How to use Authentify® to verify your identity

In an increasingly digital world, it’s not always easy to prove your identity online. Certain circumstances, however, involve a need to certify who you are in order to proceed. For example, you might be asked to verify your identity when filling out insurance forms online or opening a new account. 

In any of these scenarios, you may come across Authentify®, an identity verification service that allows you to securely share your information to prove who you are in a way that is fast and convenient for you. Here’s what you need to know about Authentify® and how it works. 

Authentify® allows you to choose to share selected personal information you have on file with Capital One with the companies and organizations you want. Capital One and other participating financial institutions provide this information through Authentify®, which allows you to verify your identity online using your bank credentials.

Typically, when you’re asked to prove who you are, you can expect a long and painful process ahead. With Authentify®, however, verifying your identity online can be fast and convenient. After providing your consent to share your data, you can move forward with the next steps. And along the way, you’ll enjoy greater peace of mind over what you share and how that information is shared.     

This arrangement is different from other forms of identity verification. In the past—before so many organizations operated online—companies might have asked you to come to their brick-and-mortar location to verify your identity. This would give them a chance to see you in person. While you were there, you would often be asked to show a form of identification, like your birth certificate or driver’s license. 

Today, however, you’re more likely to be asked to verify your identity online using a long list of security questions or some other tedious method. These inquiries sometimes deal with your past and might touch on nearly forgotten details. For instance, if you’re asked where you went to elementary school, it could take a few moments (or longer) to remember the place. The same is true for other information from previous years (or decades), such as the model of your first car or a former home address. When providing historical data, it can be easy to make a slip and respond incorrectly to a question.    

Unlike these tedious in-depth questionnaires, Authentify® helps ease the process of proving your identity. When you need to verify your identity online, Authentify® works with your financial institution to gather the information the company is requesting. It could also help you avoid having to enter information into long forms online or figure out how to send pictures of personal documents. 

When you’re creating a new account online or accessing services, you may come across Authentify® as an option to verify your identity. If you choose to use Authentify®, it enables your participating financial institution to provide key information it already has on file about you with the participating companies you choose. This information might include your name, email address, phone number and date of birth, but does not include banking information. The setup allows you to quickly prove you are who you say you are.  

For instance, perhaps you are asked to sign a document online and are asked to verify your identity. At that time, you may see the option to use Authentify® to prove who you are. When you select Authentify®, you will be given a list of financial institutions to choose from. If you see Capital One listed, you can select it. From there, you’ll be redirected to the bank’s login page, where you can enter your username and password. You’ll see the terms and conditions involved and will be asked to agree and consent to the information that will be shared. Your bank will only send the information you agree to have shared. Once you approve, the data will be shared with the company you want using the security protocols in place with Authentify®. Authentify® won’t store your information, and your banking credentials won’t be shared or sold by Authentify® or any other party.