Maximizing Verification Success
Not all PII fields are required for every verification method, but providing more data significantly improves match rates and verification success. At minimum, you need a name and phone number, but including date of birth, address, and SSN (last 4 or full) dramatically increases the likelihood of a successful match. Design your onboarding flow to collect as much PII as practical without creating excessive friction.| Field | Impact | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| First + Last name | Required | Baseline identity anchor |
| Phone number | Required | Links to carrier records and Method’s network |
| Date of birth | High | Disambiguates common names, strong identity signal |
| Address | High | Confirms geographic identity, helps with thin files |
| Moderate | Secondary signal, helps when primary fields are ambiguous | |
| SSN (last 4 or full) | Highest | Strongest single identity signal, near-guaranteed match |
Common Pitfalls
- Phone number without country code — Method only accepts US phone numbers at this time, and they must include the
+1country code (e.g.,+15551234567) - Abbreviated names vs. legal names — use the name on their credit file, not nicknames (e.g., “William” not “Bill”)
- PO Box instead of physical address — physical addresses match better against identity records
- Stale or outdated address — use the user’s current address, not a previous one
For platform availability details, see the IDV Overview.
Verification Outcomes
When data collection is maximized but matching still fails.
Verification Sessions API
Full API reference for verification session endpoints.