Onfido

Onfido

Onfido is an AI-powered identity verification and authentication platform designed to help businesses confirm the real identities of their users. It leverages advanced machine learning and biometric technology to verify a person’s identity using a photo-based identity document and a selfie, aiming to prevent fraud, meet regulatory compliance, and provide a seamless onboarding experience.

 

Key Features & Capabilities

• Document Verification: Automatically analyzes government-issued identity documents (passports, driver’s licenses, ID cards) for authenticity, detecting tampering and ensuring their validity.
• Biometric Verification (Facial Similarity): Compares a user’s live selfie or video to the photo on their identity document to confirm the person is the genuine owner and not a spoofing attempt (e.g., deepfakes).
• Liveness Detection: Employs advanced techniques to ensure the person providing the selfie is physically present and not using a static image, video, or mask.
• Fraud Detection Signals: Utilizes various passive and active signals, including device intelligence and behavioral biometrics, to identify sophisticated fraud attempts.
• Trusted Data Source Verifications (KYC/AML): Cross-references applicant details against a range of verified databases, including sanctions lists, Politically Exposed Persons (PEP) lists, and adverse media, to meet Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations.
• Onfido Studio (No-Code Workflows): Allows businesses to build and customize flexible identity verification workflows using a drag-and-drop interface, adapting to specific needs and global compliance requirements.
• Smart Capture SDKs: Provides easy-to-integrate Software Development Kits (SDKs) for mobile and web applications, guiding users through a secure and accessible document and face capture process.
• Predictive Analytics & Reporting: Offers insights into verification outcomes, fraud trends, and user conversion rates, helping businesses optimize their onboarding processes.

 

How to Use Onfido

Onfido is primarily a B2B service, meaning businesses integrate Onfido’s technology into their own applications or websites. For an end-user completing a verification, the process typically involves:

1. Initiate Verification: The business (e.g., a bank, a sharing economy app) sends the user a secure link or prompts them within their app to start the Onfido verification.
2. Select ID Type & Country: The user selects the type of identity document they will use (e.g., passport, driver’s license) and the country that issued it.
3. Capture ID Document: The user takes clear photos of the front and back of their identity document using their device’s camera, guided by on-screen instructions.
4. Capture Selfie/Video Selfie: The user takes a live selfie or a short video selfie, following prompts to ensure proper liveness detection.
5. Submit for Verification: The captured documents and biometrics are securely uploaded to Onfido for automated analysis.
6. Receive Result: Onfido processes the data, and the business receives a verification result (e.g., “clear,” “consider,” or “unverified”) typically within seconds.

Common Use Cases for Onfido

• User Onboarding: Streamlining the sign-up process for new customers in financial services, fintech, crypto exchanges, and other digital platforms by quickly and securely verifying identities.
• Regulatory Compliance (KYC/AML): Helping businesses meet stringent anti-money laundering and know-your-customer regulations by performing comprehensive identity checks.
• Fraud Prevention: Protecting businesses from various types of identity fraud, including synthetic identities, stolen IDs, and account takeovers.
• Age Verification: Ensuring compliance for services that require age verification, such as online gaming, alcohol delivery, or adult content platforms.
• Sharing Economy & Gig Economy: Verifying the identity of drivers, renters, and service providers to build trust and ensure safety within peer-to-peer platforms.
• Workforce Identity: Expediting background checks and identity verification for new employees or contractors in various industries.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is Onfido?

A: Onfido is an AI-powered identity verification platform that uses document and biometric analysis to confirm a person’s identity for businesses.

Q: How does Onfido use AI?

A: Onfido uses AI for automated document analysis, facial similarity comparisons, liveness detection, fraud signal detection, and building intelligent verification workflows.

Q: Is Onfido easy to use for the end-user?

A: Onfido aims to provide a simple and intuitive user experience through its Smart Capture SDKs, guiding users through the document and selfie capture process.

Q: What are the benefits of using Onfido for businesses?

A: Benefits include faster customer onboarding, enhanced fraud prevention, improved regulatory compliance, reduced manual review times, and a better user experience.

Q: Does Onfido verify identities globally?

A: Yes, Onfido supports identity document verification from a wide range of countries and regions globally, helping businesses onboard users from diverse locations.

Q: Can Onfido detect deepfakes?

A: Yes, Onfido incorporates advanced liveness detection technologies to identify and prevent sophisticated spoofing attempts, including those involving deepfakes.

Q: Is Onfido suitable for small businesses?

A: While Onfido serves a wide range of enterprises, its scalable solutions can be adopted by businesses of various sizes that require robust identity verification.

Q: What kind of support does Onfido offer?

A: Onfido offers comprehensive documentation, developer guides for integration, and customer support channels to assist businesses with their implementation and ongoing needs.