ID.me launches new digital identity initiatives in Louisiana, USPTO partnership rumored

ID.me has reportedly begun new partnerships and initiatives to support secure benefits payments with digital identity solutions and improve the intellectual property application process in the U.S. with biometrics.

The first one is with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and will see ID.me provide the biometric technology to verify trademark users, according to World Trademark Review.

I am told it is a one-time authentication feature,” Culhane Meadows partner Kevin Grierson told WTR. “Hopefully that means you verify your account with the USPTO once and you never have to do it again, but we’ll see.”

The pilot program, which details have not yet been announced, will aim to reduce fraud and protect the integrity of the U.S. trademark register.

ID.me’s verification platform works by asking users to take a photo of their chosen ID, then a separate one of them holding a specific verification number.

Once the user identity is verified, it can then be used to access specific online services without having to repeat the authentication process every time.

According to WTR, additional details about the upcoming USPTO ID verification system will be available in the next few weeks.

LWC deploys ID.me to combat fraud

The Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC) has partnered with ID.me to step up its efforts in combating unemployment identity theft, KLFY reports.

All unemployment claims filed via LWC’s HiRE online portal from May 5 incorporate ID.me’s digital identity verification technology, adding an extra layer of security to the existing online registration process.

“Verifying the identity of the person filing for unemployment at the start will help speed the overall claim review and approval process, while also ensuring that any benefits paid go to the right person,” commented LWC Secretary Ava Cates.

According to ID.me, the verification process takes under five minutes for 85 percent of users. For those experiencing technical issues, the company has also made available a team of video chat representatives to assist with the verification process.

ID.me’s deployment in Colorado showcases ID verification issues

Several individuals in Colorado have been struggling to verify their identity using the ID.me online platform, according to Denver Post.

The U.S. state started using the biometric verification platform earlier this year after the Department of Labor called for more stringent measures to combat a sudden increase in unemployment claims’ fraud attempts.

Despite reducing the incidence of identity theft on the process, however, the new data also seems to indicate that several legitimate claimants appear to be stopped from completing the ID.me registration process despite having the correct documentation.

Still, according to Phil Spesshardt, who oversees the state’s unemployment insurance program, ID.me is at least reducing fraud rates, making sure state funds go to legitimate claimants.

“ID.me is forcing individuals to go through a biometric process, one that ID.me continues to adjust,” he said. “We can find no other product out there right now that we believe is as effective.”

However, Blake Hall, CEO, and co-founder of ID.me, did admit this is a problematic situation for governments.

“States are being caught in this really tough position. They can either pay those (fake) claims or make video chat times higher and cut out the fraud,” he told DP.

Article Topics

authentication  |  biometrics  |  digital identity  |  fraud prevention  |  government purchasing  |  ID.me  |  identity document  |  identity verification  |  Louisiana