Identity verification is the act of ensuring that you are who you say you are when interacting with someone or something digitally. It's essential to safeguarding your personal information and making sure that other people aren't able to access your accounts and personal data without your permission. It's especially important to understand identity verification in today's world when many websites are advertising to be the best fake ID websites. Learn more about the six reasons why identity verification is important in the digital world today.
6 Reasons Why Identity Verification is Important in the Digital World
1) User accounts are valuable
It's important that we recognize how valuable our identity information really is. The personal information you give out-your name, address, date of birth-is not just being used to personalise your customer experience; it's being stored for potential future use. With services like Gmail, Google Maps, and Facebook, among others, keeping your social media accounts up-to-date helps keep them from becoming obsolete as companies release newer versions of their products. However, most users don't realise that data about their activities are being compiled for commercial purposes.
2) Phishing attempts are scary
We've all had that moment when we look at our bank account and wonder how those charges got there, but we can thank identity thieves for those unauthorised purchases. Criminals are always finding new ways to scam consumers. It may seem impossible to keep your information safe in a digital world with so many threats out there, but it's important to remember that you can take steps to protect yourself online. One of these ways includes having strong security controls on every device connected to your network; taking advantage of enterprise-grade software tools such as identity verification solutions that are offered by leading companies such as Symantec and Siteminder; and setting up 2-factor authentication on accounts like social media, online banking, and email.
3) Your data isn't just your data
It's other people's data, too. When you protect your online identity with a password manager, nobody else has access to your personal information-including hackers who can crack passwords and steal important accounts or access to financial or medical information. There's also a psychological benefit to knowing that only you have access to your digital accounts: You'll be less stressed out when it comes time to remember that password. It might seem like an unnecessary step, but an identity-verification tool is a simple way of keeping track of all those valuable passwords and making sure they're more secure than any single one of them on its own. With programs like these, there's no reason not to keep all your passwords safe.
4) Users need a security check-up
All too often we hear about data breaches, with large corporations and banks at risk of having private information like credit card numbers stolen. On a more personal level, it's not uncommon for a hacker to guess an email or password combination and access a person's inbox-and sometimes even their bank account. Our use of digital accounts (everything from shopping to social media) make us vulnerable to identity theft and financial fraud. To combat that, users need to be sure they're doing everything they can to secure their identity online. One key way? By verifying our identity whenever possible.
5) Increase customer trust and sales
According to a study from Experian, 42% of consumers said they wouldn't complete a transaction if personal information was missing. It's clear that business owners and online marketplaces must verify their customers' identities-which will help increase sales and customer trust. If you're looking for another reason why identity verification is important in today's digital world, just think about your company's reputation: if you don't take measures to prevent identity theft and cybercrime, it can end up harming your brand more than helping it. With increased risk comes increased cost. While cybercriminals may be quick to operate anonymously, businesses cannot afford high-profile breaches or security concerns; only effective identity verification can ensure peace of mind for all parties involved.
6) Reduce online fraud
The Internet and digital media have evolved into a ubiquitous, seamless part of our lives-but they're also prime breeding grounds for fraud. In fact, nearly a quarter of Americans have been victimised by identity theft, and that figure goes up to as high as 30 percent among Millennials. A solid approach to identity verification can help you cut down on online scams and other attempts at fraud because it requires users to provide proof that they are who they say they are when signing up for accounts, making purchases or completing other transactions. Because these sensitive details (credit card information, Social Security numbers) aren't handed out lightly, customers know their data is more secure with you if you implement an effective system for identity verification.
