identity verification is the process of establishing that a person is who they claim to be. It combines evidence, checks and risk decisions to help organizations prevent fraud, meet obligations and provide services safely.
KYC verifies individual customers, KYB verifies businesses and their owners, and AML is the wider legal framework for detecting and preventing illicit finance.
Online identity verification combines document analysis, biometric checks and screening data to decide whether a person is likely genuine and eligible for a service. The exact steps vary by provider, country, risk level and the document presented.
Onboarding verifies who a customer is at the start of a relationship. Ongoing verification keeps that identity, risk profile and activity under review as circumstances and threats change.
NIST Special Publication 800-63 separates confidence in a person’s identity, their login method and federated sign-in transactions. Its assurance levels help organizations match verification and authentication controls to the harm a mistaken decision could cause.
KYB, or Know Your Business, verifies that a company is legitimate and identifies the people who own or control it. It is a core anti-money laundering control for regulated firms onboarding business customers.
Identity verification is a core control for banks, payment firms and fintechs. It must satisfy financial-crime rules while keeping legitimate customers moving through onboarding and account use.
Identity verification is now a core compliance function for much of the crypto market, especially where platforms exchange crypto for money, hold customer assets or facilitate transfers. It remains contested in a sector built around self-custody, pseudonymous addresses and open networks.
Identity verification in insurance supports accurate underwriting, compliant financial-crime controls and legitimate claims payments. Effective programmes apply proportionate checks across the policy lifecycle, while limiting collection and retention of sensitive data.
Identity verification in iGaming combines age checks, customer identity verification and financial-crime controls, but the required timing and depth vary sharply by jurisdiction. Operators must reduce fraud and harm without creating sign-up flows that drive legitimate customers away.