Assessment

Pearson VUE Tightens ID Verification in Online Testing

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 04/01/19

Computer-based testing center company Pearson VUE will be embedding new identity verification into its remote testing service. The company, which reported delivering 15.8 million certification and licensing exams last year, will be using technology from IDEMIA, which produces what it calls "augmented identity."

During the online testing process, test-takers scan their physical driver's license or government-issued ID during their exam check-in process. The credentials are then compared against data in IDEMIA's identity document library to validate the authenticity of the identification.

The two companies are also piloting IDEMIA's in-person verification tech in Pearson VUE's Professional Centers, which follow heightened security practices. This software uses a physical device to scan a test-taker's government-issued identification document and automatically checks several security features in the document to make sure it isn't counterfeit or hasn't been altered.

"The ability to quickly evaluate the validity of global government-issued identification documents brings additional security and authorization levels to prevent fraud in high-stakes exams," said Peter Pascale, global vice president of product at Pearson VUE, in a statement.