Socure makes the case for advanced biometric digital identity verification

Socure continues its campaign to call attention to ID fraud risk and the best mitigation strategies. Its latest moves include a post in Government Technology looking at the escalation of digital identity fraud in state government pension programs, and a compliance win for its Socure For Government (SocureGov) biometric digital identity verification platform.

SocureGov achieves “Moderate” authorization from FedRAMP

A release says the government-wide Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) has awarded SocureGov a “Moderate” authorization designation. FedRAMP promotes the adoption of secure cloud services across the federal government, providing a standardized approach to security and risk assessment for cloud tech and federal agencies.

Speaking like a man on a mission about the achievement, Jordan Burris, head of public sector at Socure, says “we stand at a defining moment in identity and fraud prevention – an inflection point where complacency is no longer an option. The adversaries are advancing, but so are we. With Socure achieving FedRAMP authorization, federal agencies now have the power to take the fight to them, leveraging the most advanced identity verification technology to protect our nation and eliminate taxpayer fraud losses. The time to act is now.”

The SocureGov biometric IDV platform offers auto-approval of more eligible individuals (99 percent for mainstream populations, and up to 94 percent for hard-to-identify populations including Gen Z, millennials and new-to-country individuals), more effective fraud prevention, reduction of manual reviews, unnecessary video referee costs and fraud response times, and a fully automated document verification predictive analytics platform to process identity verification for the roughly one percent of the population who can’t get verified automatically.

Socure, which is now being used by more than 34 U.S. state agencies and 3 federal agencies, says the FedRAMP milestone underscores its “ongoing commitment to scaling public sector adoption of accurate digital identity verification that combats fraud and keeps federal, state, and local information secure.”

I pay dead people: Socure digs into issue of state government pension fraud

On the question of fraud within state government pension programs, the firm is equally vigilant. It has published a brief on the matter, and its sponsored post says the issue poses a significant threat to the financial health of programs that provide financial security and stability to retired public employees.

“As state government pension programs transition into the digital era, the conveniences of technology bring with them a new and alarming challenge,” it says. “According to the FBI, elder fraud cases, which include pension fraud, increased by 84 percent in 2022, with total losses valued in the tens of billions of dollars.”

“Governments must act, as there is an imperative need for enhanced identity verification measures to safeguard the financial well-being of retirees.”

Socure suggests heightened identity verification measures that take a pre-emptive approach. Its platform boasts 98 percent auto-approval rates for legitimate transactions, promising a dramatic reduction in false positives and manual reviews and a “substantial decrease in identity fraud.”

Moreover, its system doesn’t just protect the elderly. It also accounts for payments to those who might be considered “post-elderly.”

“Another key aspect at the heart of preventing these types of losses is the critical task of verifying the death status of pension recipients,” says the post. “The challenge is non-trivial; pension funds globally are vast and complex, making them attractive targets for fraudsters. One key aspect of their vulnerability lies in the lack of timely updating of beneficiary death records. Delays or inaccuracies in this data can result in significant financial loss.”

Socure’s AI and machine learning factors in traditional death records, but also non-traditional data like online behavior and biometric markers, to make sure pensions are only paid to living annuitants.

The firm says that “by implementing advanced security measures, raising awareness, and fostering a culture of cyber resilience, we can ensure that retirees’ financial well-being is protected and that state government pension programs remain trustworthy pillars of support for those who have dedicated their careers to public service.”

Five pillars for reform could reshape digital ID verification, says Socure’s Burris

Jordan Burris has also weighed in on the priorities of the current U.S. government’s Department of Governmental Efficiency, or DOGE. Burris’ argument for Federal News Network is that the shifty department led by billionaire mandarin Elon Musk has a real opportunity to transform identity verification and eliminate identity fraud in a way that the Biden administration couldn’t.

“By adopting a measurable, unified approach to digital identity verification,” Burris says, “the U.S. will be positioned to end the bleeding by saving American taxpayers huge amounts in fraud losses while simultaneously setting a tone for changing the global discourse on digital identity security, trust and innovation.”

Burris believes that “as the Department of Government Efficiency looks for solutions to make government more efficient, it should start with tackling identity fraud.” He lays out five critical pillars for reform:

First, designate digital identity as critical infrastructure. “This designation would lead to policies that integrate digital identity into the National Cybersecurity Strategy and create a comprehensive, multi-layered approach to verification.”

Second, develop a national digital identity strategy that “sets standards for interoperability, consistency and security across sectors.”

Third, mandate transparent and measurable performance metrics. “Government and private-sector identity providers must be held accountable for the services they offer. This can be achieved through standardized performance reporting that tracks metrics such as fraud prevention, customer satisfaction and system reliability.”

Fourth, establish a digital identity task force within the Executive Office of the President, to “bring together government agencies, financial institutions, law enforcement and private-sector partners to coordinate efforts in identifying and preventing fraud.”

Fifth, and finally, the administration should harness the power of innovation to combat digital threats. “The Trump Administration must prioritize the use of AI in identity verification systems, ensuring that cutting-edge tools are deployed to protect citizens and combat fraud in real time.

Investing in AI technologies, fostering innovation and developing a skilled workforce will position the U.S. at the forefront of digital security.”

All reasonable advice, from a digital identity perspective, to the administration and its notorious efficiency unit.

The best way for DOGE to promote secure identity verification, however, might be to cease its activities altogether. The unit has raised ample concerns among civil rights groups, who worry its campaign to collect the sensitive and private personal information of millions of Americans could lead to a privacy disaster. In mid-March, a federal judge temporarily blocked DOGE from accessing masses of data in Social Security Administration systems, amid heightened fears that it intends to dismantle the U.S. Social Security net.

The SSA recently backpaddled on a plan to overhaul its own identity verification procedures.

Regardless of all the uncertainty, Burris – who served as chief of staff to the federal CIO during the first Trump administration – remains bullish. “The Trump Administration has an opportunity to set the standard for the world,” he says, “ensuring that Americans can interact with government services and America can build a digital identity ecosystem that is secure, trusted and future-proofed.”

Article Topics

biometrics  |  digital identity  |  document verification  |  fraud prevention  |  ID verification  |  identity verification  |  selfie biometrics  |  Socure  |  synthetic identity fraud  |  U.S. Government