New: face to face VOI checks but via video link

New video technology to combat identity fraud

Lawyers now have access to a remote verification of identity (VOI) solution that securely emulates face to face identify checks using video technology.

This solution comes at a time when lawyers need to prepare for a potential uptick in synthetic identity fraud attacks and the registration of fraudulent property transactions. Whilst ARNECC’s Model Participation Rules offers a VOI standard, a lot is left to the lawyer’s discretion to take reasonable steps when it comes to identifying remote clients.

InfoTrack’s CEO, John Ahern says “the goal of this new video technology is to help reduce the risk of identity fraud. It has been designed to give lawyers an added layer of identity checks for clients they can’t meet with in person by emulating face to face checks using a video recording from their client.”

The video feature works alongside three other key features:

1. facial recognition of a client photograph against acceptable identity documents;
2. optical character recognition of document data, and
3. comparison of client’s identity information against a government record.

Based on InfoTrack’s WebVOI Transactions from January through to September 2019, 50% of lawyers have been using technology to verify their clients remotely instead of in-person or via an agent.

Mr Ahern goes onto say that “this growing trend and increased confidence to use technology driven VOI for remote client identity checks is creating new opportunities for the legal industry. Tools like WebVOI enable lawyers to verify their client’s identity to varying degrees, whatever their needs.”

Lawyers and conveyancers will have an opportunity to try WebVOI for the first time, at no charge, from 1 December through to 31 January.

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