I had gotten a notice from the IRS to validate who I am. After some 65+ years they decided to force me to use the third party ID.me service. Now being somewhat astute at communications and computers I did find this complex. It demand that you have a cell phone with the updated capabilities that exceed my less expensive one about just three months ago. It took me some 4 hours to figure out how to work this annoying third party system. I had to give them a scan of my drivers license, front and back, my signature, my SS number, and connect to some foreign agent to validate me live and record my face, voice and God knows what other biometrics. Now some third party with foreign connections has more personal information on me that my attorney and accountant. The risk of ID theft has increased in my opinion many orders of magnitude.
To reiterate, the IRS demands you go through this process otherwise they will default any and all returns! I wonder what moron invented this scheme? Also why have a commercial third party control all this data?
Now the real problem is that for me, 4 hours is a burden, but I have a PhD from MIT in EECS and have spent sixty years in computers and communications. What does an 80+ year old have to do flopping around this junked up system? Our Government has managed to harass the older folks not to mention everyone else. I have a passport, why not use that? Answer, the want your video, voice, eye motions etc to have a full set of biometrics less a DNA swab. China and Russia are not this bad!
Now can it be scammed. Easy! One's drivers license has been used extensively to enter buildings in NYC and check into hotels. Thus getting that ID is simple. SS numbers are everywhere. AI allows for fake video to be used in their biometric system. Creating a false identity is simple! In fact they have made it fool proof.
This has not in my opinion and my experience improved security, it has dramatically degraded it. It creates a massive burden on older people. I would love to know who made this decision!
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