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Definition
Identity proofing is the process of verifying that a person is who they claim to be by collecting and validating evidence of their identity. It typically involves checking government-issued documents, biometric data, or other credentials against trusted sources to confirm authenticity.

Why it matters
Identity proofing is a critical first step in preventing fraud, account takeover, and synthetic identity attacks. Organizations rely on it during onboarding to ensure they are dealing with a real, legitimate individual before granting access to services or processing sensitive transactions.

Example use case
A financial services company requires new users to complete identity proofing before opening an account. The user uploads a photo of their passport and takes a live selfie, which the system compares against the document to confirm a match and rule out spoofing or fraudulent credentials.