Identity theft and scams have been on the rise in recent years. This has been especially true since more and more people are using the internet for everyday activities like financial transactions and business meetings, social interactivity etc.
In order to prevent identity scams, people are now required to provide unique identifiers, such as the National Identification Number (NIN), Bank Verification Number (BVN), and home address before creating an account or signing up for a service online.
Unfortunately, people sometimes lose track of their documents or simply cannot find them when they need them. This has created the need to have documents readily accessible digitally.
The YouID app solves this problem not only by helping people keep their IDs safe but also by protecting their online accounts from the prying eyes of scammers.
YouID is a secure digital ID that lets you safely store your personal details in encrypted format
With the allure of guaranteed protection of personal identity online, I reviewed the app.
Saving your ID just got easier
Securing an ID on the YouID app is as easy as taking a picture. However, onboarding takes about 5 mins and requires details like email, name and password.
The YouID app has both pin and biometrics security to protect your documents
After signing up, you can easily save and secure a document or ID by selecting the Credence Score tile at the top of the app. Here you can select the type of info you want to save.
If it’s a government ID, you will have to do a facial identification to protect your account from impersonation before adding the ID.
The YouID app uses computer vision as well artificial intelligence to remotely ascertain if the user is who he/she says they are. Anyone who signs up has to upload a selfie to the app.
Afterwards, the identity documents like NIN slip, international passport, driver’s license and others can be uploaded.
The app uses a proprietary algorithm to analyze the image that is captured in the documents that the user uploads.
Other types of info you can save on the app includes phone number under essentials, addresses and social identity which includes Facebook, Linkedin, Google and Twitter.
When a user uploads details and documents, they are stored on the person’s phone and can be backed up into the Google drive of the account that is provided.
You no longer need to send a document twice
All the information you add on the platform has credence scores that help generate a trust-based score, utilising state-of-the-art machine learning tools. This score can be used to access online services, credit, pension and government programs without having to fill a login form.
While documents can be stored in Google Drive and other free cloud storage services, YouID takes it a step further by onboarding merchants on the platform.
Currently, the only service available on the app is KrediMoney. However, the CEO of Youverify, Gbenga Odegbami, says the aim of the app is to ensure that no one has to upload the same documents twice.
Therefore, more services are expected to be added to the platform before the year runs out. The whole idea is that users won’t be required to fill in log-in details every time they download a new app.
This means that you can start playing a game, join a new social media network, or sign up for a new fintech app all with a click. This removes the hassle of going through the signup process.
YouID helps take control of all your digital identity from one location
An impenetrable vault
All the services on the app are visible on the deals page. You can decide which services you want, bookmark any one of interest for later – if you are undecided, or learn more about the company using the link provided.
Once you have made deals, you can add them to your vault to make them secure. In the Vault, you can decide which type of information you want the service to access.
According to the company’s CEO, the user has absolute control over their data. “All we are doing is providing a secure way to make that data available when it is needed,” he said.
The YouID app was created by Identity verification company, Youverify
An extra layer of security
Aside from services, YouID has a Multifactor Authentication feature. The feature adds an extra layer of security using unique tokens. You can add an account by scanning a QR code or by setting up a key using an account or token.
This token protects an account for cyber breaches. However, in a case where an account has been compromised, the app will notify you with its Yousecure feature that determines which app or account password has been breached.
In the case where another device has signed in to any of the platforms that the user has connected to YouID without a token, it informs the user that he/she has been hacked.
In summary
The YouID app is many things rolled into one. It is a digital wallet for storing and accessing important documents, a marketplace for merchants, a multi-factor authenticator, a Know Your Customer (KYC) platform, an address tracker, and of course, a data breach notification app.
Whichever digital ID services you require the app is equipped with the functionality to perform it securely.
Technext Newsletter
Get the best of Africa’s daily tech to your inbox – first thing every morning.
Join the community now!
