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other information.
Here’s a typical example: Beneficiaries
first enter their identity information
on their smartphones,
then photo-capture an identity
document like a driver license in
the same way mobile banking deposit
apps capture images of checks.
Next, a selfie image is captured and
presented alongside the identity
document for visual verification.
The agency’s data records verify if
the person exists and that the data
they provided matches their own.
The apps can also verify that the
mobile device or the user’s identity
is not associated with previous
fraud attempts. They can be configured
to determine if the IP address
is outside the U.S., or if the Social
Security number has been used on
multiple applications. The apps can
also generate a one-time identity
quiz or a one-time password for access.
These multiple layers can on the
smartphone front-end can also be
reinforced on the back-end by leveraging
identity repositories to further
ensure that people applying
for benefits are indeed who they
claim to be. And when beneficiary
data is shared between states,
authentication is even more
powerful. States can better identify
fraudsters who move their criminal
activities from one state to another.
Wrapping up
Using selfies as part of a multi-layer
identity authentication approach
has one huge advantage: it’s easy
and people are comfortable with it.
A majority of U.S. adults now sport
smartphones, and the vanity-inducing
nature of social media has made
posting selfies part of the cultural
fabric. It offers less “friction” when
it comes to widespread user adoption.
As identity fraud in benefits programs
increases, agencies can maintain
program integrity by using
selfie-driven multi-layered authen-
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tication to verify beneficiary identities
and keep the crooks at bay.
Agencies should also consider expanding
beyond traditional departmental
data to leverage information
from other government agencies
and third-party external sources. It
is perhaps our best option for bringing
back the reliability of face-toface
engagement with beneficiaries.
Monty Faidley is Director of Health
and Human Services and Special
Investigative Unit with LexisNexis
Risk Solutions. He may be reached at
monty.faidley@lexisnexis.com.