Legal ID Verification Information

To complete this level of verification, we have partnered with a third-party identity verification service. When you request to verify your ID, the information you submit is securely sent directly to them. They then run this information through their system to verify that you are who you say you are! We have no control over their system or the outcome and we do not store this information on our servers. We are therefore unable to guarantee the outcome of the verification results and we do not offer refunds for this service (unless the ID verification attempts were purchased to facilitate high risk verification for your account). However, because we are unable to review the information entered or why the verification was successful or unsuccessful, we do allow for a second attempt at no additional charge if the first attempt fails. 

Additionally, because the information you send to verify your ID is securely sent directly to our third-party partner, we are unable to determine if there were any issues when entering your information that may or may not have led to any verification failures. We strongly recommend that you double- and triple-check all of your information before submitting (as well as following the best practices included below) as there is not a way for that information to be rechecked due to privacy protocols.

How does identity verification work? 

Roommates.com works with Stripe to conduct identity verification online. Stripe builds technology that’s used by millions of companies around the world like Amazon, Google, and Zoom. They help with everything from accepting payments to managing subscriptions to verifying identities.

Stripe helps Roommates.com confirm your identity by conducting the following checks:

1. Stripe will capture images of the front and back of your government-issued photo ID and review to ensure that the document is authentic. They’ve built an automated identity verification technology that looks for patterns to help determine if an ID document is real or fake. This process is like a bank teller checking your ID document to confirm that it’s real.
2. Stripe will capture photos of your face and review to confirm that the photo ID belongs to you. They’ve built automated identity verification technology that uses distinctive physiological characteristics of your face (known as biometric identifiers) to match the photos of your face with the photo on the ID document. This process is similar to a bank teller confirming that the photo on your ID document is you based on the shape of your nose or eyes—but it’s higher-tech and a more accurate way to identify you as a unique person.
3. Stripe will collect your name, date of birth, and government ID number, and validate that it is real. They will check this information against a global set of databases to confirm that it exists.

Stripe will ask for your consent before collecting and using your information. They will only use your verification data in accordance with the permissions you grant before starting the verification process, and based on their Privacy Policy.

Learn more about how Stripe is storing and handling your data.

Learn more about how Roommates.com is storing and handling your data.

Best practices for a successful verification

Before starting the verification process, here’s what you need:

• A valid government-issued photo ID document. Not a photocopy or a picture of an ID document. Ensure that the ID document is not expired.
• A device with a camera, if possible, use a mobile device. Cameras on mobile devices typically take higher-quality photos than a webcam.

The quality of the images captured affects success rates dramatically. Below are a few best practices to help ensure that your verification succeeds:

• Capture a clear image. Make sure that the images are not too dark or bright, and don’t have a glare. Hold steady and allow your camera to focus to avoid blurry photos.
• Do not block any part of your ID document in the image. Ideally you can lay it flat to take the photo.
• Do not block any part of your face. Remove sunglasses, masks, or other accessories.
• Find a location with ambient lighting. Avoid spaces with strong overhead lights that cast a shadow on your face or ID document. Avoid sitting directly in front of a bright light which can wash out your face and add a glare to your ID document.

Why am I asked to verify my identity? 

Roommates.com does not currently require most users to complete ID verification. The sole exception is in situations where a Roommates.com account is identified as "high risk" by our staff: in such a situation, a high risk user may be asked to complete phone and ID verification in order to help our staff confirm the legitimacy of the account to facilitate account reinstatement. However, we strongly encourage all users to complete ID verification if possible, as it is a way to communicate to others that you are who you say you are. 

Can I get verified using a different method? 

All Roommates.com members have multiple routes to verify their account. Currently, you can do it through you phone number, your email, or your Apple account.

Who has access to my verification data? 

Both Roommates.com and Stripe will have access to the information that you submit through the verification flow. We rely on Stripe to help store your verification data. Stripe uses access controls and security standards that are at least as stringent as those used to handle their own KYC and payments compliance data.

Learn more about how Stripe handles and stores your data.

How can I access or delete my verification data? 

Roommates.com does not store any of the verification data; therefore, you will need to contact Stripe and request that they delete any information they are required to delete upon request. Stripe will need to verify and authenticate your request in order to delete your information. In order to authenticate your request, please send an email to privacy@stripe.com to begin the process.