Identity Verification for Gig & Marketplace Platforms 

Marketplace identity verification helps gig economy and online marketplace platforms confirm that users such as workers, sellers, buyers, hosts, and guests are who they claim to be. Verification can occur during onboarding and again at higher-risk moments throughout the account lifecycle to help prevent impersonation, account sharing, account takeover, and fraud. 

Identity verification typically begins during onboarding, when a user submits a government-issued identity document and verifies their identity with a biometric face match. Once the user's identity has been established, platforms can use biometric authentication or other authentication methods to help confirm the same person is using the account throughout its lifecycle, without requiring repeated document checks. 

Identity verification can often be completed in under five seconds from capture to decision. The process is fully automated, eliminating review queues, manual steps, and unnecessary delays, helping platforms onboard users quickly while maintaining trust. 

Account sharing is difficult to detect with onboarding checks alone. Establishing a verified identity at sign-up and then confirming that identity through biometric authentication during the account lifecycle helps platforms identify when someone other than the original account holder is accessing the account. These checks can be applied at selected moments without creating friction for every user interaction. 

Additional identity verification is most valuable when risk increases. Examples include account recovery, access from a new device, payout requests, disputes, or other high-risk actions. Applying stronger verification at these moments helps maintain trust while avoiding unnecessary friction for lower-risk activities.

Biometric authentication helps confirm that the person accessing an account is the same person whose identity was originally verified. If credentials are stolen, shared, or compromised, a biometric check can provide an additional layer of assurance before allowing access to sensitive actions such as account recovery, payouts, or account changes. 

No. The identity verified at onboarding becomes the reference point for future authentication. Users can confirm they are the same individual through biometric verification or another approved authentication method rather than repeatedly scanning identity documents. This reduces friction while maintaining confidence in the user's identity.

Yes. Age verification or age assurance can be incorporated into the same onboarding process used for identity verification. In many cases, age can be verified using the information contained in the identity document already provided, eliminating the need for a separate verification experience.

Entrust Identity Verification supports more than 2,500 document types across more than 150 countries. Current automated document and biometric coverage includes U.S., Canadian, U.K., and EU identity documents, with support for additional geographies rolling out over time.

No human at Entrust reviews document or biometric data during the automated verification process described on this page. Verified identity information is stored as an encrypted token rather than as reusable document or image data, helping protect user privacy and sensitive information. 

Yes. Entrust can work alongside existing identity, IAM, fraud prevention, and onboarding tools. Many organizations begin with a single use case, such as onboarding, biometric authentication, or account recovery, without needing to replace their existing systems.

Yes. Verification policies can be configured based on factors such as risk level, geography, document type, or specific user journeys. Using Entrust Workflow Studio, organizations can adjust thresholds, accepted documents, and step-up verification requirements without requiring custom development.