Credas urges UK drive to educate buyers on digital ID

Credas has called for a national effort to educate consumers about digital identity after research into UK homebuyers found widespread use of insecure channels to share identity documents.

The identity verification firm said limited public understanding leaves people more exposed to fraud and slows adoption of digital methods that offer stronger control over personal data.

Homebuyers are a useful test case because property transactions often involve multiple parties and extensive checks on identity and funds. Yet Credas found that 62% of respondents shared copies of identity documents by email, and one in 10 used WhatsApp.

Both methods give consumers little visibility into where documents end up or how long they are retained. They also increase the risk of interception, account compromise, accidental forwarding, or reuse of documents across different transactions.

The findings contrast with consumers' stated preferences on data handling. In the research, 86% said it is important or very important to control when and how their data is shared, while 32% cited lack of transparency as a major concern.

Education gap

Credas argued that barriers to adoption stem less from distrust of digital identity and more from a lack of basic explanation from businesses and service providers. Digital identity is now common across banking, healthcare, employment and property, but many people still do not understand how it works or what protections it offers compared with emailing scans.

Organisations often ask customers to complete a verification step without explaining what data is collected, how it is secured, or how long it is kept. Without that context, consumers fall back on familiar approaches such as emailing a passport scan or messaging a photo of a driving licence.

Neil Williams, chief technology officer at Credas, said: "The problem isn't that the public doesn't trust digital identity - it's that very few have explained what it actually is or how it protects them better than 'traditional' methods. As a provider certified against the UK Government's Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework, we know that the technology exists to give people the control and protection they're asking for. However, if businesses don't explain what they're offering and why it matters, consumers will continue falling back on insecure alternatives, including emailing documents."

Credas said its work in remote identity verification shows consumers will engage with digital checks when the process is clearly explained and presented as standard practice. It added that firms in property, financial services and healthcare have a responsibility to explain how verification is conducted and what security measures apply.

Property process

Property transactions have come under increasing scrutiny for identity checks because of the sums involved and the prevalence of attempted fraud, including impersonation and document manipulation. Buyers and sellers may interact with estate agents, mortgage brokers, lenders, conveyancers and surveyors, and each touchpoint can trigger fresh requests for identification and proof of address.

That complexity can lead to repeated sharing of the same documents across multiple inboxes and devices. Consumers often cannot tell which party holds the most recent copy, whether it is stored securely, or whether it is later deleted. The risk increases when documents are sent from personal email accounts or through messaging apps that may be used on shared devices.

Credas said digital identity verification offers an alternative by moving away from ad hoc transmission of scans and photos. In many systems, consumers complete checks through a structured process with defined access controls and records of verification events. It linked this to the "control and transparency" respondents said they wanted, while noting that consumers rarely receive a plain-language explanation of the differences.

Business duty

Credas, part of SmartSearch, is based in Cardiff. Established in 2016, it works with legal, property and business professionals and says it verifies more than four million individuals a year. It also says it was the first Identity Service Provider certified to a "very high" level of confidence under the UK Government Trust Framework.

Williams framed clearer communication as a consumer protection measure rather than a product message. "Education isn't marketing, it's a duty of care," he said. "Businesses rolling out digital verification have an obligation to explain what they're asking people to do and why it's safer. Without that, we're leaving consumers vulnerable to fraud and holding back the solutions designed to protect them."