Internet commerce is projected to exceed $1.4 trillion by 2003. The potential exists for on-line firms to expand from local to international, from large to megalithic. Yet loss and liability resulting from identity fraud can reduce a global powerhouse to a minor player. Considered the fastest growing financial crime in the world, identity theft will be carried out against more than 500,000 people this year. The target, however, is not the consumer, but commercial enterprise. In particular: e-commerce. Fraud-related risks to on-line businesses include: • Financial losses due to nonpayment • Lower market share because of loss of consumer confidence • Reduction of credit standing with creditors and investors Realistic business plans include measures to manage the costs of risk. Some companies simply accept the losses and factor in reserves for ID fraud; others assign consumer passwords or PINs. Even when passwords are assigned using traditional, wallet-based identity verification, fraud can occur - often undetected until after it has taken place. While time-consuming off-line identification may deter criminals, it is more likely to deter valuable consumers. What is needed is an innovative, on-line process as reliable as traditional physical identity verification. The solution is simple, Equifax Secure Ltd, presents eIDverifier™, a remote identity verification (authentication) process using patent-pending, shared-secret technology. Unlike other approaches, eIDverifier allows users to validate their identity within minutes using a proprietary Interactive Query. Less comprehensive approaches allow the consumer to determine your risk exposure. With eIDverifier you set your acceptable level of risk. The eIDverifier solution produces an assessment score and reason codes based on the consumer's ability to provide private information that is difficult to fabricate. This information is known by the consumer, but not generally known by others. Additionally, all pages displayed to consumers may carry your banner, increasing your brand recognition and consumer confidence in your protection of their identity. ©2000 Equifax Secure. All Rights Reserved. Electronic identity validation is vital to the long-term success and protection of Internet businesses. By incorporating Equifax Secure's eIDverifier™ into your Internet applications you will: • Manage risk and reduce liability from fraudulent transactions • Reduce costs through outsourcing • Protect consumers from fraudulent use of their identity • Add value by leveraging the sophisticated Equifax databases and services • Optimise site transactions • Maximise brand exposure • Build consumer and creditor confidence • Increase brand value through heightened on-line reliability and trust