About Identity Verification (KYC)

TrustGate Identity Verification provides a comprehensive Know Your Customer (KYC) solution that automates the process of verifying customer identities while ensuring compliance with global regulatory requirements.

What Is Identity Verification?

Identity Verification (also known as KYC - Know Your Customer) is the process of confirming that a person is who they claim to be. In regulated industries, this process is legally required before establishing a business relationship.

TrustGate automates this process by:

1. Collecting identity documents (passports, driver's licenses, national IDs)
2. Extracting data using OCR and AI classification
3. Verifying authenticity through document analysis and fraud detection
4. Matching biometrics between document photos and live selfies
5. Screening against watchlists (sanctions, PEP, adverse media)
6. Calculating risk scores to inform approval decisions

[Screenshot: Identity verification dashboard showing applicant pipeline with status distribution]

Key Components

Applicants (Individuals)

An Applicant is an individual going through the KYC verification process. Each applicant record contains:

• Personal information (name, date of birth, nationality)
• Contact details (email, phone)
• Address information
• Verification status and risk assessment
• Associated documents and screening results

Verification Workflows (Verification Levels)

Workflows define the steps required to verify an applicant. TrustGate provides configurable workflows that can include:

Step Type	Description
document	Identity document upload and verification
selfie	Photo capture for biometric comparison
liveness	Anti-spoofing check to confirm live person
address	Proof of address verification
screening	Watchlist and sanctions screening

Documents

Documents are the identity evidence collected during verification:

• Identity Documents: Passports, driver's licenses, national IDs
• Proof of Address: Utility bills, bank statements
• Supporting Documents: Visa, residence permits

Biometric Verification (Face Matching)

Biometric Verification confirms the applicant matches their identity document by:

• Comparing the document photo to a live selfie
• Detecting liveness to prevent spoofing attacks
• Assessing image quality for reliable matching

Risk Assessment

Risk Assessment calculates an overall risk score (0-100) based on:

• Document verification results
• Screening hits (sanctions, PEP)
• Geographic risk factors
• Biometric match confidence

Supported Verification Methods

TrustGate supports multiple verification methods that can be combined based on your compliance requirements:

Method	Description	Use Case
Document Verification	AI-powered document authenticity checks	Standard KYC
Biometric Matching	Face comparison between ID and selfie	Enhanced KYC
Liveness Detection	Anti-spoofing via quality analysis	Fraud prevention
Address Verification	Proof of address document validation	Regulatory compliance
Watchlist Screening	Sanctions, PEP, and adverse media checks	AML compliance

Compliance Benefits

KYC Regulations

TrustGate helps you meet KYC requirements mandated by:

• Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) - United States
• Anti-Money Laundering Directives (AMLD) - European Union
• Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) - United Kingdom
• FINMA - Switzerland
• MAS - Singapore

AML Requirements

Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance features include:

Requirement	TrustGate Feature
Customer Identification Program (CIP)	Document verification + data extraction
Customer Due Diligence (CDD)	Risk scoring + screening
Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD)	Configurable workflows for high-risk
Ongoing Monitoring	Continuous screening + alerts
Record Keeping	Audit trails + evidence packs

GDPR Compliance

TrustGate supports GDPR requirements through:

• Consent Tracking: Record when and how consent was obtained
• Data Export: Generate complete data exports for Subject Access Requests (SAR)
• Right to Erasure: Delete applicant data with full audit trail
• Data Minimization: Configure retention periods per regulation
• Legal Hold: Prevent deletion during investigations

[Screenshot: GDPR compliance panel showing consent status and data export options]

Risk-Based Approach

TrustGate implements a risk-based approach to verification:

Risk Levels

Level	Score Range	Description
Low	0-30	Minimal risk indicators, eligible for auto-approval
Medium	31-60	Some risk factors, may require review
High	61-100	Significant risk indicators, requires enhanced review

Risk Factors

Risk scores are calculated from multiple signals:

• Identity Risk: Document authenticity, data consistency
• Geographic Risk: High-risk countries (FATF grey/black list)
• Screening Risk: Watchlist hits, PEP status, adverse media
• Behavioral Risk: Device signals, IP reputation, fraud indicators

Automated Routing

Based on risk assessment, applicants can be automatically routed to:

• Auto-Approve: Low risk, all verifications passed
• Manual Review: Medium risk or inconclusive results
• Auto-Reject: Policy violations or confirmed fraud
• Escalate: High risk requiring senior compliance review

Integration Options

API Integration

Full REST API for programmatic integration:

# Create an applicant
curl -X POST https://api.bytrustgate.com/v1/applicants \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "external_id": "user_12345",
    "email": "john.doe@example.com",
    "first_name": "John",
    "last_name": "Doe",
    "date_of_birth": "1990-05-15",
    "nationality": "USA"
  }'

SDK Integration

Embed verification flows directly in your application:

• Web SDK: JavaScript/TypeScript for web applications
• Mobile SDK: iOS and Android native SDKs
• React Components: Pre-built UI components

Webhooks

Receive real-time notifications for verification events:

• applicant.created - New applicant started verification
• applicant.reviewed - Verification decision made
• document.verified - Document verification completed
• screening.completed - Watchlist screening finished

Next Steps

• Verification Workflows - Configure verification levels
• Document Verification - ID document processing
• Biometric Verification - Face matching setup
• Supported Documents - Document type reference
• Verification Statuses - Status lifecycle guide