Beyond frictionless KYC: how banks can counter deepfake biometrics 

Over the past six months, the fraud pattern of identity theft and deepfake facial manipulation has become difficult to ignore for financial institutions. “Real names, fake faces” appears to be trending.

• In March 2026, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service announced charges in a separate fraud scheme in which synthetic identities were used to open bank accounts under false names and funnel proceeds.  

• INTERPOL’s March 2026 global fraud assessment stated member countries are reporting an increase in AI-facilitated synthetic identity fraud.  

• Around the same time, a senior adversarial-intelligence leader at TD Bank demonstrated at the RSA Conference how low-cost AI toolkits and webcam plug-ins can be used to bypass live identity checks. 

• The World Economic Forum reported in 2026 that face-swapping and camera-injection tools advertised on darknet forums, Telegram channels, and social platforms increasingly claim the ability to bypass digital KYC checks.  

• In the Netherlands, police said in December 2025 that a suspect used stolen identity documents and deepfake facial manipulation to open 46 bank accounts in other people’s names.  

• In July 2025, Bank of Italy governor Fabio Panetta cited CERTFin data showing that fake current accounts opened online using deepfakes or false identities accounted for roughly 250 cases out of 500,000 new accounts. That may still sound like a small percentage, but it is a clear sign that AI-assisted account– opening fraud is booming. 

Banks should default to security-first customer onboarding  

This is not just a story about better fraud tools. It is about a design choice. For years, financial institutions have designed onboarding around speed, conversion and convenience. And it is understandable. Customers expect digital ease, making the onboarding experience a competitive edge, and at the same time, banks are under pressure to reduce abandonment and operating cost.  

But in high-trust environments, that design choice creates a dangerous trade-off: short-term customer experience gains at the expense of long-term identity assurance. 

A bank account is not a streaming subscription. It is a gateway into the financial system. Through it flow salaries, benefits, tax payments, credit, business transactions and, unfortunately, criminal proceeds. When the identity check at that gateway is too weak, the damage does not stop at one fraudulent onboarding. It spreads like a disease: mule-account networks, money laundering, first-party fraud and wider organized crime. 

Customer-owned AI Agents are coming 

And the challenge is about to become even more complex. Customer AI agents are still a novelty for a niche of nerds, but Gartner predicts that by end of 2029, 25% of total interactions between customers and their banks will be enabled by machine customers.  Banks will need to verify more than the document and the individual. They will also need to verify authority. 

Was this action initiated by the customer, by a customer-authorized AI agent, or by malicious automation impersonating either one? That raises new questions. What permissions were delegated, for which product, under which controls, and with which audit trail? In other words, the future of onboarding is not just about knowing who the customer is. It is also about knowing who, or what, is acting on that customer’s behalf. 

You may think that new digital onboarding solutions are the medicine, but the best verification has strong roots in actual and deterministic identity verification right at the start of the relationship. 

Digital-native does not automatically mean digital-only 

Now, we know that one of the more persistent assumptions is that younger customers want every interaction to be fully remote. That idea is becoming outdated. Digital-native customers may prefer mobile-first journeys for routine tasks, but Gartner sees a significant rise in preference for human reassurance and in-person contact when the moment carries financial or personal consequence. 

That matters here. Opening a bank account, establishing a new financial commitment or handing over the keys to one’s identity is not a low-stakes interaction. For some customers, especially those who grew up in the post-Covid period, a well-designed in-person verification step is not an inconvenience. It is a signal that the institution takes risk, identity and trust seriously. 

Strategic friction versus security theatre 

Many banks know that frictionlessness is not ideal and creates calculated points of friction. But there is a meaningful difference between strategic friction and the appearance of safety.  

True strategic friction – a branch visit, a human handoff, a delayed activation step or an escalation after a failed chip read – can increase assurance, deter abuse and make customers feel appropriately protected. But a lot of calculated friction is mostly cosmetic: a polished remote journey with extra clicks and reassuring language that still rests on weak underlying proof. 

Adding performative steps to make people feel safe, is like installing a big lock on a door that still has no wall around it. The goal should not be to make someone feel safe. It should be to make them safe. Trusted onboarding gives enough ease to stay usable, gives enough friction to signal seriousness, and enough assurance to stand up when someone actively tries to break the process. 

Why physical documents are the best identity safeguard 

A passport or national ID card is not just an image with a name and a face. It is a highly engineered security product. Governments and document manufacturers invest in overt and covert security features that are meant to be inspected through look, tilt and feel, not just through an uploaded image or a short video sequence. 

The moment a document is reduced to a photo, a scan or a selfie-based flow, many of its smartest defenses become harder to assess properly, or disappear from the process entirely. What gets verified is no longer the document itself, but a digital representation of it. That is precisely the environment in which deepfakes, synthetic documents and AI-assisted identity fraud thrive.

NFC chip authenticity does not equal identity certainty 

Some present NFC chip reading as the answer. It is not. NFC chips are certainly useful, and do raise the bar. When done correctly, chip reading can confirm that the data on the chip is authentic and issuer-signed, making it a meaningful addition to optical checks. But it does not prove that the physical document was legitimately obtained, or that the person presenting it is the rightful holder. Chip authenticity is simply not the same as identity certainty.  

Our own review of chip-fraud cases points to a second problem: process design. Fraudsters do not necessarily need to clone a chip to beat an NFC-enabled workflow. In many cases, the real opportunity lies in the exception path. If a chip is absent, damaged or unreadable and the process quietly falls back to weaker checks, the chip has not been defeated. The process has. That is why a non-read should be treated as a risk event and an escalation trigger, not as routine friction to be bypassed. 

Remote identification alone should not be the standard 

We are not arguing that digital onboarding should disappear. It has real value for accessibility, speed and scale. Device intelligence, session analysis, behavioural signals, NFC and document checks all have a role to play. But they should be treated as layers in an assurance model, not as proof that remote onboarding has become equivalent to physical verification. 

For the establishment of a new, high-trust relationship, especially opening a bank account, the original passport or ID card should once again be physically verified as a standard control. Not just for new customers, but maybe also for existing customers moving to higher-value and higher-risk products. 

That verification can happen in a branch, through trusted partner locations, or through regional verification points. What matters is the principle: the physical document, the physical person and the transaction context should be assessed together when the stakes are systemic. 

Fight identity fraud as a foundational risk 

Identity fraud is rarely a standalone offense. More often, it is the entry point for money laundering, mule-account networks, loan fraud and wider organized crime. That is why it should be treated as a foundational risk, not as a marginal inconvenience in the pursuit of frictionless customer onboarding. 

If financial institutions truly want to modernize onboarding and get ready for a future with i.e. Customer AI Agents, they should stop asking how to remove every last point of friction. The better question is where trust actually comes from, and which controls deserve to remain physical. Because in high-stakes systems, identity certainty should outweigh customer convenience. 

Author: Maickel van Ooijen (Principal Document Expert)

Keesing Technologies Awarded as Most Trusted Identity Verification Solutions Provider 2026 

Keesing Technologies has been named Most Trusted Identity Verification Solutions Provider 2026 – Netherlands, as part of the CV Technology Excellence Awards. 

This recognition reflects more than a century of expertise in authentication of secure documents. Keesing’s collaboration with INTERPOL began in 1923, when the company published the world’s first record of Banknote Counterfeits & Forgeries. Decades later, in 1990, Keesing’s worldwide government relations enabled the expansion into identity verification solutions, laying the foundation for its role in modern ecosystems.  

ID verification underpins decisions with legal, financial, and security consequences. When checks are inaccurate or based on unverified sources, organisations face increased fraud risk and difficulty defending outcomes in audits, investigations or legal proceedings. As identity increasingly acts as a gateway to services, travel and transactions, verification must be grounded in authoritative, evidence-based data. 

Today, Keesing supports border control authorities, law enforcement agencies, banks, and high‑stakes enterprises worldwide. These organizations rely on Keesing as the most accurate and complete standard in providing ID reference data from 200+ countries and issuing organizations. The company’s solutions are designed to support anti‑fraud decision‑making with clear audit trails, helping organizations establish a reliable and verifiable identity truth. The solutions have been used by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service for citizen identity verification, by ISS for pre‑employment screening, and by Ballast Nedam for access control, to name just a few.  

The company also highlights its commitment to quality and security with its ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certification. Other than ISO certifications, Keesing is accredited by the Financial Supplier Qualification System (FSQS), confirming our commitment to compliance, security, transparency, and industry best practices. 

Watch Webinar: Identity Verification for Financial Institutions

Digital ID Verification in Banking: Balancing Compliance and Customer Experience

Missed the webinar? Watch the recording above! Join industry experts from IN Groupe and Keesing Technologies on digital identity verification in banking and financial services.

Once considered a simple compliance requirement, identity verification (IDV) is now at the heart of customer trust, digital innovation, and strategic growth. In this session, we’ll explore how banks can adapt to evolving market and regulatory requirements while designing smarter, more seamless onboarding journeys.

Agenda Highlights

1. Framing the Challenge

• Why IDV is no longer just about compliance
• Customers’ expectations for speed and stronger risk management
• Emerging fraud threats and mitigating risks

2. Product Management Perspective: Smarter Onboarding Journeys

• How IN ID Verify streamlines verification using real-time data such as biometrics and other key metrics
• Designing onboarding for simplicity, speed, and satisfaction
• Process, people, and technology – mastering the formula or just connecting the dots?

3. Smart Compliance: Embedding Due Diligence Without Complexity

• A look at AMLD6 and PSD3: complying to evolving KYC (Know Your Customer) requirements
• Who truly drives the compliance journey – the customers, business, or partners?

4. Panel Discussion: Beyond Compliance – Creating Strategic Value

• How stronger onboarding and verified identity data drive personalization, foster customer loyalty,  and enable faster credit decisions
• Balancing security, user experience, and compliance
• Banks’ role in the EUDI wallet

DocumentChecker: New Features and Updates

In 2025, we invested heavily in making DocumentChecker more adaptable and intuitive. In this article, we will take you through the exciting new features that will help you verify ID documents and banknotes more efficiently, with a simpler interface and greater confidence.  

These improvements build on the foundation we set in 2024. We focused on giving administrators greater oversight and flexibility. The user statistics overview made it easier to monitor platform activity, while downloadable MRZ reports helped them with compliance and reporting requirements.  

This article for those who are already familiar with DocumentChecker. But if you are new, you can start with this short video to see how it works. DocumentChecker is a comprehensive reference database that supports manual checking of secure documents, including ID cards and banknotes.  

Look, Feel, Tilt Filter 

The Look, Feel, Tilt framework is an international standard for verifying secure documents like IDs and banknotes. It groups level 1 and 2 security features into three categories: look, feel, and tilt. You typically check several features in each group. But determining the right category for each feature can be tricky. 

For example, holograms are checked by tilting the document, so they fall under tilt. Raised print is felt by touch, so it belongs to feel. Watermarks and microprints are inspected visually, placing them in the look category. 

Our new filter lets you select specific features to review. This speeds up the process, reduces errors, and helps you focus on the right details. 

Functional Settings  

Functional settings give both Users and Super Users more control over how DocumentChecker works for their specific needs. These options help organizations manage privacy, streamline workflows, and ensure important information is always visible. 

• Disable MRZ Checking (Super Users): Super Users can now disable MRZ (Machine Readable Zone) checking. This is useful for organizations that do not want to process personal data, supporting privacy and compliance requirements. 
• Show Annotations by Default: Users and Super Users can choose to display annotations or notes automatically when opening a document page. This is helpful for highlighting important details or instructions, making sure users see what matters most. 

• Filter Tab Preference (Document Type): If driver’s licenses are 80% what your team checks each day, wouldn’t it be convenient to start with that particular view? That is why we now have a filter tab preference. When viewing documents for a specific country, Super Users can set a default document type (such as ID cards or passports). Therefore, you can make that your default view, saving time and clicks. 
• Toggle Document Thumbnails: There are 19 different Swedish passports. How does your team quickly find the type of passport in their hand on DocumentChecker? Users can now choose to view document thumbnails instead of only the data page. Seeing the cover colors at a glance helps you quickly identify and select the right document. 

Helping You Get More from DocumentChecker 

We understand that even the best data and tools are only as effective as the people using them. That is why we focus on more than just adding features. We have designed our latest improvements to help every user get more out of each session. They simplify ID checks, make support easier to access, and keep learning resources within reach.  

• Quicker Access to Service Desk: Previously, contacting our support team meant navigating away from your current task to visit the help page. Now, the support icon (?) is available in every page on the bottom right corner. If you have a question, whether it’s about a document or a technical issue, you can reach out to us instantly, without leaving your workflow. For example, if you’re in the middle of checking a document and need assistance, just click the icon and send your query. This means less interruption and faster support, right when you need it. 
• Guided Tour: This year, the Guided Tour is available on every page – not just when you first start using DocumentChecker. Whether you want a refresher or need to onboard a new team member, you can access the tour anytime. Simply find the icon on the bottom right corner (above “?”), and you’ll be guided through DocumentChecker’s key features and best practices, step by step.

UI/UX Improvements  

UI/UX stands for User Interface and User Experience. It’s about how the platform looks, feels, and how easy it is to use. Here are some upgrades that make navigation easier: 

• Search Bar on Every Page:
  Now, you can access the search bar from any page. For example, if you are checking a document and want to switch to another country’s documents, you don’t need to return to the main dashboard. Just select the country directly from the top of the page and continue your work without interruption. 
• Back to Top Button:
  When browsing long lists of countries or documents, you no longer need to scroll manually all the way up. The new “Back to Top” button lets you instantly return to the top of the page.

Empowering Your Document Verification Journey 

As organizations face increasing demands for accuracy, compliance, and efficiency in document verification, we believe that continuous improvement is essential. DocumentChecker’s new updates are designed not only to add features, but to solve real-world challenges. That can look like giving Super Users more control over privacy settings or making navigation faster for busy teams. 

We’re committed to listening to your feedback and evolving DocumentChecker to meet your needs, therefore, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Let’s make accurate and comprehensive document verification the standard for your team. 

Are Physical ID Documents Going Away?  

With the rise of digital identity systems, mobile driver’s licenses, and biometric identity authentication, it’s tempting to think physical IDs are becoming obsolete. But despite progress being made in the digital world, physical documents remain deeply embedded in global infrastructure, and their role is far from over.

What People Think 

During the 2025 Identity Week Europe conference in Amsterdam, our booth featured an interactive backdrop that invited attendees to reflect on the future of identity. One of the key questions posed was: “Can you imagine that physical IDs are disappearing completely in the near future?”  

Visitors were encouraged to respond by placing a sticker under one of three options:  

• Yes – digital ID is going to replace physical ones. 

• No – physical ID is going to stay. 

• Somewhere in the middle.  

Interestingly, 68% of participants expressed their belief that physical IDs are here to stay, while 29% believe digital IDs will take over. Just 3% found themselves somewhere in the middle, suggesting a nuanced perspective. These results inspired us to write this article.

Digital Identity and Its Role 

Governments and industries are rapidly exploring digital identity solutions. Digital IDs stored on smartphones offer portability, convenience, and the potential to streamline everything from airport security to online banking. Several countries are already rolling out digital driver’s licenses and passports. Some examples are Estonia Mobile-ID, Indian Aadhar, and Nigeria National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). In the European Union, a large-scale initiative is underway to test interoperable digital identity wallets.   

In the private sector, digital ID has been used for services such as banking, insurance, and property rentals. This should not be confused with digital onboarding, which involves capturing images of physical ID documents using a mobile phone for verification. While less accurate than traditional in-person checks or dedicated document scanners, mobile onboarding remains one of the most popular verification methods today, but its heavy reliance on the physical document reinforces the fact that, even with modern identity verification (IDV), the document itself is here to stay. 

In the United States, several jurisdictions (states and territories) now offer mobile driver’s licenses. State-issued driver’s licenses and ID cards are the de facto form of ID used within the country since there is no national ID card, and not all Americans have passports.  However, these digital IDs are not universally accepted across U.S. jurisdictions, nor are they accepted by all in-jurisdiction law enforcement agencies, retail establishments, or even at TSA checkpoints in all U.S. airports.  

It’s important to note that, even when digital ID documents are presented, holders must often carry the corresponding physical document as backup proof of identity. 

What’s Holding a Full Replacement of Digital ID Back? 

Despite momentum, fully replacing physical ID documents with digital versions presents challenges: 

1. Infrastructure Gaps

Reliable internet, secure servers, and modern devices are prerequisites for digital identity systems. Many countries, especially in rural or developing areas, lack the infrastructure to support them, making physical documents the default method for identification. 

2. Lack of Global Standards

Cross-border acceptance of digital identity remains limited. While efforts like the ICAO’s digital travel credential and ISO standards for digital driving licenses are underway, true global interoperability is years away. 

As Tony Poole, President of Document Security Alliance, explains, “Looking forward, the development of global standards that encompass both physical and digital identity security will be crucial. Such standards must address the need for highly secure technologies in physical documents, while also ensuring that digital identities are not only interoperable with their physical counterparts, but also resilient against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.” 

3. Privacy and Security Risks

Digital systems can be vulnerable to data breaches, identity theft, and unauthorized access. Establishing robust cybersecurity and privacy protections is essential, as “the rapid adoption of digital-only solutions without comprehensive security measures presents significant risks”, Mr. Poole also added. 

4. Legal and Regulatory Lag

Most countries still don’t have comprehensive legislation governing the use of digital IDs. Without clear legal frameworks, digital identities can’t function as universally accepted credentials. 

5. Accessibility Challenges

Requiring a smartphone for identification excludes segments of the population, including the elderly, individuals with disabilities, and those without access to modern technology. Thus, physical ID documents remain useful for inclusion. 

6. Geopolitical Division and Barriers

“Geopolitical tension and differing national priorities slow the adoption of universal digital IDs,” says Phil Hodge, Senior Document Expert at Keesing Technologies. “Some countries,” he explains, “may resist interoperable systems due to sovereignty concerns, data localisation laws, or distrust in cross-border data sharing. For example, the EU’s digital identity wallet may not be recognised by nations with strained diplomatic relations. Without international cooperation, a fully digital, globally accepted identity system remains unlikely.” 

Travel, Borders, and Domestic Services 

Even as digital passports are piloted and tested, physical passports remain mandatory for most international travel. In most cases, border control still relies on physical documents, often supplemented, but not replaced, by digital technology like facial recognition. 

In contrast, domestic use of digital ID is expanding. Services like driver’s license renewals, visa applications, and some online banking now use digital verification, reducing the need for physical documents in everyday life.  

Conclusion: A Hybrid Future 

While digital identity systems are evolving rapidly, complete reliance is unlikely in the foreseeable future. Challenges in infrastructure, regulation, interoperability, and equity mean physical documents still play a critical role, especially in travel, border security, and in regions with limited digital access. 

For the foreseeable future, we’re looking at a hybrid model: physical IDs remain foundational, while digital verification expands where it’s practical, secure, and inclusive. Keesing’s solutions are built for this reality: AuthentiScan automatically verifies scanned or photographed identity documents, while DocumentChecker provides a global reference database for validating ID documents from over 200 issuing countries and authorities. Contact us to learn how we can support your identity verification needs with trusted, secure solutions. 

Signs of Identity Fraud: How to Tell if Your Organization Is at Risk

Identity fraud isn’t just a consumer problem; it’s a growing threat to organizations of all sizes. From unauthorized financial transactions to fake accounts, the signs of identity fraud within a business can be subtle but deeply damaging if overlooked. Recognizing these red flags early is essential to protecting your company’s finances, reputation, and customer trust. In this article, we’ll explore the most common indicators that your organization may be at risk and what you can do about it.  

So how do you know if your business should consider stepping up its identity verification efforts? Here are signs that you may be at greater risk and how Keesing Technologies can help. 

What are the signs of identity fraud in an organization? 

1. You’re Operating in a High-Risk Industry or Region

Industries like banking, fintech, crypto, travel, or gaming face frequent targeting by fraudsters. If you’re in one of these sectors or operating in regions with high rates of document fraud, your risk exposure is naturally higher. 

With Keesing: Whether you’re handling routine checks or complex, high-value onboarding, Keesing’s solutions support manual and automated identity verification (IDV) to match your risk level, whichever industry you are in. Read some of our use cases in different industries here. 

2. You Frequently Receive Low-Quality Images of IDs

Many businesses rely on document images for identity verification, which is valid for compliance-focused use cases. However, a pattern of low-quality or blurry submissions can indicate attempted fraud. Fraudsters often use poor-quality images to hide signs of digital alterations or forgeries, making it harder to detect fraud. Accepting these images without proper verification can leave your onboarding process vulnerable and increase risk. 

With Keesing: Our advanced scanning technology and software work together to detect subtle security features that low-quality images often conceal. By inspecting embedded features and comparing each document with our database, this premium technology goes beyond basic mobile onboarding tools. It provides stronger protection against fraud by quickly identifying low-quality or forged documents before they cause problems. 

3. Your Identity Checks Haven’t Evolved with Your Growth

Manual inspections are perfectly appropriate for many businesses, especially in low-risk environments. It can also serve as a powerful and valuable second line of defense, particularly for handling flagged or complex cases that require human judgment. As your company grows or oonboardsmore users, the risk of fraud naturally increases.  However, as a first line of defense, especially in high-volume environments, there can be limitations – especially if checkers do not have trusted reference material to compare with and staff are not equipped with the knowledge and skills to verify IDs.  

With Keesing: Start with what you need and scale later. Our consultants will help you decide according to your risk levels. When the time comes and you need an upgrade on the current checks, Keesing can provide you with enhanced features to match your evolving needs. If you are choosing reference checking as a method, DocumentChecker provides you with HQ images and information on thousands of ID reference data, including their security features. Complement this powerful resource by empowering your staff with training from Keesing ID Academy. 

4. Your Customer Base Is Global or Growing Internationally

Expanding into new regions brings different regulatory requirements and document standards. This greater variety can be challenging because formats, languages, and security features may vary widely. Without the right verification tools in place, you might struggle to verify documents from unfamiliar jurisdictions. If not handled properly, this can create opportunities for fraudsters to exploit gaps in your processes, especially targeting documents they suspect your team is less familiar with. Threat actors may intentionally target documents from regions where they believe your team lacks detailed expertise, assuming that such documents are more likely to slip through standard checks. 

With Keesing: Our global document database includes over 7,000 identity documents from across the world, so you can verify IDs globally with confidence, no matter where your customers are. Moreover, our in-house document experts continuously acquire and analyze new identity documents from around the world, ensuring the database and the system are regularly updated.  

5. Your Verification Methods Are Outdated

Deepfakes, face morphing, and synthetic identities are rapidly evolving techniques used to bypass outdated ID verification systems. Many businesses remain unaware of their exposure until fraud has already occurred. Warning signs include unusually high volumes of applications originating from the same IP ranges or geographic clusters, inconsistent metadata across submitted images and repeated appearance of the same face tied to different names, documents, or identities, suggesting synthetic identity abuse or morphing attacks. As these threats become more common and sophisticated, ID verification companies must evolve their detection strategies to remain resilient. 

With Keesing: Our advanced ID verification solution, AuthentiScan, uses multiple technologies for security. Multispectral document scanning detects security features and tampering. To verify that modern IDs’ biometric data matches their physical cards, NFC chip reading is used. Finally, face verification verifies the ID holder’s identity by comparing their live image with the ID photo. 

6. Your Business Experiences Frequent Account Takeovers

If customers are reporting unauthorized access to their accounts, it’s a clear sign that fraudsters are bypassing your current verification measures. This not only puts sensitive information at risk but also damages customer trust and increases pressure on your support team. In some cases, the lack of an effective re-verification process allows bad actors to maintain access unnoticed. (Read more about re-verification). 

With Keesing: Our identity verification solution adds strong layers of protection with biometric verification and real-time ID checks, making it significantly harder for unauthorized users to gain access, even if credentials have been compromised. 

7. Customer Support Is Handling More ID-Related Complaints

A growing volume of identity verification complaints often signals underlying weaknesses in your verification process. Fraud attempts can increase scrutiny, leading to longer processing times and more frequent requests for additional documents. This results in a heavier workload for your customer support team, taking time and diverting resources from other priorities. 

With Keesing: Our solution streamlines identity verification by quickly detecting fraudulent or altered documents. In addition, our in-house Expert Service Desk is professionally trained by certified document experts to thoroughly check the authenticity of IDs. This combined approach lightens the load on your support team while providing a smoother, faster experience for genuine customers. 

Final Thoughts 

If you’re noticing signs of identity fraud, facing new risks, growing fast, or facing stricter regulations, now might be the time to evaluate and scale your IDV strategy. At Keesing Technologies, we support thousands of organizations to verify ID documents and banknotes.  

Identity fraud risk is not one-size-fits-all. Some businesses face higher threats and regulatory pressures than others. At Keesing Technologies, we support companies across the full spectrum – from those needing basic compliance checks (like MRZ validation) to those requiring advanced, multi-spectral document scanning capabilities with biometrics or those requiring a dataset of secure documents for forensic machines. 

Would you like to know how Keesing’s solutions can help you strengthen identity verification, detect fraud more effectively, and stay compliant – no matter what industry you operate in? Email us at sales@keesingtechnologies.com or click the button below.  

40 Identity Verification Terms You Need to Know – IDV Glossary 

Whether you’re onboarding customers, checking documents in the front or back office, or building secure platforms, understanding the key identity verification (IDV) terms is important. The field is filled with specialised terminologies and fast-evolving technologies. Staying informed with this IDV glossary helps you follow conversations, work more smoothly with other teams, and make sense of new approaches faster.  

That’s why we’ve created this list of 40 must-know IDV terms to help you speak the language of identity, no matter your role or industry. From basics like KYC and MRZ to biometric verification, compliance, and technical terms, this glossary will give you more clarity.  

Core Identity Verification Terms  

1. Identity Verification (IDV) – The process of confirming that a person is who they claim to be.  

2. KYC (Know Your Customer) – A regulatory requirement to verify the identity of clients, especially in financial services. 

3. AML (Anti-Money Laundering) – Laws and procedures to prevent criminals from disguising illicit funds; IDV is a key component.  

4. CIP (Customer Identification Program) – A U.S. requirement for financial institutions to collect and verify customer identity.  

5. CDD (Customer Due Diligence) – Assessing the risk associated with a customer and performing appropriate ID checks.  

6. Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) – A more detailed investigation for high-risk customers.  

7. Identity Fraud – When someone uses a stolen or fake identity for personal gain.  

8. Face-to-face verification – In-person identity verification conducted by a human agent through direct inspection of documents and the individual.  

9. Remote verification – Identity verification performed without physical presence, using digital methods, and copies of documents.  

Document-Related Terms  

10. OCR (Optical Character Recognition) – Technology used to extract text from documents.  

11. MRZ (Machine Readable Zone) – The section of passports and ID cards with standardised, scannable information.  

12. VIZ (Visual Inspection Zone) – The part of an ID document (usually the front) that shows human-readable information like name, date of birth, and document number. 

13. Document Verification – Checking the authenticity and validity of a government-issued identity document.  

14. ID Template Matching – Comparing submitted documents to known genuine formats for validation.  

15. Security Features – Elements like microtext, UV ink, or guilloche patterns are used to protect against forgery.  

Biometric & AI Terms  

16. Biometric Verification – Using unique biological traits (like facial recognition or fingerprints) to confirm identity.  

17. Liveness Detection – Ensures the biometric data comes from a live person, not a spoof (like a photo or mask). 

18. Face Matching – Comparing a selfie to a photo in an ID document.  

19. 3D Face Mapping – Creating a three-dimensional model of a face for accurate and secure matching.  

20. Deepfake Detection – Identifying AI-generated or manipulated videos/images used to spoof identity.  

21. Passive vs. Active Liveness – Passive uses background AI; active requires user actions (e.g., blinking).  

Security & Compliance Terms  

22. Authentication – Confirming that an identity or credential is valid.  

23. PII (Personally Identifiable Information) – Data that can identify a person (e.g., name, passport number).  

24. GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) – EU law governing the collection and use of personal data.  

25. eIDAS – EU regulation on electronic identification, electronic signatures and trust services.  

26. FATF (Financial Action Task Force) – Sets international standards for anti-money laundering and IDV.  

27. Step up verification – A secondary identity check is triggered when risk levels increase.  

Technical & Operational Terms  

28. API (Application Programming Interface) – Used to integrate IDV solutions into apps and systems. 

29. SDK (Software Development Kit) – A package developers use to build features like ID scanning into apps.  

30. On-Premises vs. Cloud-Based IDV – Where IDV processing happens locally on servers or remotely in the cloud. 

31. False Positive/Negative – When a system incorrectly approves or rejects an identity check.  

• False Positive: When a system incorrectly approves a fraudulent identity (security risk).    

• False Negative: When a system wrongly rejects a legitimate user (UX risk).  

32. Confidence Score – A numerical rating of how likely a document or biometric match is genuine.  

33. Spoofing – Attempting to fool an IDV system with fake input (e.g., a printed photo).  

34. NFC (Near Field Communication) – A short-range wireless tech used to read data from biometric ID chips, like ePassports, by holding a device close to the document.  

Other Industry Terms  

35. Synthetic Identity – A fake identity made from real and fabricated data. 

36. Document Forgery – The act of creating or altering identity documents fraudulently.  

37. Onboarding – The process of registering and verifying a new user or customer.  

38. Continuous Identity Verification – Monitoring identity over time, rather than just during account creation.  

39. Data Residency – Where customer data is stored, often important for legal compliance.  

40. Watchlist – A list of individuals or entities flagged for risks like sanctions, criminal activity, or terrorism. IDV systems screen users against watchlists, such as PEP (Politically Exposed Persons) or sanctions lists (e.g., OFAC, EU).  

Want to see how these terms apply in real-world verification?  

These terms aren’t just definitions, they’re the building blocks of real-world identity verification workflows. At Keesing Technologies, we put them into action every day, helping businesses across industries onboard users, detect fraud, and stay compliant with global standards.  

Our DocumentChecker database gives users access to the world’s most comprehensive reference library of identity documents, ensuring high-quality manual checking. Meanwhile, our automated ID verification solution, AuthentiScan, uses advanced technologies such as OCR, biometric verification, and multispectral scanning to provide secure, and compliant ID verification. You will also come across these terminologies when doing an E-Learning or ID Workshop developed by Keesing ID Academy. 

Want to see how it all works in practice? Talk to us to learn how we help organizations across industries verify identities with accuracy, global coverage, and the trust we’ve built since 1911. Contact us below or email us at sales@keesingtechnologies.com.   

The Crucial Role of Physical Identity Verification for Notaries 

In an era where identity fraud is escalating, the role of notaries in verifying identities through physical, face-to-face interactions has never been more critical. Notaries serve as the first line of defence against such fraud, ensuring that individuals are who they claim to be before authenticating important documents.   

Notaries make an important contribution to the fight against money-laundering by reliably identifying parties involved in substantial financial transactions, and by keeping trustworthy records which may be provided to law enforcement and public authorities such as Tax Offices upon request. They serve as a deterrent for criminals from being involved in transactions requiring notarial registrations. This has been recognised by the European Anti-Money Laundering regulatory framework which has specified notaries as being within its scope.  

Beginning July 1, 2025, the newly formed European Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA), headquartered in Frankfurt, will begin direct and indirect supervisory oversight of selected obliged entities, with the authority to enforce compliance and impose administrative sanctions. Obliged entities must conduct thorough customer due diligence (CDD), verify ultimate beneficial ownership (UBO), screen for politically exposed persons (PEPs), and assess risk based on negative media and sanctions lists.  

Most Frequent Fraud Relating to Notarized Documents 

The most common types of notary fraud include real estate fraud, power of attorney (POA) fraud, and identity theft in financial transactions. Real estate fraud is the most common and damaging type, with a fraudster impersonating a property owner and forging signatures on a deed. A complicit or negligent notary may then notarise the forged documents, allowing for the illegal sale or mortgage of the property without the owner’s knowledge. This type of fraud is especially prevalent due to the high value of real estate transactions and the need for notarised documents. 

Power of attorney fraud is also common, especially in cases of elder abuse. In these cases, a fraudster may forge a notarised power of attorney to gain control of a victim’s finances, property, or medical decisions. Because notarised POAs are widely accepted as legitimate, this type of fraud can go undetected until significant damage has occurred.  

Another common type involves identity theft in financial transactions. Fraudsters use stolen identities and falsified identification to obtain notarised documents, which are then used to apply for loans, transfer of assets, or open financial accounts. Notarisation provides a layer of false legitimacy, making it easier to avoid standard verification procedures. 

Why Identity Verification for Notaries Matters 

The rise of sophisticated identity fraud techniques, including synthetic identities and deepfakes, poses significant challenges. Identity verification by notaries serves as a robust deterrent against such fraud, as it is considerably more difficult to deceive a trained professional in person than through digital means. 

Notaries act as “hidden guardians” of legal agreements. As highlighted by Practical Law, their presence often goes unnoticed until something goes wrong. They also maintain secure records that may be used as critical evidence in legal disputes. 

The Human Element: Why Physical Presence Matters 

Physical identity verification involves the in-person examination of government-issued identification documents, such as passports or driver’s licenses, to confirm an individual’s identity. This process allows notaries to assess the authenticity of the documents and observe the signer’s demeanour, ensuring that the individual is signing willingly and without coercion.  

The physical presence of a notary adds a layer of security that technology alone cannot provide. Notaries are trained to detect signs of fraud, such as forged documents or suspicious behaviour. If a notary suspects that a document is fraudulent or that the person signing it is not who they claim to be, they have the authority to refuse to notarize it. This human judgment is crucial in preventing fraudulent transactions and protecting all parties involved.  

As noted by Practical Law, even in the digital age, there are significant gaps in remote verification tools that notaries can bridge through direct human interaction. Their role isn’t just administrative; it’s proactive, vigilant, and deeply rooted in public service. 

Experienced Identity Verification Provider for Notaries 

For decades, Keesing Technologies has been supporting notaries in confirming the authenticity of government-issued documents as well as the document holder.  

Keesing specializes in on-site identification. Our AuthentiScan solution delivers accurate results in seconds, combining facial recognition technology with a solution that can verify secure documents in seconds. The screening options also include PEP and sanction list screening.   

If you need to verify identities and comply with regulations, we are happy to assist you. Contact us via sales@keesingtechnologies.com or call us at +31 (0)20 7157 825.

Sources: 

1. How Notaries Protect You from Fraud 

How The New EU Anti-Money Laundering Regulation Effects Organisations 

According to Arendt, as of July 1, 2025, the European Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA), based in Frankfurt, will begin exercising direct and indirect supervision over selected obliged entities under the new AML framework. AMLA will also have the power to impose administrative sanctions and ensure consistent application of EU AML rules. 

Under the new regulation, obliged entities must meet the following requirements. The industries impacted are discussed further below in this blog.  

• Conduct robust Customer Due Diligence (CDD) 
• Identify Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs) 
• Perform enhanced due diligence on high-risk clients 
• Screen for Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) and sanctions 
• In some cases, monitoring adverse media 

The AMLA regulation is part of a package; in June 2024, the new Anti-Money Laundering (AML) package was published in the Official Journal of the European Union. This includes 2 regulations and 1 directive: 

• Regulation (EU) 2024/1620 – the Anti-Money Laundering Regulation (AMLR), also known as the ‘Single Rulebook’ Regulation 
• Regulation (EU) 2024/1624 – the regulation establishing the European Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) 
• Directive (EU) 2024/1640 – commonly referred to as the 6th Anti-Money Laundering Directive (AMLD6) 

Its purpose is to harmonise AML/CFT rules across the EU, introduce stricter obligations for obliged entities, and strengthen the integrity of the financial system. 

Which Dates to Keep in Mind?  

• AMLA Regulation (2024/1624): Applies from July 1, 2025 
• AMLR (2024/1620): Applies from July 10, 2027, with specific provisions (e.g. for professional football clubs and agents) applying from July 10, 2029 
• AMLD6 (2024/1640): EU Member States must: 

1. Implement rules on beneficial ownership by July 10, 2026 
2. Implement real estate transparency provisions by July 10, 2029 

Which Industries Are Affected Under the New EU AML Regulation? 

While many sectors follow previous directives (AMLD4 and AMLD5), the new EU AML Regulation adds several new categories of entities to reflect changing money laundering risks and regulatory priorities. 

Industries Newly Added or Significantly Expanded Under The New EU AML Regulation  

The following sectors are new additions or have been explicitly expanded due to their elevated risk profile or previous regulatory gaps: 

1. Persons trading in high-value goods, such as luxury vehicles, yachts, designer items, and other expensive assets. Annex IV of the regulation defines high-value goods as the following: jewellery, gold, or silversmith, clocks and watches articles worth more than EUR 10,000, motor vehicles worth more than EUR 250,000, aircraft and boats worth more than EUR 7,500,000 (KPMG, 2024) 
2. Art galleries and auction houses, and other persons trading or acting as intermediaries in cultural goods with transactions of EUR 10,000 or more 
3. Entities trading, storing, or acting as intermediaries in cultural goods within free zones or customs warehouses, where the value of is EUR 10,000 or more 
4. Credit intermediaries for mortgage and consumer credit, where these are not credit or financial institutions 
5. Investment migration operators, including those offering services to third-country nationals seeking EU residence through investment 
6. Non-financial mixed activity holding companies, which operate in multiple sectors but fall outside typical financial supervision 
7. Football agents & Professional football clubs, when engaging in financial transactions with sponsors or investors 

Industries already covered by previous EU AML Directives 

1. Credit institutions 
2. Financial institutions 
3. Auditors, external accountants, and tax advisors providing advice on tax matters 
4. Notaries and lawyers, when engaged in specified high-risk activities (e.g., real estate transactions, managing client crypto funds, company formation, creation and organisation of trust funds, etc.)  
5. Trust or company service providers (TCSPs) 
6. Real estate agents and intermediaries, including those involved in rental transactions exceeding EUR 10,000 per month 
7. Persons trading in precious metals and stones 
8. Providers of gambling services 
9. Crowdfunding service providers (already regulated under sectoral EU legislation but now explicitly included) 

The New EU AML Regulation Implication  

With AMLA becoming fully operational in July 2025 and the new AML Regulation (AMLR) taking effect in July 2027, industries that have recently been brought into scope must take concrete steps to ensure compliance.  

Generally, organisations must now be: 

• Reviewing and updating AML policies and procedures to ensure compliance with stricter EU-wide standards, such as customer due diligence, beneficial ownership verification, and transaction monitoring. 
• Investing in employee training and awareness to ensure that teams understand their AML obligations under the new regulations and can effectively detect suspicious activities. 
• Implementing or upgrading risk assessment frameworks to capture sector-specific risks, such as new thresholds for cultural goods or real estate rental transactions. 
• Preparing for increased supervision and potential direct oversight by AMLA, which includes keeping detailed records, maintaining open client relationships, and being willing to cooperate with audits or enquiries. This might also mean verifying the source of funds and reporting suspicious transactions. 
• Engage with legal and compliance experts familiar with the most recent EU AML requirements to identify gaps and respond quickly to changing supervisory expectations. 

Activities under the new regulation may also include: 

• Crypto-Asset Service Providers (CASPs), including exchanges, wallets, and platforms, are considered “obliged entities” under EU anti-money laundering regulations. They must now meet the same stringent requirements as banks and financial institutions. The new rules prohibit anonymous crypto transactions, requiring CASPs, banks, and financial institutions to verify users’ identities before allowing accounts or transactions. MiCA prohibits trading anonymous or untraceable tokens unless their entire history can be traced. 
• High net-worth individuals will now be subject to specific enhanced due diligence (EDD) measures. Financial and credit institutions, as well as trust company service providers, must perform EDD when a business relationship is identified as high risk and involves the handling of assets worth EUR five million or more, or when the customer’s net worth exceeds EUR 50 million. 
• Politically Exposed Persons: The ‘single rulebook’ expands the definition of PEPs. When it comes to heads of state, heads of government, ministers, and deputy or assistant ministers, siblings of PEPs will now be considered family members alongside parents, spouses, and descendants.  
• Identify Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs): Criminals often hide behind layers of companies, trusts, or intermediaries to obscure their identity. That’s why the new AML Regulation introduces harmonised rules across the EU requiring all corporate and legal entities—including trusts and similar arrangements—to obtain information on their Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs). For the first time, non-EU entities with links to the EU will also be required to disclose their UBOs (Article 67 AMLR).  
• Appoint a compliance manager: Under the EU’s Anti-Money Laundering Regulation (AMLR), obliged entities are required to appoint a compliance officer to oversee the implementation of AML policies, ensuring due diligence procedures are followed, and acting as the main point of contact for authorities, as mentioned by Loyens & Loeff. 

The Critical Role of ID Documents and Identity Verification in Meeting AML Rules 

Identity documents form the foundation of customer verification in anti-money laundering (AML) compliance. Passports, national ID cards, and residence permits are usually required to confirm a person’s legal identity.  

One of the most important aspects of complying with the new AML framework is strong identity verification. AML Regulations place a significant emphasis on accurately identifying customers and beneficial owners in order to conduct effective customer due diligence. 

As an identity verification solution provider, Keesing provides tools to assist businesses in meeting these stringent regulatory requirements in an efficient and secure manner. Our solutions can automate and streamline the verification process, reduce onboarding friction, and ensure that required entities maintain comprehensive and reliable proof of identity, thereby mitigating risks and preparing for increased oversight by AMLA. 

DocumentChecker is a comprehensive and up-to-date database of over 7000 ID documents from more than 200 countries and territories. Including filters to thousands of security features, HQ images of documents in white light, UV light, or infrared light, notifications of new and outdated documents, and other features that help professionals who need to manually verify documents with confidence. 

For automated onboarding and real-time verification, AuthentiScan delivers fast and secure identity checks by scanning and validating ID documents. Whether it’s face-to-face (scanner-based) or remote, AuthentiScan supports optional biometric face verification to confirm that the person presenting the ID matches the photo on the document—adding an extra layer of assurance. An audit trail is available to share, and customers have access to document experts when faced with unusual cases. When needed, Keesing also offers PEP & Sanctions Lists screening. 

To further support compliance efforts, Keesing offers the ID Academy—a specialized training program designed to equip employees with the skills to accurately verify identity documents. ID Academy provides practical, expert-led E-Learning or on-site ID Workshop on how to spot counterfeit documents and apply verification techniques confidently.  

Combined, these solutions help obliged entities to detect forged or invalid IDs, ensure regulatory compliance, and prevent fraud—making them ideal tools in the upcoming AML landscape. 

Need to Verify Identities Due to AML Regulation? 

If you are part of one of these industries, call us at +31 (0) 207157825 and we’ll provide support for you to meet the new regulations. If you have any questions or would like a demo, reach out to us via the link below or email us at sales@keesingtechnologies.com.

Sources: 

1. EU AMLA L_202401620EN.000101.fmx.xml 
2. EU AMLR L_202401624EN.000101.fmx.xml 
3. EU AMLD6 L_202401640EN.000101.fmx.xml 
4. Clarity on the implementation timeline for a strengthened EU AML/CFT framework – Arendt 
5. The New AML Package: Single Rulebook, 6AMLD and AMLA – KPMG Malta\ 
6. The new EU AML/CFT regime has arrived – are you ready? | Global law firm | Norton Rose Fulbright 
7. New EU Anti-Money Laundering legislation impacts the Dutch AML landscape | Loyens & Loeff