Fallback to Selfie Photo Comparison – Proof Help Center
When knowledge-based authentication fails and no fraud flags are detected, eligible signers in business or real estate organizations with proper settings enabled can automatically verify their identity via selfie photo comparison, with calls routed first to In-House Notaries in approved states or to On-Demand Notaries in Nevada or Pennsylvania, and verification activity visible to notaries during meetings and to authorized users afterward in the transaction's identity timeline.
When knowledge-based authentication (KBA) fails or cannot generate questions, eligible signers can verify their identity using selfie photos instead.
Fallback to Selfie Verification
Which Senders Can Enable This Feature
Eligible signers are offered selfie verification automatically when KBA fails and database checks show no fraud flags. No action is needed on their part. Availability depends on your organization type:
Business Organizations
- Available when account-level settings are properly configured.
Real Estate Organizations
- Available when all of the following are met:
- Your underwriter accepts selfie as a valid form of identity verification.
- The setting is enabled in your account.
- You've confirmed activation with your CSM or by emailing sales@proof.com.
How Calls Are Routed
When a transaction uses selfie verification, it routes to In-House Notaries (IHNs) in biometrics-approved states first. If your organization has no IHNs in those states, the call won't be answered by your notaries.
If the meeting overflows to the Notarize Network, it will ring for On-Demand Notaries (ODNs) in Nevada or Pennsylvania.
Who Can See Verification Activity
During the meeting, the notary can view selfie activity on the identity timeline. After the meeting, anyone with access to the identity timeline in Transaction Details can see which verification method was used.
Summary Checklist
- Signers: Offered selfie verification automatically when KBA fails and no fraud flags are present.
- Business orgs: Available with the correct account-level settings enabled.
- Real estate orgs: Available when the underwriter approves selfie verification, the setting is enabled, and activation is confirmed with your CSM or sales@proof.com.
- Notaries and senders can view which identity verification method was used in the identity timeline during and after the meeting.
Still unsure? Contact Proof Support for help.
Related
Selfie Photo Comparison Overview
Selfie photo comparison, also known as biometric verification, is an identity verification method used across all Proof transaction types—Sign, Identify, Verify, and Notarize—where a real-time selfie is matched against a provided photo ID, serving either as the preferred verification method or as a fallback to knowledge-based authentication, with biometric verification accepted for notarizations in Michigan, Nevada, New York, and Pennsylvania.
Capture Selfie Photos for Identity Verification – Proof Help Center
The Proof Help Center explains that Selfie Comparison, an IAL2-compliant biometric verification method, securely verifies a signer's identity by automatically capturing real-time selfies and comparing them to their government-issued ID photos, with guidance on proper lighting, removing accessories, and using a smartphone to ensure clear images, and includes steps like centering the face and looking left and right for enhanced verification, serving as a primary or secondary identity check during the signing process.
The Next Era of Identity Verification
Michigan has pioneered updated remote notarization standards incorporating biometric authentication with strict security measures, offering a more reliable and user-friendly alternative to traditional knowledge-based authentication, which is increasingly vulnerable due to widespread data breaches and sophisticated fraud.
How Online Car Dealerships Can Use Verified eSignatures
The article explains how online car dealerships can combat increasing fraud risks inherent in fully digital car-buying processes by using verified eSignatures, which combine layered identity verification, biometric checks, and legal compliance measures to ensure document authenticity, prevent impersonation, meet consumer demand for mobile convenience, accelerate financing approvals, and provide a secure, defensible record of every transaction.
Proof Title Pro Identity Verification FAQs
Proof verifies signer identities across its Close, Notarize, Identify, and Sign solutions using a combination of Knowledge-Based Authentication (KBA), credential analysis, live notary verification, biometric selfie comparisons against government-issued IDs, and NIST IAL2-compliant methods, with additional live verification by Trusted Referees available when needed.
Identity Verification Overview – Proof Help Center
Proof's identity verification for notarizations varies by notary commission state and transaction type, offering four methods: IAL2-compliant verification (credential analysis plus selfie comparison), multi-step verification (combining knowledge-based authentication, credential analysis, and/or selfie comparison), personal knowledge of identity (notary personally knows the signer), and credible identifying witness (a verified witness vouches for the signer).