Frequently Asked Questions

What is DirectID?
‍DirectID is the primary service provided by the company The ID Co. Through DirectID, individuals are empowered to utilise the trusted data from their bank and other secure accounts. This gives Companies the ability to make more quicker and more informed affordability assessments, increase operational efficiency and reduce fraud through real-time financial data reporting and analytics.

‍Why have I been asked to go through the DirectID service?
‍Companies use DirectID to verify the identity of their customers or applicants, carry out regulatory and compliance checks such as Anti Money Laundering (AML) or Know Your Customer (KYC) and to assess affordability and spending patterns. Whilst you may not be familiar with this type of service it is simply a digital and much more secure and efficient alternative to sending in paper copies of bank statements and identity documents.

‍Why do you need my bank details?
‍DirectID uses the trust you have with your bank to prove you are who you say you are. You are asked to enter your online bank login details because this proves you – and you alone – have secure access to the account. Your bank verified identity is important because your bank knows you better than anyone else and your financial accounts, income and spending patterns relate to you as a specific individual.

‍What data does DirectID access from bank accounts?
‍If you have given consent then DirectID can access a limited range of (read-only) information from bank accounts. This can include:

• Transaction Data
• Current Balance
• Account Number
• Sort Code / Routing Number / Bank Transition Number / BSB
• Account Holder Name
• Account Name
• Account Type

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‍How do you use my information?
‍DirectID will only share your information with the Company that requested you to verify. By using the DirectID service you are consenting to share your information with that Company to access their products or services. This information may include:

• Your personal information
• Financial profile and bank transaction data
• Bureau or Credit Reference Agencies data
• Documents such as driving licence or passport

We will never sell or share your information to anyone else.For more information please see our Privacy Policy.


‍Having trouble verifying you account? Here’s some tips for verifying with DirectID

• Click the eye icon to ensure you are typing in the correct password
• Ensure you have selected the correct bank and account type, within the correct country, as some banks appear for multiple countries. We recommend checking the name, logo and URL for your selected bank to ensure it matches what you would expect.
• Many banks require Multi Factor Authentication, ensure you have your mobile phone, MFA device provided by your bank and/or answers to your secret questions to hand. All banks have different MFA requirements, but you should be familiar with your own banks login process.

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‍I can’t find my bank, what do I do?
‍DirectID supports over 5,500 banks across the world. When searching for your bank please ensure you try entering the partial or full name. If you still cannot find your bank please contact the Company that has asked you to verify as they may be able to suggest an alternative.

‍Why can’t I access my accounts?
‍Sometimes our data provider encounters an issue accessing an account or the bank selected is not yet fully supported. This is often temporary and may be resolved by refreshing the link or starting again. If this does not work, please contact the business requesting verification.

‍How do I request my information?
‍If you have been denied credit and have been told by your lender this decision was based on information provided by DirectID, you are entitled to receive a copy of the information we provided, at no cost.Request your information here: Request My Information.

‍How does the DirectID service work?
‍You may be asked to verify with DirectID’s Bank Verification and/or Document Verification services. We partner with industry leading technology and data providers to ensure that the process is always safe and secure. When logging in to your bank account via DirectID Bank Verification, neither The ID Co. nor the business requesting verification will ever see, store or have access to an individual’s credentials.

• ‍Bank Verification: DirectID gives you the ability to do more online, by taking the trusted data you have in your bank account and using it to access additional services. By logging into your online bank through DirectID, you are sharing the data mentioned above with the Company requesting it. Our security model is bank level, layered and protected by tokenised oAuth authentication and strong encryption. All transaction data is encrypted and access to customers’ bank information is read only.
• ‍Document Verification: DirectID’s document upload and verification service allows images of documents to be submitted to the company that has asked for them, rather than emailing or sending them in by post, thus reducing fraudulent applications and saving you time. By submitting your documents through DirectID, the receiving company will be able to review the image as well as the identity and other personal information contained within the document.

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‍How and where will my data be stored?
‍Where your data is stored is largely dependent on the company that has asked you to verify with DirectID and where they store your information. In terms of the DirectID platform, we have two data centers, one in the US and one in the UK. Depending on the Company that has requested the verification, we will store your data in one of these two locations. Regardless of where it is stored, we always protect and encrypt data.

‍Who are The ID Co.?
‍Operating since 2011 in over 30 countries, The ID Co. offer solutions that are deployed in retail banking, lending, mortgages, collections and consumer and business finance markets. This FAQ has been designed for users of our business service, DirectID.

‍Where is The ID Co. based?
‍The ID Co. is headquartered in the United Kingdom.

‍How long has The ID Co. been providing these services?
‍The ID Co. has been helping people use their bank accounts to do more online since 2011. The DirectID service was launched in 2015.

‍I still have questions about verifying with DirectID, who should I speak to?
‍Please contact the Company that asked you to verify with DirectID in the first instance as they may be able to assist you through the process or provide an alternate option. The ID Co. is unable to help with individual loan applications and is not involved in the decision making process, other than by providing the DirectID service.