Inman

Secure Show launches ID verification service

A Seattle-based startup is rolling out an ID verification service that determines whether the people a real estate agent plans to meet are who they say they are.

A preliminary version of Secure Show LLC’s website launched at Real Estate Connect New York City in January. The company says its verification service will be up and running in beta today.

How it works: Before a face-to-face meeting, prospective clients send pictures of themselves and their ID or driver’s license to Secure Show. A third-party authentication service then checks the ID against databases containing international passports as well as state-issued IDs and driver’s licenses. A verification squad of people at Secure Show check to make sure that a client’s current photo matches his or her driver’s license.


Lynn Robertson

The agent’s identity is also verified, offering both sides protection, according to Lynn Robertson, founder and CEO of Secure Show.

"With over 25 years of real estate experience, I know firsthand the inherent dangers and valid concerns agents have about meeting prospective clients privately," she said in a statement.

"This is a solution I hope will provide peace of mind to thousands of people in either their professional or personal lives. Increasing the safety and security of all people is what Secure Show is all about."

Secure Show is offering a package of two verifications for $9.95 during its beta period.