Identity confirmation is a necessary process for accessing many online services. However, you may encounter issues that prevent you from successfully confirming your identity online. The most common reasons why you may be unable to confirm your identity online include:
You don’t have the required documents
To confirm your identity, you usually need to provide official photo ID like a driver’s license, passport or other government-issued ID. If you don’t have these documents due to loss, theft or other reasons, you won’t be able to complete online identity confirmation.
Your documents are expired
Most services require your ID to be current and unexpired. If your driver’s license or passport has expired, it likely won’t be accepted for online identity verification. You’ll need to renew your documents before attempting to confirm your identity again.
Your name doesn’t match exactly
For identity confirmation, your full legal name needs to match what is listed on your official documents. Even small differences like a missing middle initial or maiden name versus married name can cause issues. Make sure you enter your name exactly as it appears on your photo ID.
You input information incorrectly
When entering details like your name, birthdate, ID number and so on, it’s important to input everything precisely as it appears on your documents. Typos and other errors can lead to failure to match your information against records, resulting in being unable to confirm your identity online.
You don’t have required supplemental documentation
Some identity confirmation services may require additional documentation beyond just a photo ID, like proof of address or a social security card. If you attempt the process without having all the right supplemental documents on hand, you may not be able to complete the confirmation.
The photos or scans are poor quality
To verify photo IDs, services need a clear, high-quality image of your full document. Blurry, distorted or partial photos often fail to authenticate. Make sure to take a direct, well-lit, in-focus photo or scan of your entire ID page before uploading.
Your address history has inconsistencies
Part of identity confirmation may involve verifying your address history based on records. If you’ve moved around extensively, records may show gaps or variations in spellings for your previous addresses. These inconsistencies can sometimes lead to failure to confirm identity.
You’re unable to complete supplementary quizzes or questions
Some services pose additional quizzes about your history, like questions about previous addresses, cars owned or relatives. If you make mistakes answering these questions, designed to further validate identity, you may be unable to proceed with confirmation.
You have limited credit history
Identity confirmation procedures often perform background checks using credit reports and similar records. People with very little credit history may get flagged as unverifiable if insufficient data exists to corroborate identity.
You have no digital footprint or records
Nowadays, identity confirmation typically involves cross-referencing across many databases and digital services to verify someone. If you have almost no online presence or records tied to you, this can present challenges for confirmation.
You have a fraud flag or alert
If you have been victim of identity theft or have an active fraud alert on your name, this can interfere with the identity confirmation process. You may need to resolve any fraud issues before being able to confirm identity.
You’re unable to speak with a live representative
In some cases, the automated online identity confirmation runs into issues that require escalation to a human representative. Problems occur if you are unable to reach a live person for assistance in completing the verification process.
Your device is inconsistent or compromised
Services look for consistent device usage patterns as part of identity confirmation. If you attempt confirmation from an unusual device or IP address, it may trigger fraud prevention measures. Likewise, breached devices or networks may result in blocks on identity verification.
You input details too rapidly
To prevent automation and bot abuse, identity confirmation services sometimes look for natural typing cadence when entering details like social security number. If you copy-paste or auto-fill information, it may get flagged as potential fraud.
You don’t have required hardware like a webcam
Certain advanced identity confirmation procedures require uploading live selfies or recording videos. If you attempt these from a device lacking a webcam, microphone or similar hardware, you won’t be able to complete the enhanced verification process.
You fail to install required apps or plugins
Some services depend on browser plugins, mobile apps or other software as part of their enhanced identity confirmation process. If you’re unable or unwilling to install these tools, it can prevent you from confirming identity on those platforms.
You run into technical errors
Sometimes there may be site outages, bugs or other technical issues that interfere with identity confirmation. Network errors or software failures during the process can prevent verification from completing successfully.
Your biometrics don’t match
Services that utilize biometrics like facial or fingerprint scanning as part of their identity confirmation rely on matching your biometrics to reference data on file. If the biometrics you provide fail to find a close enough match, it will fail the confirmation process.
You don’t meet age requirements
Most online identity confirmation procedures have minimum age requirements, typically 18 years old in most jurisdictions. Attempting to confirm identity online before meeting age requirements will result in failure.
| Reason | Solution |
|---|---|
| You don’t have the required documents | Obtain valid photo ID like a driver’s license or passport |
| Your documents are expired | Renew your identity documents to get current unexpired ones |
| Your name doesn’t match exactly | Make sure to enter your name precisely as it appears on your documents |
| You input information incorrectly | Double check all entered information matches your documents |
| You don’t have required supplemental documentation | Have all needed documents like proof of address on hand before starting |
| The photos or scans are poor quality | Take clear in-focus pictures of your full ID document |
| Your address history has inconsistencies | Update records to standardize spellings and fill any gaps |
| You’re unable to complete supplementary quizzes or questions | Research details like previous addresses to correctly answer quiz questions |
| You have limited credit history | Build up credit history by opening accounts and making on-time payments before attempting confirmation |
| You have no digital footprint or records | Create online accounts and build up digital presence for 6-12 months prior to confirmation |
| You have a fraud flag or alert | Resolve any identity theft or fraud issues before confirmation |
| You’re unable to speak with a live representative | Use automated phone trees or online chat to reach a human for help completing verification |
| Your device is inconsistent or compromised | Confirm identity from a known safe personal device on a secure network |
| You input details too rapidly | Enter details carefully at natural human cadence to avoid fraud triggers |
| You don’t have required hardware like a webcam | Confirm identity from a device with all necessary hardware components |
| You fail to install required apps or plugins | Allow and complete installation of any required software for identity confirmation |
| You run into technical errors | Troubleshoot or wait out any temporary technical issues, or try a different device/network |
| Your biometrics don’t match | Update biometric data like facial scans to ensure an accurate match |
| You don’t meet age requirements | Wait until you meet the minimum age requirements for identity confirmation |
Check for common issues before starting identity confirmation
Many roadblocks during identity confirmation can be avoided by taking some proactive steps beforehand:
- Make sure you have proper valid government-issued photo ID
- Check that your ID and other documents are current and unexpired
- Ensure your name, address and other details are consistent across different accounts and records
- Take high quality digital copies of your documents for uploading
- Confirm any hardware, software or other requirements in advance
- Use a personal device on a secure network you have safely used before
Take your time and carefully enter details when confirming identity
Going slowly and precisely when inputting personal information can help avoid issues:
- Triple check names, numbers and other data against your documents
- Manually type inputs at natural human typing speed
- Follow instructions exactly and provide all requested documentation
- If asked for supplemental info, research details so answers are accurate
Leverage alternatives if online identity confirmation fails
If you are absolutely unable to confirm identity online, there are some alternatives to explore:
- Try third-party identity confirmation services that utilize different verification procedures
- Contact the organization directly to mail physical documents for manual verification
- Seek help verifying your identity from someone able to confirm it in-person
- Visit physical branch locations that can perform in-person identity checks
Build up your identity footprint and history over time
Those with very limited identity footprints may need to take gradual steps to strengthen their profile:
- Obtain a credit card and make small purchases paid on time to start establishing positive credit history
- Open accounts with utilities, rental services and other regular bills paid via bank accounts
- Register for loyalty programs, mailing lists and other services tied to your identity
- Create profiles on social media, review sites and forums to increase online presence
- Ensure all profiles use the proper legal name, date of birth and other consistent identity details
Building up your digital footprint over several months can help strengthen identity confirmation success when needed for important services.
Conclusion
Identity confirmation is a crucial process for accessing many key services, but can pose challenges in certain situations. By understanding the potential roadblocks, taking proactive preparation steps, carefully following procedures and leveraging alternative options, you can overcome difficulties confirming identity online. Building up your identity history and digital footprint over time also helps improve success validating your identity when needed.