Accucom’s SafeID protects identity in e-commerce

Accucom Corp. launched a new business model this week, hoping to provide e-commerce retailers with an easier way to figure out just who they are dealing with. The company rolled out SafeID, a service designed to let online retailers implement an identity-checking quiz by copying and pasting a few lines of code. Comparable services currently require costly implementation; SafeID’s web-based service is cost-effective even for one-time sellers on Craigslist, said Accucom general manager Alon Cohen. Most online retailers establish identity using a match between the billing address and credit card number entered by online customers. SafeID will ask each customer questions like: In what state was your social security card issued? In what zip code was your previous address? Which of the following people live with you or used to live with you? Answering more than one question incorrectly will raise the red flag – allowing merchants to protect themselves from liability for goods purchased with a stolen credit card.  SafeID customers will pay from $1 to $10 per quiz, depending on volume. Only one potential weakness was acknowledged: A savvy thief could obtain all the correct answers by subscribing to Accucom’s traditional information service. According to Cohen, the next steps for SafeID will be to develop features that also scrutinize how long a customer takes to complete the quiz, and whether the customer flipped between browser windows before answering questions.