> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.methodfi.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Maximizing Verification Success

> How to improve match rates and verification success through better data collection.

## 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       |
| Email                | 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 `+1` country 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* **Stale or outdated address** — use the user's current address, not a previous one

<Note>
  For platform availability details, see the [IDV Overview](/guides/identity-verification/overview).
</Note>

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Verification Outcomes" icon="circle-check" href="/guides/identity-verification/outcomes">
    When data collection is maximized but matching still fails.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Verification Sessions API" icon="code" href="/reference/entities/verification-sessions/overview">
    Full API reference for verification session endpoints.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>