Q&A: Wes Turbeville, Senior Vice President, Federal at ID.me, Discusses Secure Identity Management for Government

In our new V3Gate LinkedIn article series, we are shining a light on our partners who are advancing the mission for government through cutting-edge innovations.

For our first installment, Wes Turbeville, Senior Vice President, Federal at ID.me, discusses ID.me’s solutions for government, key successes and how ID.me is poised for the future.

The following interview has been edited for clarity.

Q: Please tell us about ID.me’s solutions for the federal government.

Wes: ID.me is an American-owned, Veteran-founded company that provides digital wallets, social login, and identity verification for consumers, government agencies, and private sector companies. We are the leading credential service provider for 16 federal agencies, 40 state agencies, and over 130 million account holders.

In addition, we serve over 500 companies in the private sector. Our platform has three key components: a digital wallet that includes federated login and multi-factor authentication, identity verification, and 24/7 end-user support – all within a single platform.

What sets us apart is that our credentials are portable across sectors – federal, state, local, and private. This means that the same federated login and identity verification you use for Social Security can also be used to make unemployment claims in your state, check into an MGM hotel in Las Vegas, or claim discounts based on other attributes in your digital wallet. Our platform enables companies to offer services that recognize and support specific communities.

Through identity verification and federated login, we unlock several key benefits for federal agencies, which include increased access, lower call center costs, and increased access rates for underserved communities.

With over 60 million people in our network who have already verified their identities to a high level of assurance, these users can access new agencies and companies for the first time in a matter of seconds – with no friction -- using simple multi-factor authentication. The conversion rate is around 99.5 percent, streamlining access for our trusted user base.

Agencies can also reduce costs due to our industry-leading pass rates and the direct, relationship we maintain with end users. We handle all customer support needs, so agencies save on verification and call center costs. Users access services through an inexpensive digital channel rather than calling centers or visiting field offices, lowering the total cost of ownership.

We've also doubled access rates at the agencies we support. For underserved demographics, we've tripled access rates. People traditionally left behind by credit bureaus, data brokers, and algorithm-only solutions can access government services through ID.me at three times the rate of those legacy solutions.

Q: Tell us about the identity verification challenge that government faces today, and how ID.me addresses these challenges.

Wes: There are two main challenges. First and foremost, strong identity standards are essential to stop fraud, which is becoming more sophisticated with the advent of generative AI and deep fakes. Stronger controls are necessary to ensure benefits reach the intended recipients. ID.me is uniquely positioned to address this.

We are independently certified to meet NIST standards across our three verification pathways: online self-serve, video chat, and in-person. We combine IAL2 with robust fraud controls and the ability to thwart social engineering through managed human interaction. No one else in the market combines top-performing algorithms with human alternatives in this way.

We also work closely with our government partners, adopting the principle that it takes a network to stop a network. By integrating fraud signals and insights from one government agency, we can enhance our product and prevent similar fraud across other agencies we support. This network effect makes us highly effective at stopping fraud.

The second challenge governments face today is reaching all corners of the population that need support. Legacy solutions often rely on algorithm-only methods, which depend on online or financial records which favor affluent users. Access should not be tied to affluence.

ID.me has designed products to enable people in traditionally underserved demographics can meet government guidelines for identity verification and gain secure, portable access to online services. Our verification process is a one-time event, allowing users to access multiple government benefits with a single credential.

This approach has significantly improved access for underserved populations, enabling them to receive benefits from across agencies at federal, state, and local levels. Our solution makes it possible for government benefits to reach broader segments of the population in a digital manner that was previously unattainable.

Q: Please tell us about some of your government customer successes.

Wes: There are many success stories. Notably, it's well-documented in Congressional testimony and the Washington Post that we've effectively doubled access rates compared to legacy algorithm-only solutions. This success is partly due to our video chat pathway, our language offerings, expansion of evidence we accept, and our in-person verification offerings.

By offering consumers choice, we also allow them to control their verification journey in a way they are comfortable with. One significant success story is our collaboration with the IRS to provide users a pathway to reach IAL2 without using biometrics. This option was quickly adopted by other agencies, demonstrating that customers value choice.

Q: In looking to the future, what will be the key government IT trends over the next five years, and how will ID.me fit into this?

Wes: We are at an inflection point when it comes to identity. The barrier to entry for fraud is lowering with the advent of generative AI and deep fakes. As a result, having sophisticated fraud controls and collaborating across agencies will become increasingly important.

ID.me is uniquely positioned to stay ahead of these threats because we are a shared service operating as a network that meets government standards. This allows us to effectively combat fraud and address these emerging challenges.

We would like to thank Wes for taking the time to speak with V3Gate! Click here to learn more about ID.me’s solutions for government.

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