This guide is for individuals going through a Persona-powered identity verification flow. While we’ve included helpful tips, the verification was set up by the business, service, or organization that asked you to verify. They use Persona as a tool, and they ultimately decide what’s required and can assist with your specific situation, if you’re having trouble.
Why your employer is asking
Companies use identity verification at some usual moments at work:
- Starting a job, to confirm that the new hire is the person who got the job offer.
- Resetting a password or recovering an account when you are locked out.
- Getting access to a system, a building, or something sensitive.
- Confirming it is you before a change is made to your pay or personal details.
The reason is the same in each case. Attackers are now skilled at this attack: they call a help desk, speak like an employee, and persuade the help desk to give them access to an account. It is much more difficult to get past a request for a document and a live photo of a face.
What the verification flow looks like
You usually start on a computer, at a login or password reset screen. Then you move to your phone for the camera part. Depending on the setup, you scan a code, open a link that you get, or open an app.
- On an iPhone, the flow often opens as a small temporary app, not as a web page. Read Verification opened as an app on my iPhone.
- On Android, you may need to install the Persona Wallet app first. Read I was asked to download the Persona Wallet app.
One warning worth reading
No one from your company, your IT help desk, or Persona will ever call, text, or message you asking you to complete a verification on their behalf, or while they stay on the line.
If this occurs, it is a scam. The person on the phone is trying to use your face and your ID to get into an account. End the call and do not continue. Tell your IT or security team about it. Use a number or address that you already know is real.
A verification that you started yourself, from the login screen of your employer, is a completely different thing.
Who to go to when it goes wrong
Go to your IT help desk or HR contact, not to Persona. This is the correct place to go, for these reasons: they set up the flow, they can see your attempts, and they know what the devices of your company allow. Also, only they can decide what happens with your access. Persona cannot see or discuss an individual result, and cannot change a step in their flow.
Tell them the step that you were on and the exact words on the screen. This usually gives them sufficient information to solve the problem.
If your work phone is in the way
Managed phones often block app installs, limit the camera, or filter the network. You cannot remove those limits yourself. Your IT team can. On a managed device, they can usually install the app for you.
If your company allows it, use a personal phone for the camera step. This prevents almost all of these problems.
What your employer sees
They get the outcome of the verification and the information that they asked for, the same as all other businesses that use Persona. They decide what to ask for. Read what the business decides about your verification and can someone else see my verification results?.