ID Verification Instructions

ID verification is available to Gold Members. This article covers the steps to get verified and troubleshooting tips if you are encountering problems. 

***If you are already a Gold Member and can’t get verified, most likely you simply need to update your age/date of birth to be the same as your driver’s license. Othere causes are listed further below. You can Update your date of birth in your Account Settings. Click on the “gear” icon in the menu.***

Here’s how it looks on mobile.

Steps to get verified

1. Purchase a Gold Membership. (If you’re not logged in the link won’t work)
2. Follow the intructions to upload a copy of your drivers license or other ID card
3. If you lose your place, you can access the verification link in your Profile Settings. Click on the blue “selfie” icon.

Here’s how to do it on mobile. Scroll down for desktop.

 

Troubleshooting

From a technology standpoint, uploading your drivers license and taking a selfie to verify your identity is not as straightforward as you might think.

There are very complex technological processes happening behind the scenes, and with hundreds of different devices, IDs and passports that the technology needs to be compatible with, things do occasionally go wrong.

If verification isn’t working for you, we apologize. The good news? 99% of people resolve their issue and complete ID verification within minutes using the troubleshooting tips below.

If you’re in the 1%, you may request a manual ID review. See the instructions further below.

Did you follow the directions perfectly?

We have to ask. The honest truth is, the majority of people who do not successfully get verified made one small mistake along the way, usually because they were moving too quickly through the process.

Try slowing way down and reading everything through, to make sure you’re following all the steps perfectly. Review the following list of common mistakes, and how to correct them.

Common mistakes

If it’s not working, it’s usually one of five things:

1. Your photos don’t meet the necessary technical requirements
2. You uploaded a screenshot or scanned document
3. Your birth date is different from your ID
4. Your ID is expired
5. You’re using a non-standard or other unusual ID

In all cases, you will be able to resolve the issue and complete ID Verification. Worst case is we do the manual review.

Read on to learn how to fix things.

How to update your birth date

To change your age, go to your Account Settings by clicking on the “gear” icon. This is not the same as your Profile Settings.

Then scroll all the way down until you see the section that says “Update your age”. Click on the button and proceed.

Here’s how it looks:

How to Fix Your Photos

During the ID Verification process you’ll be asked to upload photos of your driver’s license (or passport), and face. While this seems straightforward, it’s easy for things to go wrong.

Why?

We compare the photo on your ID to a recent one of your face, which can sometimes look quite different depending on how old your ID photo is, changes to hair and facial hair, etc.

Our technology needs bright, clear, crisp and centered photos to verify that the faces are the same.

Review these five common causes of poor quality photos, and how to fix them:

1. You’re using a computer camera

Problem: Our tech works on all devices. But, computer cameras usually produce low quality images.

Solution: Complete the ID Verification process on your phone, or save photos from your phone’s camera to your computer.

2. Rushing your photos

Problem: When you’re asked to take photos in real-time, a lot of people feel rushed. The result is poor quality photos that can’t be processed.

Solution: take photos in advance. Take your photos before you start the verification process, and save them to your photo album. When you’re asked to provide photos, select the option to upload them from your photo album, rather than take a new one in real time.

3. Bad lighting

Problem: If you don’t have good lighting, your photos will be unclear and our technology can’t process the images.

Solution: Bright lights or daylight. Daylight is a sure thing. Otherwise, you will need bright indoor light at night. Try taking practice photos before you start the verification process. If they’re not crystal clear, you need to find better light.

4. Blurry images

Problem: It’s almost impossible to hold an ID card or passport perfectly steady in your hand, and cameras shake too. If the lighting is bad this is worsened, because the camera shutter has to stay open longer to absorb enough light.

Solution: Place your ID card or passport on a flat surface when taking the photo.

5. Hats and glasses

Problem: Wearing a hat or glasses will make it impossible to process your image.

Solution: Take everything off your face before taking the photo.

Request a manual review of your photos

Occasionally our automated system is not able to process perfectly good photos. If you think that’s the case, pease request a manual review. Just type “manual ID review” into the chat and follow the prompts.

Expired IDs

We can still verify you. Please request a manual ID review. Just type “manual ID review” into the chat and follow the prompts.

Non-Standard ID’s

Our automated platform accepts passports and government issued ID cards. If you don’t have either of those, we can still verify you, but you’ll need to request a manual review.

Very occasionally the system makes a mistake and can’t recognize a legitimate government issued ID. Please request a manual review. Just type “manual ID review” into the chat and follow the prompts.

Requesting a manual ID review

If you’ve reviewed the info above and determine that your issue isn’t caused by bad photos, just type “manual ID review” into the chat and follow the prompts. If you think you know the cause, please include that info.