Why a correct person fails the name check

Official records often store names differently from how people write them. A mismatch does not always mean fraud.

• Name order: the record may have the surname first. Send first name and last name in separate fields instead of one long name.
• Middle names: some records include them and some do not. Do not require a middle name to match.
• Spelling: Mohammed, Muhammad and Mohammad are all common. Look at the confidence score instead of requiring an exact match.
• Initials and short forms: 'Chuks' for 'Chukwuemeka' will not match.

A sensible rule

Accept a high confidence score automatically, send a middle score to a person for a quick look, and reject a low score. Add a face match for high-value decisions, since a face is much harder to borrow than a number.