Efficient identity proofing: The key to secure and fast onboarding

With the rise of online fraud, stricter compliance requirements, and increasing customer expectations, verifying user identities becomes more important. Yet many companies still rely on slow, manual processes that frustrate users and leave dangerous security gaps. Identity proofing provides a secure, modern solution – and Airlock IAM makes integration easy. We'll show you what modern identity verification looks like.
 

The hidden costs of weak identity verification

Traditional and slow verification processes give fraudsters a significant advantage. They exploit vulnerabilities to open fake accounts or manipulate verification workflows. Automated bots and algorithms used for such attacks often go unnoticed in manual systems, allowing fraud cases to rise rapidly.

At the same time, legitimate customers abandon onboarding processes, give up on account reactivation, or drop password recovery attempts because identity verification via post or phone takes too long or is inconvenient.

This results not only in lost customers and revenue but also in regulatory issues and damaged trust for businesses like banks or insurers. Companies can no longer afford slow, unreliable verification processes – this makes identity proofing a necessity.
 

What is Identity Proofing and how does it work?

Identity proofing is the process of verifying a user's true identity with modern technologies. Manual processes are replaced and eliminated by ID document scans, biometric checks, and AI-powered fraud detection.

This is how it works:

• ID document verification: Users scan an official ID, which is checked for authenticity, and key data is extracted.
• Face verification: Users take a selfie, which is matched against the ID photo to confirm a match.
• Liveness detection: The system ensures a real, live person is in front of the camera – not a video or mask.
• AI fraud detection: Algorithms detect fake documents, suspicious patterns, or other signs of manipulation.

Providers like PXL Vision offer these services as flexible, browser-based solutions. This technology speeds up verification, reduces fraud, and improves the user experience by eliminating manual checks and long wait times.

But even with the best identity verification technology, many companies struggle to integrate it into their existing infrastructure. That’s where Airlock IAM comes in.
 

Integration as a pitfall? Not with Airlock IAM

The benefits of identity proofing are clear, but even when companies recognize them, many shy away from implementation. Integration can be a challenge, often requiring complex, ongoing development work. Connecting third-party services takes effort, and if a provider changes their API, the entire workflow can break. Without flexible tools, companies rely on external specialists to manage and update integrations — adding time and costs.

Airlock IAM removes these barriers. With Airlock Flows and Scriptable Steps, companies can seamlessly connect external services like PXL Vision without complex development. Administrators can design and adapt customer journeys directly in Airlock IAM without writing extensive code.

After successful identity verification, Airlock can, for example, automatically:

• Unlock the user account.
• Store the verified data (e.g., name, ID number).
• Continue the registration process or trigger additional security measures.

This flexible, low-code approach makes the entire verification process not only smoother but also future-proof. If a company wants to add a new provider or change an existing service, they can do so without rebuilding their infrastructure.

The benefits of seamless identity verification

Combining Airlock IAM with services like PXL Vision not only enhances security but also transforms business processes. By automating identity verification and directly integrating it into existing workflows, companies can:

• Reduce fraud: Detect fake accounts and identity theft attempts early, before damage occurs.
• Accelerate onboarding: Cut registration times from days to minutes.
• Increase conversion rates: Offer users a modern, frictionless experience that reduces bounce rates.
• Ensure compliance: Automatically meet strict Know Your Customer (KYC-), Anti-Money Laundering (AML-), and industry-specific requirements.

Whether in banking, insurance, healthcare, or e-commerce, companies that neglect proper identity verification risk more than just fraud. They risk losing customer trust — and falling behind competitors that offer faster, safer, and more convenient onboarding.