Biometrics and photo IDs need friends to fight fraud

Biometric fraud prevention, whether at borders or in payments, often depends on photo ID documents, even as new credentials and ways of sharing them come on line. Several of the most-read articles of the week on Biometric Update reflect the need for constant improvement in the technologies used, particularly on the remote trust side. That means government-issued IDs like those Idemia is going to make under a new contract have to be difficult to fake, but also the application of additional layers, perhaps like a new coalition announced in the UK.

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Most-read biometrics news of the week

A €1.3 billion investment by the EU in strategically important technologies will fund the Digital Europe Programme from 2025 to 2027, and through it the EU Digital Identity Wallet and European Trust Infrastructure. Digital sovereignty is high on the EU’s agenda. A Linux initiative could help with that, as could more collaboration with India.

A massive coalition of companies from the financial services, tech and telecom sectors is banding together to fight fraud in the UK by sharing live data. Stats from TransUnion, Sift, BioCatch and Feedzai show the extent of online identity and payment fraud in the U.S., scams victimizing young French people, and account takeovers, respectively. NEC notes that for face biometrics to help the situation, the software has to be good.

The online gambling sector is grappling demand for fast and easy payouts while cutting fraud and meeting compliance obligations, in part through biometric authentication and digital wallets. Socure partner Trustly is rolling out a solution in Europe, Jumio and Facephi are both targeting growth in Brazil, where Checkin says new regulations will help build trust, and AcuityTec sees growth elsewhere in LATAM.

The results of DHS S&T’s Remote Identity Validation Technology Demonstration were shared over a series of announcements and presentations, showing the different parts of the fraud prevention process from ID documents to biometrics and liveness are at different maturity levels. Key stats and findings from RIVTD’s three tracks are collected to help put the state of remote onboarding in perspective.

Armenia has contracted an Idemia-led consortium to provide biometric passports and ID cards, with the intention of launching them in the second half of 2026. The deal includes setting up infrastructure to issue and accept the IDs, from offices to software and technical equipment.

Legislation under consideration in Nigeria would make the national digital ID mandatory for every citizen. The bill would repeal the NIMC Act, with the objective, according to lawmakers, of harmonizing the system and streamlining digital ID registration. It must still be approved by the House of Representatives and the President to become law.

Updated guidelines from NIST includes more precise explanations for how to use differential privacy to protect data, and of the trade-offs involved in using the technique. DP involves adding noise to datasets so they can be used to gather statistical information but not identify individuals whose data is used, but NIST says a standards gap is hindering its adoption.

Asda began trialling live facial recognition in five UK supermarkets this week in response to rising incidents of theft and assault against its employees. The biometric technology is supplied by Manchester startup FaiceTech. It will compare shoppers’ faces to a watchlist of previous offenders, and delete the probe images if no match is found.

FaceTec has won a bid to have the firm representing Jumio in a law suit over allegations of patent violations disqualified. Perkins Coie did work for FaceTec in its early days, including on matters related to intellectual property and product differentiation that a U.S. District Judge ruled may be relevant.

Tunisia is in the midst of standing up a range of digital government services, and a digital identity to access them with. The E-Houwiya ID has only 200,000 users so far and civil society groups warn that transparency and data protections are lacking, but the country is working with others to advance its digital transformation.

Various commentators are arguing that South Africa should emphasize DPI during its G20 presidency to further the continent’s ambitions in areas like free trade and the digital economy.

New Zealand’s new Digital Identity Services Trust Framework (DISTF) is coming online, and a team from DINZ took the lead on a webinar explaining the role of the accreditation and how the process works. They explained the emphasis on building trust through cybersecurity and data privacy protection.

The Global Age Assurance Standards Summit is on next Tuesday to Thursday in Amsterdam, and Biometric Update will be on location to report on the proceedings. Email [email protected] to set up an on-site meeting.

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