The app is expected to simplify lives easier for people who buy items online from retailers and get them delivered to their local Post Office
UK Post Office launches ID-verification app. Source: pexels.com
Post Office has revealed that customers can now collect parcels and letters from Post Offices using an app on their phone to show their ID. This eliminates the necessity for a passport or driving licence.
The Post Office EasyID app can already be used for completing online transactions that require proof of identity and can be used across the UK at:
- 10,500 Post Offices for mail collection.
- 5,000 Post Offices that offer National Lottery ticket purchases or for claiming prizes under £500.
- 13,000 Payzone outlets within convenience stores as a proof of identity or a proof of age for example when buying a national lottery ticket or age-restricted items such as cigarettes.
- 12,000 retailers across the UK that already accept ID provided by Yoti, the digital identity company the Post Office has partnered with.
To use the Post Office EasyID app, customers can download it from Android Play or the Apple App Store. They then verify their identity with a passport, driving licence or national ID card, and facial recognition software – like that used by automated airport barriers.
According to the press release, this creates a secure digital ID on their mobile device, including their photo and date of birth, protected by their biometrics and a PIN, and can be presented in Post Offices and shops.
Introducing the new Post Office EasyID app is the latest development in the Post Office’s strategy to embrace new technology and deliver improvements that help Postmasters operate more efficiently.
As Governments and businesses across the UK seek to facilitate easier confirmation of identity digitally in order to access services and to help combat fraud, the Post office’s EasyID app provides people with a free-to-use service that can be used to control with whom and how they share their identity.
We’ve reported that Apple will introduce digital IDs and driving licenses in 8 US states.
SEE ALSO:
