November 2019

In a world where instances of identity theft are increasing day by day, identity verification is one of the most reliable ways to build trust between any two parties. In simple terms, Identity Verification means a process that can prove or verify that someone does exist.

Fact is, in today’s world, it is no longer safe to blindly trust someone’s words. According to a survey conducted by Forbes, over 17 million people are impacted by identity theft every single year, especially consumers who are more than 50 years old are more vulnerable to such crimes. Even in India, there have been many instances of frauds conducted using Aadhaar. Just earlier this year, there were five cases of Aadhaar-related frauds where money worth lakhs was fraudulently taken out from customers’ accounts in two public sector banks.

Moreover, Andhra Bank has had four similar cases where a whopping amount of Rs. 4, 20,098 was taken out from certain customers’ bank accounts without their knowledge using their Aadhaar details. In fact, since 2015, the Indian banking department has received over twenty complaints regarding Aadhaar-related frauds. With so many instances of identity thefts, the only reasonable measure to build trust is to adopt identity checks.

APIs – The basis of identity verification

Today, identity checks are done based on the government’s database, facilitated by the use of advanced APIs (application programming interface), as well as complex and intelligent search algorithms. API, which stands for Application Programming Interface, is a software intermediary which enables two different applications to interact and communicate with each other. It is the main technology behind all kinds of national identity verification today.

Here’s how it works.

When a background screening company conducts an identity search, it is basically sending out a request to the government’s database for access so that whatever is needed like identity, age, address and more can be verified.  API is the middleman that sends this request for access and sends back the response, that is, the verification result to the company. This process aids in conducting instant identity verification.

Today, API is the building block of national ID checks, enabling verification of personal details and information about an individual. But with the rise in biometrics, this may not be the norm of identity verification very soon.

Recruiting candidates to fill job vacancies is an ongoing process in any organisation. Whether an employee has resigned or you are expanding and new positions have opened up, you will be in need of someone to take the job. There are two main methods of filling a job position- internal recruiting and external recruiting. Both of these methods come with their advantages and disadvantages but deciding between the two has a lot to do with your organisation and the position that needs to be filled.

The advantages and disadvantages of external recruiting

External recruiting should be considered when none of your existing employees qualifies for the new position or you could benefit vastly from hiring a new candidate. What is important to remember when you are hiring externally is that a thorough background screening is required. A background verification check of a new employee could be time-consuming but will work to your advantage in the long run. Doing a pre-employment screening, identity verification and police verification could save you from hiring someone with a sketchy past that could jeopardise your company. Making sure a candidate is being honest about their past is imperative in saving you and your company a lot of problems later on. The extra time and effort required for external recruiting will pay off when you find the perfect candidate for the job. An external hire will not only bring along new ideas but could also be the most qualified and experienced person for the job. External hiring takes longer and costs more but provides you with a larger pool from which to choose the right employee.