ID.me, Sterling partner to offer in-person identity verification for gov services

A partnership between biometric verification company ID.me and background check specialist Sterling Check, operator of Sterling Identity, sees New Jersey becoming the first state to offer secure, in-person identity verification to create a login for government services, according to a joint announcement.

The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) intends the service to improve access and equity to online service provision by aiding those without the technology, connectivity or digital skills to navigate the otherwise fully online onboarding system.

The service will be available in retail settings to make it easily accessible. Identity verification is required by the state to obtain unemployment benefits and once a login is created, it can be used for accessing other government services. The Federal Trade Commission has reported an almost 3,000 percent increase in identity fraud in welfare claims during the pandemic.

The Internal Revenue Service verification process has also been upgraded through a partnership with ID.me, allowing more people to verify their identity to access services such as managing Child Tax Credits.

ID.me adds 1,400 staff in 2021

In less than 12 months, ID.me has added 1,400 new staff, reports Technical.ly as it reaches 64 million members and a $1.5 billion valuation.

In an interview with Technical.ly, VP of engineering at ID.me, Alexei Czekis, said new candidates had been drawn by the firm’s identity, mission and the impact that personal security can have. The firm hires generalists for most roles but looks for top specialists for areas such as AI, security, cloud-computing and machine learning.

Article Topics

access management  |  biometrics  |  digital identity  |  fraud prevention  |  government services  |  ID.me  |  identity verification  |  Sterling Check  |  Sterling Identity  |  U.S. Government