Identity Verification

Identity Verification Process FAQ

How does identity verification work and why are we asking?

Urban Angler works with Stripe to conduct identity verification online. Stripe builds technology that’s used by millions of companies around the world like Amazon, Google, and Zoom. They help with everything from accepting payments to managing subscriptions to verifying identities.

Stripe helps Urban Angler confirm your identity by conducting the following checks:

1. Stripe will capture images of the front and back of your government-issued photo ID and review to ensure that the document is authentic. They’ve built an automated identity verification technology that looks for patterns to help determine if an ID document is real or fake. This process is like a bank teller checking your ID document to confirm that it’s real.
2. Stripe will capture photos of your face and review to confirm that the photo ID belongs to you. They’ve built automated identity verification technology that uses distinctive physiological characteristics of your face (known as biometric identifiers) to match the photos of your face with the photo on the ID document. This process is similar to a bank teller confirming that the photo on your ID document is you based on the shape of your nose or eyes—but it’s higher-tech and a more accurate way to identify you as a unique person.
3. Stripe will collect your name, date of birth, and government ID number, and validate that it is real. They will check this information against a global set of databases to confirm that it exists.

Stripe will ask for your consent before collecting and using your information. They will only use your verification data in accordance with the permissions you grant before starting the verification process, and based on their Privacy Policy.

Learn more about how Stripe is storing and handling your data.

Best practices for a successful verification

Before starting the verification process, here’s what you need:

• A valid government-issued photo ID document. Not a photocopy or a picture of an ID document. Ensure that the ID document is not expired.
• A device with a camera, if possible, use a mobile device. Cameras on mobile devices typically take higher-quality photos than a webcam.

The quality of the images captured affects success rates dramatically. Below are a few best practices to help ensure that your verification succeeds:

• Capture a clear image. Make sure that the images are not too dark or bright, and don’t have a glare. Hold steady and allow your camera to focus to avoid blurry photos.
• Do not block any part of your ID document in the image. Ideally you can lay it flat to take the photo.
• Do not block any part of your face. Remove sunglasses, masks, or other accessories.
• Find a location with ambient lighting. Avoid spaces with strong overhead lights that cast a shadow on your face or ID document. Avoid sitting directly in front of a bright light which can wash out your face and add a glare to your ID document.

Why am I asked to verify my identity?

Why was I rejected?

Can I get verified using a different method?

Who has access to my verification data?

Both Urban Angler and Stripe will have access to the information that you submit through the verification flow. We rely on Stripe to help store your verification data. Stripe uses access controls and security standards that are at least as stringent as those used to handle their own KYC and payments compliance data.

Learn more about how Stripe handles and stores your data.

How can I access or delete my verification data?