One of the most bizarre byproducts of the COVID-19 pandemic has been its effect on credit union branch protocol. As recently as this winter, the idea of a masked man walking up to a teller window would have been unheard of, if not downright illegal. Four months later, many credit unions have enacted policies requiring masks for entry. Today, credit unions have shared how fraudsters are utilizing the furthest drive-up lane or wear a full face-covering mask in the branch.
This addresses one issue while creating another—how can a credit union confirm the identity of a member cashing a check or making a withdrawal? Even a photo ID is insufficient if you’re unable to compare it to the features of the person standing in front of you.
Until recently, identity verification headaches were centered on remote channels—particularly online and mobile. Few of us anticipated challenges validating even in-person interactions. Fortunately, when MemberPass began tackling this issue in 2017, it approached the situation from a member-centric rather than account-centric angle. As a result, its decentralized, self-sovereign identity solution can be applied across as many channels as desired.
Here’s another plus—Identity is a two-way street. Credit unions have an obligation to confirm identity before transacting with a member, but when a CU is the party doing the outreach, the member wants the peace of mind of knowing they’re actually dealing with their credit union as well. MemberPass can also address this pain point. A teller, call center rep or online routine can initiate an encrypted verification request to an enrolled member’s phone—including the masked man standing in front of them at the branch. This privacy-enhancing technology is actually in use today at several credit unions. In the not-too-distant future members will be able to initiate these requests as well. Take a look at this video to see how MemberPass can enhance your member experience while also solving critical and time-consuming operational issues.
Consumer demand is at an all-time high, with 87% saying data privacy is a human right, according to a study conducted by KPMG. Credit union leaders need to understand that this technology is coming to the banking space—quickly! The race to providing the consumer with a digital identity has already begun and credit unions need to capitalize on this opportunity.
Taking the first step toward enhancing member experience and creating digital trust between your credit union and your members is easy. To learn more about MemberPass and how to participate in the MemberPass Trust Registry, take a look and see MemberPass in action, send us an email requesting a list of FAQs or a demo, register to attend one of our webinars, or visit us at www.memberpass.com.
CULedger, a credit union service organization, offering MemberPass, the simplest, most secure and convenient method to verify your members through leveraging touchless, privacy-enhancing technology to protect credit unions and their members from identity theft and fraud. MemberPass revolutionizes “hello” in banking. Visit www.memberpass.com or email us at sales@memberpass.com.
