One in 10 New Zealanders have a voiceprint

According to the Inland Revenue service, New Zealand’s tax-collection agency, over 400,000 people have registered since last November to use a voiceprint system that confirms their identity.

When it launched the system, Inland Revenue said it had a target of persuading 800,000 people to sign up in its first year.

The system enables customers to check the balance of their Inland Revenue accounts, receive child support information, track their tax refund, retrieve their Inland Revenue identification number, activate their online services account and reset passwords and update bank account details, even if they call outside of business hours.

“Voice ID matches a customer’s voice against their pre-recorded voice print. This means that customers do not have to answer a series of identity questions and they no longer have to use their PIN and password system when they contact us,” said Eleanor Young, Group Manager of Customer Services ay Inland Revenue. “Like fingerprints, everyone’s voice is unique to the individual, and we can use it to verify their identification when they phone us. Because each voice print is unique, Voice ID is extremely secure”

Young also noted: “Not only has Voice ID overtaken our PIN system already, feedback from our customers is very positive, and this is reflected in the growing number of people using the service. Inland Revenue is one of the largest organizations using Voice ID in Australia and New Zealand.”

Article Topics

financial services  |  government  |  identity management  |  secure identification  |  voice biometrics  |  voice recognition