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Yes, ID scanners cannot read or check IDs without compatible ID scanning software such as VeriScan.

ID scanning software captures and processes information from identity documents, both printed and encoded on the document. There are two main types of ID scanning software – visitor management, which includes age verification, and parsing. Both can catch fake IDs and perform full authentication to ensure the ID is not fraudulent.

Visitor management software performs age verification and confirms expiration date. This software also allows for tracking visits, managing VIP or banned lists, and more to give holistic insights into visitors and improve security and compliance.

Parsing software captures the information from the ID and automatically populates it into a form. Information can be parsed into a CRM, PMS, DMS, Quickbooks, or any other software that requires ID information, like first and last name, date of birth, address, age, or even the photo from the document.

ID scanners read the information on identity documents. Most modern software focuses on decrypting the information stored in the ID’s barcode, sometimes supplementing this with optical character recognition (OCR). These processes allow information to be parsed and evaluated to determine validity and authenticity. 

ID scanners can catch fake IDs to prevent fraud by ensuring customers are presenting a valid credential. ID scanners can also prevent fraud by creating records to dispute false chargebacks and returns for hotels, retailers, and bars.

Yes, but it is highly dependent on both the physical capabilities of the ID scanner, and the software you are using. Handheld ID scanners will rely on reading the 2D barcode on the back of the ID, and looking for potential anomalies, whereas Windows-compatible scanners will be able to perform more in-depth analysis of the ID’s security features to determine its legitimacy. 

About half of fake IDs can be caught by entry-level ID scanning software like VeriScan Basic or ParseLink Basic by checking for anomalies in the document’s barcode.

ID authentication can catch 95% of fake IDs, by pairing a compatible scanner with authentication software. These scanners can run IDs through 3 different lights, ultraviolet, white, and infrared, to show security features within the document. The software then performs a robust series of checks to confirm these security features, ID data, and format all conform to known standards.

Adding third party checks, like Identifraud or DMV database checks, can catch even more fraudulent IDs by comparing ID information to known databases. Very sophisticated fraudulent IDs are often caught through this level of verification.

There are a lot of scanners available for a wide variety of ID scanning uses. The first thing to figure out is if you need a desktop or handheld scanner – will the scanner be at a desk or other stationary location with a desktop computer? You’ll need a desktop scanner. Will the scanner need to be used on the go or outside? A handheld scanner will be the best option. Once you’ve determined this, you can narrow your options by other necessary capabilities, like the need to scan passports or mobile IDs, or authenticate IDs. If you need any help choosing an ID scanner, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of ID scanning experts.

ID scanners improve customer service by making processes more efficient. ID scanners can instantly verify age and expiration date, and automatically input information from IDs, to reduce wait times. ID scanning also prevents information from being entered incorrectly to ensure customer data is accurate. 

Yes! The VeriScan Mobile app is available for Androids and iPhones, and has a 30-day free trial. While there are several apps on the market to scan IDs using your phone, the efficacy varies widely. We tested the most popular ID scanning apps available to see how they perform when tested against a library of fake IDs, and found that the majority did not catch a single fake ID. It is important to make sure you are using a reliable ID scanning app to protect your business from fines, lawsuits, or loss of license.