back to article Online criminal records checks to take a punt on troubled Verify system

The Disclosure and Barring Service, responsible for processing requests for criminal records checks, has taken the gamble of using the Government Digital Service's online ID system authentication portal. From next year, users will be able to apply direct to DBS for an online check. "As part of the online application you'll …

  1. This post has been deleted by its author

    1. iron Silver badge

      Re: Are You Joking....

      Or not.

      In order to apply for a criminal records check on someone else in England & Wales you need to be registered with DBS if you do 100+ checks per year or if you do less than that you must go through an umbrealla body that is registered. This is already done to prevent the kind of Daily Fail scenarios you are worried about.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Are You Joking....

      Yawn

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Are You Joking....

      They'll either send them out in the post or send you an id code in the post.

      One does wonder when the first security c*ck up will be. I give it a couple of years at most and we won't get free credit monitoring from the government.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    To be fair, HMRC ditched it because it can't handle "complex" scenarios like, say, a person authorising their accountant to do their paperwork, or a person who is also a director effectively having two distinct identities in HMRC's eyes. Yeah, super complex unexpected things like that.

    I suspect DBS checks might be one of the few scenarios Verify might actually fit. It's only ever dealing with the individual as a natural person.

    1. Trigonoceps occipitalis

      Or if the DBS check comes back "fail"

      An unnatural person.

    2. Dan 55 Silver badge

      Isn't that HMRC's fail? People need to verify their ID, it's up to HMRC to join the dots between them or decide on their roles.

      1. D Moss Esq

        No it's not HMRC's fail. They've successfully used the Government Gateway for about 17 years now. They don't need GOV.UK Verify (RIP).

        It's GDS's fail. GOV.UK Verify (RIP) offers HMRC nothing – 60% of attempts by the public to use it fail and it can't handle companies and partnerships and trusts, both of which would make it hard to collect tax.

  3. Harry Stottle

    First intelligent statement I've seen, regarding Identity, from a Government Source

    (that is, if the Law Commission qualifies as a Government source - not sure of their constitutional position)

    the full quote from the Law Commission reveals that someone actually knows what they're talking about:

    "We have concerns, however, as to whether the use of Verify would be sufficient to protect testators from undue influence and impersonation. Verify does not currently ensure that the person entering the information is in fact the person he or she is purporting to be; rather it focuses on verifying that the person exists. While the involvement of witnesses generally provides some protection against fraud and undue influence, Verify does not currently have any facility for the participation of witnesses. Furthermore, Verify relies on passwords to control access to the service. There is a risk, therefore, that testators will give their passwords to family members or carers, and might be pressured to do so by persons wanting to abuse them."

    If only these people could also advise the authoritarians on end to end encryption...

    1. Zippy's Sausage Factory

      Re: First intelligent statement I've seen, regarding Identity, from a Government Source

      So essentially, Verify is really good for those attempting to get hold of vulnerable family members' assets, or for building your own fake identity using social media?

      How could this possibly go wrong?

  4. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

    "One problem is that the identity providers, mainly Experian at this point, fail to recognise anyone without a digital footprint "

    Experian was involved in this role in the original CRB checking system about 15 years ago.

    1. Rich 11

      An insider remarked: "I can't see this ending well."

      I can't even see it starting well.

    2. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

      ""One problem is that the identity providers, mainly Experian at this point, fail to recognise anyone without a digital footprint "

      Experian was involved in this role in the original CRB checking system about 15 years ago."

      And also with reference to the above article quote, my wife has little digital presence, hasn't worked in the last 20 years, has no photo ID and none of the bills are in her name. That caused problems even just moving her bank account from bank to another. Even I have had some problems with security clearances because I don't have any legally recognised photo ID.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Experian data

      "One problem is that the identity providers, mainly Experian at this point, fail to recognise anyone without a digital footprint "

      For some time I have wondered about the "get your credit rating for free" ads from credit agencies such as Experian and wondered - what's in it for them?.

      Example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk4EAo7nE_k

      Now it is clear; they are gathering data to be able to sell it to the likes of HMRC. It just goes to prove the old adage that if you are not paying for a product, you ARE the product.

  5. jake Silver badge

    Am I the only one who read that as ...

    ... troubled Verity system, and wondered what STOB was messing with?

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I tried to register but failed. It didn't tell me why, just that it couldn't verify my identity, after I spent about 40 minutes filling in all my details. Does that mean I don't exist?

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