Supported identity verification checks
The different verification checks supported by Falu Identity
Presently, you can perform four types of identity verification checks using Falu Identity: document, document plus selfie, document plus video, and ID number.
The four require particular information from the user and have varying verification flow experiences. By default, all four can be initiated through the Dashboard and the Falu Identity Verifications API.
Document checks
Document checks by Falu Identity allow you to verify the authenticity of government-issued identity documents. Presently, you can verify national identification (ID) cards issued in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Falu Identity uses a combination of machine learning models and automated heuristic analysis to establish the authenticity of these documents.
Document checks using passports and driving licences are currently under beta testing.
A typical document verification flows as follows:
- A user supplies high-definition pictures of the front and back of their document.
- Falu Identity employs machine learning models to capture the document and its details.
- A check of the document's internal and external consistency is done to identify potential discrepancies.
- The captured details are checked against various identity databases to identify authentic documents.
- Falu Identity generates a successful verification or error report depending on the result of (4).
Falu Identity further uses computer vision and machine learning algorithms to prevent presentation attacks, in which a fraudster uses pictures of stolen documents to pose as an authentic user.
Document checks can also be paired with either selfie or video to add an extra layer of verification for your users.
Document plus selfie checks
Document checks alone provide a defense against the use of fraudulent identity documents. However, fraudsters can still access legitimate stolen documents and, in doing so, bypass your verification efforts. Falu Identity addresses this challenge by combining document with selfie checks, whereby users are required to upload their selfies alongside their documents.
Selfie checks look for distinguishing biological traits, such as face geometry, from a photo ID and a picture of your user’s face.
Falu Identity then uses advanced machine learning algorithms to establish a match between the face pictures in both the selfie and photo ID to determine whether they belong to the same person.
Document plus video checks
Similar to document plus selfie verifications, video checks look for biological traits from a photo ID and a video of your user’s face. This way, they also enable you to prevent the use of legitimate stolen documents.
As a user records the video, you can also request them to nod, blink, smile, turn left, or turn right as proof of life.
Additionally, you can specify a number between 100 and 999 (for example, 300), that the user should recite while recording their video.
ID number checks
ID number checks provide a seamless way to verify a user's name, date of birth, and national ID number.
Falu Identity pulls data from various data sources such as government-issued databases to verify a provided ID number.