FaceTec Ships Irrefutable IDV to Users’ Phones with New Scan+Match App

FaceTec has launched a “Scan+Match” app for its UR code solution, making the latter widely available for use across Android and iOS devices.

First unveiled last September, the UR Code protocol is essentially an identity verification framework designed to irrefutably tie an individual’s biographic and biometric information directly to an issued identity credential. It does so by embedding the identity data directly into a scannable QR code, which can be printed on an ID card, a business card, or any other material, for that matter.

Anyone who needs to verify that person’s identity can now use the Scan+Match App to scan the UR Code on the identity document, and to scan the identity holder’s face. From there, biometric liveness and matching algorithms can verify that the given UR Code data really does belong to the person presenting the identity credential.

“The Scan+Match App is very easy to use and provides free access to anyone who will use UR Codes to validate in-person identity, anywhere in the world, by biometrically and digitally linking the legitimate user to their identification documents, helping combat the growing threat of identity theft,” explained Owen McShane, VP of Government Relations.

Having joined FaceTec last summer, McShane is playing an important role in blazing a trail for UR Code adoption. Various legal identity issuing authorities are expected to explore the use of the needed UR Encoder software behind their own firewalls in order to securely encode identity data into IDs. As the former Deputy Commissioner of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, McShane brings considerable expertise and authority to those conversations.

Crucially, when it comes to matching a UR Code to its user, the system is vendor-agnostic. Authorities will be able to leverage whichever biometric algorithms work best. FaceTec will nevertheless be a strong competitor in this race: The company is renowned for its 3D Liveness and Face Verification technology, and is unique in offering a Spoof Bounty Program that challenges enterprising hackers to attempt to spoof its biometric liveness and matching technology, with rewards totaling $600,000—and it has not had to pay out a cent in years.

The Scan+Match App is free to download from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

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February 6, 2025 – by Alex Perala