Post offices across the U.S. have the potential to play a larger role in proving a person’s identity to access unemployment and other government benefits, while also addressing privacy and fairness concerns over technology used to prevent fraud.
The U.S. Postal Service already provides in-person proofing, or identity verification, for passport applications, background-check fingerprinting, and other services. A person must show an ID card to postal staff to confirm they are who they claim to be.
Expanding these post office capabilities would make it easier for Americans to undergo identity checks locally, while also providing a fallback to online options that may require authentication methods such as facial recognition, according to a new report from the USPS Office of Inspector General.