BILLERICA, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MorphoTrust USA (Safran), The Identity Company, and the state of Alabama are teaming up to protect citizens against identity theft and state income tax refund fraud using a groundbreaking identity verification solution, MorphoTrust’s eID. With the electronic ID (eID) application, Alabama residents will be able to protect their tax refunds with something as simple as a “selfie.”
The eID initiative will allow taxpayers to opt-in to a program that adds a new layer of security regarding tax return processing. MorphoTrust’s eID leverages the highly trusted and secure driver’s license and ID card database managed by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency to ensure that individuals are who they claim to be. Alabama taxpayers will be able to confidently place a “lock” on their tax ID within the Alabama Department of Revenue to be sure that tax returns are not processed in their name without their authorization. The eID is empowering participants to use their verified identities (including selfies) as a way to protect their personal transactions. The “selfie” provided by the individual filing a return can be compared to the photo on file in the DL/ID database and is used as part of the layered security process. This allows fraudulent filings to be intercepted before the individual and state are the victims of tax refund fraud.
“Tax refund fraud is a core issue for not only Alabama but all states, and we are dedicated to protecting our citizens,” said Alabama Revenue Commissioner Julie P. Magee. “This innovative initiative will allow all taxpayers to put the control in their own hands – and it specifically gives a way for those who have already had issues with identity theft to attain a level of comfort and protection that they did not have in the past.”
Pilot programs for the MorphoTrust eID service targeting tax refund fraud are already underway in two other innovative states: Georgia and North Carolina.
“Protecting and securing the lives of the American people is what we do,” said Bob Eckel, CEO of MorphoTrust. “The issue of identity theft and tax refund fraud is something we can and must address as a business. It will be a significant focus for us this year to successfully prove the effectiveness of the system and be ready to protect against this type of fraud by the 2017 tax season. We are privileged to be working with the state of Alabama to help them protect their citizens.”
According to the Internal Revenue Service, tax refund fraud is expected to hit $21 billion by 2016, up from $6.5 billion two years ago. http://www.cnbc.com/2015/02/11/tax-refund-fraud-to-hit-21-billion-and-theres-little-the-irs-can-do.html
About MorphoTrust USA
MorphoTrust USA (Safran) is The Identity Company, delivering solutions and services to commercial businesses and government agencies that enable trusted transactions – in person or online – wherever identity matters. From individual enrollment, to document authentication, and biometric/data matching against trusted sources, MorphoTrust offerings verify that individuals are who they claim to be before issuing permissions and/or secure credentials. The company’s solutions produce 80% of U.S. driver licenses and IDs – the most trusted identity document in the U.S. Other programs include U.S. passports and passport cards, as well as border management, public safety, banking and travel. IdentoGO® Centers by MorphoTrust provide over 1100 convenient locations for fingerprinting and other identity-related services to over 4.5 million customers annually.
