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82 entries available
Description
The total number of verification cases created across all statuses. Includes active, completed, failed, and expired cases.
Impact
Tracks overall verification volume and platform adoption. Spikes may indicate batch uploads or new client onboarding.
Example
Displayed as a number, e.g. "247". Includes all cases regardless of status (active, completed, failed, expired).
Benchmark
Typical tenants process 50-500 cases/month depending on plan.
Pro Tips
Description
Cases that have reached the COMPLETE terminal state — all required verification layers passed successfully.
Impact
Directly measures successful verifications. A low completed count relative to total cases suggests drop-off in the verification funnel.
Example
Displayed as a number, e.g. "189". Only counts cases with status = COMPLETE.
Benchmark
Healthy completion rates are 70-85% of total cases.
Formula
Count of cases where status = COMPLETE
Pro Tips
Description
Cases where a postal letter has been dispatched but not yet delivered or verified. Status is POSTAL_DISPATCHED.
Impact
High in-transit counts may indicate postal delays or delivery issues in certain regions.
Example
Displayed as a number, e.g. "34". Counts cases with status = POSTAL_DISPATCHED.
Benchmark
UK letters: 1-3 business days. EU/US: 3-7 business days.
Letters in transit for more than 10 business days may indicate delivery failure.
Pro Tips
Description
Percentage of cases that reached COMPLETE status out of all cases that have reached a terminal state (COMPLETE, FAILED, or EXPIRED).
Impact
The primary health metric for your verification process. Low success rates may indicate issues with subject engagement, postal delivery, or bundle configuration.
Example
Displayed as a percentage, e.g. "82.5%". If 165 of 200 terminal cases completed, rate = 82.5%.
Benchmark
75-90% is healthy. Below 60% warrants investigation.
Formula
COMPLETE / (COMPLETE + FAILED + EXPIRED) x 100
Success rate excludes in-progress cases. A high total with low terminal count means most cases are still active.
Pro Tips
Description
Initial state when a case is first created. No verification actions have been taken yet.
Impact
Cases should move out of CREATED quickly. A backlog here means digital verification or letter dispatch is delayed.
Example
Input: Subject name "Jane Smith", address "12 Baker Street, London, NW1 6XE, GB", email "jane@example.com". Output: Case created with status CREATED.
Pro Tips
Description
Email and/or SMS OTP has been sent to the subject. Waiting for them to enter the code.
Impact
Long dwell times suggest the subject did not receive the OTP or is not engaging.
Example
Email OTP sent: "A3K9X2MF" (8 characters). SMS OTP sent: "482917" (6 digits). Subject enters the code on the verification page.
Benchmark
Most digital verifications complete within 5 minutes of sending.
Pro Tips
Description
Subject has successfully entered the correct email/SMS OTP. Digital layer is complete.
Impact
If the bundle includes postal verification, the case will transition to POSTAL_DISPATCHED next.
Example
Subject entered "A3K9X2MF" correctly. Status transitions from DIGITAL_PENDING to DIGITAL_VERIFIED.
Description
A physical letter with a unique 10-character OTP and QR code has been printed and dispatched via the postal provider.
Impact
Delivery tracking is available for UK and US/Canada (tracked delivery).
Example
Letter dispatched with postal OTP "K7M2X9P4LR" (10 characters) and QR code linking to verification URL. Tracking reference: "TRK12345678".
Benchmark
UK: 1-3 days. EU/US: 3-7 days.
Description
Letter has been confirmed delivered (via tracking) but the subject has not yet entered the postal OTP.
Impact
The subject has the letter but has not acted. A reminder may help.
Example
Tracking shows "Delivered" on 2026-02-20. Subject has not yet entered OTP "K7M2X9P4LR". Reminder email scheduled.
Pro Tips
Description
Subject has entered the correct postal OTP. Physical address possession is confirmed.
Impact
The case will now transition to COMPLETE (assuming all required layers are verified).
Example
Subject entered "K7M2X9P4LR" correctly via QR scan or manual entry. Address possession confirmed.
Description
All required verification layers have been successfully completed. Evidence pack is sealed with SHA-256 hash chain.
Impact
Terminal state. The evidence pack is now available for download and webhook delivery.
Example
Case completed with assurance level "Verified (Digital + Postal)". Evidence pack PDF available for download. Webhook "case.completed" fired.
Completed cases cannot be re-opened. Create a new case if re-verification is needed.
Description
Case failed due to max OTP attempts exceeded, fraud detection, or manual rejection by a caseworker.
Impact
Terminal state. Review the case timeline for the specific failure reason.
Example
Reason: "Max OTP attempts exceeded (5/5 for postal layer)". Or: "Caseworker rejected — ghost address confirmed".
Failed cases count against your verification quota.
Pro Tips
Description
Case exceeded its time-to-live (TTL) without completing all required verification layers.
Impact
Terminal state. The subject did not complete verification within the allowed window.
Example
Case created 2026-01-15 with 30-day TTL. Expired on 2026-02-14 with status stuck at POSTAL_PENDING.
Benchmark
Default TTL is 30 days. Adjust per bundle if needed.
Pro Tips
Description
Case completed using only digital verification (email and/or SMS OTP). No postal letter was required or sent.
Impact
Fastest verification method. Suitable for lower-risk scenarios where regulatory requirements allow digital-only proof.
Example
Subject verified email ("A3K9X2MF") and SMS ("482917"). No postal letter sent. Assurance badge shows "Digital".
Digital-only does not prove physical address possession. Some regulators may not accept this level.
Description
Case completed using postal letter verification only. A physical letter was sent and the OTP was entered correctly.
Impact
Proves physical possession of the address. Stronger than digital-only but lacks digital cross-reference.
Example
Subject received letter and entered OTP "K7M2X9P4LR". No email/SMS required. Assurance badge shows "Postal".
Description
Case completed using both digital (email/SMS) and postal letter verification. Highest assurance level.
Impact
Maximum assurance — confirms both digital contact details and physical address. Meets the strictest FCA, SRA, and HMRC audit requirements.
Example
Subject verified email + SMS (digital), then received letter and entered postal OTP. Badge shows "Digital + Postal".
Benchmark
Recommended for regulated industries: law firms, financial services, accountancy.
Pro Tips
Description
Composite fraud risk score from 0-100 calculated at case creation. Higher scores indicate greater risk.
Impact
Determines whether risk-based step-up is triggered. Cases above the threshold are automatically escalated from digital to postal verification.
Example
Score 15: Low risk (no signals). Score 45: Medium (disposable email detected). Score 75: High (ghost address + velocity + disposable email).
Benchmark
0-30: Low risk. 30-60: Medium risk. 60+: High risk (step-up likely).
Formula
Weighted sum of individual risk signals (disposable email, ghost address, address velocity, etc.)
Pro Tips
Description
Detected when the subject email address belongs to a known disposable/temporary email provider (e.g. Guerrilla Mail, Tempail).
Impact
Strong fraud indicator. Disposable emails cannot receive follow-up communications and suggest intent to avoid accountability.
Example
Input email: "user@guerrillamail.com" or "temp@throwaway.email". Signal triggers: Disposable Email = true, +25 risk points.
Contributes 25 points to the risk score by default.
Pro Tips
Description
Address matches a known mail forwarding service, virtual office, PO box farm, or serviced office address.
Impact
The subject may not physically reside or operate at this address. Letters will be received but do not prove actual occupancy.
Example
Input address: "71-75 Shelton Street, London, WC2H 9JQ" (known virtual office). Signal triggers: Ghost Address = true.
Ghost addresses undermine the core promise of postal verification. Always investigate.
Pro Tips
Description
Address is associated with a mail forwarding or redirection service (e.g. postal redirection service, PO Box).
Impact
Mail forwarding means the letter could be received at a different physical location than the claimed address.
Example
Input address: "PO Box 4521, Manchester, M60 3AT" or an address with an active postal redirect. Signal: Mail Forwarding = true.
Forwarded mail breaks the proof-of-address chain. The letter arrives but not necessarily at the claimed address.
Description
Multiple cases for different subjects have been submitted with the same address within a rolling time window.
Impact
Could indicate a legitimate shared address (e.g. office building) or a fraud pattern where one address is used for multiple fake identities.
Example
5 different subjects verified at "42 High Street, Bristol, BS1 2AW" in the past 7 days. Velocity signal triggered.
Benchmark
1-2 cases per address per month is normal. 5+ within a week is suspicious.
Pro Tips
Description
The same address has appeared in verification cases across different tenants on the platform.
Impact
May indicate an address being used to fraudulently verify across multiple regulated firms simultaneously.
Example
"10 Downing Street, London" verified by 3 different tenants in the past 30 days. Cross-tenant signal raised (tenant names anonymised).
Cross-tenant signals are anonymised — you see the signal but not the other tenant's details.
Description
The IP address used during digital verification geolocates to a region significantly different from the claimed postal address.
Impact
May indicate the subject is not near the claimed address. However, VPN usage can produce false positives.
Example
Claimed address: London, UK. Verification IP: 203.0.113.45 (geolocated to Lagos, Nigeria). Mismatch distance: 4,900 km.
IP geolocation is approximate — do not use as sole rejection criteria.
Pro Tips
Description
Automatic escalation from a digital-only verification bundle to include postal verification, triggered when the risk score exceeds the configured threshold.
Impact
Ensures high-risk cases get physical address verification even when the original bundle was digital-only.
Example
Case created with "Basic" bundle (email only). Risk score = 72 (above threshold 60). Postal layer automatically added. Step-Up badge shown.
Benchmark
Default step-up threshold is 60 (configurable per tenant).
Pro Tips
Description
Sends an 8-character OTP code to the subject's email address for verification.
Impact
Fast digital verification — most subjects complete within minutes. Validates email ownership but not physical address.
Example
Input: subject email "jane.smith@lawfirm.co.uk". Output: OTP "A3K9X2MF" sent via configured email template.
Benchmark
Delivery rate: 98%+ for legitimate email addresses. Completion rate: 85-95%.
Pro Tips
Description
Sends a 6-digit OTP code via SMS to the subject's mobile number.
Impact
Validates phone number ownership. Higher engagement than email due to push notification.
Example
Input: subject phone "+44 7700 900123". Output: SMS with OTP "482917" sent. Subject enters code on verification page.
Benchmark
Delivery rate: 95-99% depending on carrier. Completion rate: 90%+.
SMS costs are per-message and vary by country. International SMS is more expensive.
Pro Tips
Description
Dispatches a physical letter with a unique 10-character OTP and QR code to the subject's claimed address.
Impact
The core Postal.id verification — proves physical possession of the address. Unfakeable by digital means.
Example
Input: "12 Baker Street, London, NW1 6XE". Letter printed with OTP "K7M2X9P4LR" + QR code. Dispatched via tracked post.
Benchmark
UK delivery: 1-3 days. Completion rate: 70-85% (dependent on subject engagement).
Postal verification is slower and more expensive than digital. Use for higher-assurance requirements.
Pro Tips
Description
Captures GPS coordinates from the subject's device at the time of OTP entry. Compares with the claimed address location.
Impact
Adds a physical presence confirmation. The subject must be near the claimed address when entering the postal OTP.
Example
Claimed address: 51.5074, -0.1278 (London). Subject GPS: 51.5081, -0.1290 (0.15 km away). Within 1 km radius: PASS.
Requires location permissions from the subject's browser. Some may decline.
Pro Tips
Description
Maximum number of days allowed for the subject to complete all required verification layers before the case expires.
Impact
Shorter TTLs create urgency but increase expiry rates. Longer TTLs are more lenient but delay case resolution.
Example
Input: 30 (days). Case created 2026-02-01 will expire 2026-03-03 if not completed. Enter 7-60 depending on use case.
Benchmark
Default: 30 days. For urgent verifications, 7-14 days. For international postal, 45-60 days.
Pro Tips
Description
Maximum number of OTP entry attempts allowed per verification layer before the case is marked as failed.
Impact
Prevents brute-force OTP guessing. Too few attempts frustrate legitimate subjects; too many weaken security.
Example
Input: 5. Subject enters wrong OTP 5 times → case fails. Enter 3-10 (recommended: 5 for standard, 3 for high security).
Benchmark
Default: 5 attempts. Security-sensitive: 3 attempts.
Formula
After max attempts exhausted → case status transitions to FAILED.
Each failed attempt is logged in the audit trail and may contribute to risk scoring.
Description
The postal format used for dispatching verification letters. Options depend on the provider and destination country.
Impact
Different formats have different costs, delivery speeds, and tracking capabilities.
Example
Options: "standard" (cheapest, no tracking), "tracked" (mid-range, delivery confirmation), "certified" (signature required).
Pro Tips
Description
Each verification layer in a bundle can be marked as required or optional. Required layers must be completed; optional layers enhance assurance if completed.
Impact
Required layers determine the minimum assurance level. Optional layers provide additional confidence without blocking completion.
Example
Bundle config: Email = Required, SMS = Optional, Postal = Required, Geo = Optional. Subject must complete email + postal; SMS and geo are bonus.
Pro Tips
Description
Percentage of dispatched letters that were successfully delivered to the destination address.
Impact
Low delivery rates may indicate address quality issues, incorrect postcodes, or regional postal problems.
Example
96 of 100 letters delivered = 96% delivery rate. Displayed as a percentage on the postal metrics card.
Benchmark
UK: 98%+. EU: 95-98%. US: 97%+.
Formula
Delivered / Dispatched x 100
Pro Tips
Description
Percentage of dispatched letters returned to sender (RTS) by the postal service.
Impact
High return rates indicate invalid addresses, subjects who have moved, or incorrect address formatting.
Example
3 of 100 letters returned = 3% return rate. Common reasons: "addressee gone away", "insufficient address".
Benchmark
Healthy: below 3%. Above 5% warrants address validation review.
Formula
Returned / Dispatched x 100
Returns add cost (dispatch + return postage) with no verification value.
Description
Average number of business days between letter dispatch and confirmed delivery (where tracking is available).
Impact
Helps set realistic TTL values and subject expectations.
Example
Displayed as "1.8 days" for UK, "4.2 days" for EU. Based on tracked deliveries in your recent cases.
Benchmark
UK: 1.5 days. EU: 4-5 days. US: 3-4 days.
Description
Percentage of postal verifications completed by scanning the QR code on the letter versus manually typing the OTP.
Impact
Higher QR scan rates indicate good subject experience — scanning is faster and less error-prone.
Example
55 of 100 postal verifications used QR scan = 55%. Remaining 45% typed the 10-character OTP manually.
Benchmark
Typical: 40-60% use QR scanning.
Pro Tips
Description
Alert triggered when an address receives more verification cases than the configured threshold within a time window.
Impact
May indicate legitimate shared occupancy or potential fraud via address reuse.
Example
Alert: "42 High Street, Bristol" — 5 cases in 7 days (threshold: 3 per 30 days). Investigate shared office or fraud.
Benchmark
Default threshold: 3 cases per address per 30 days.
Pro Tips
Description
Alert triggered when the same address is being verified across multiple different tenants on the platform.
Impact
Could indicate a professional fraud attempt spanning multiple regulated firms.
Example
Alert: "10 Downing Street, London" appears in 3 different tenants within 30 days. Other tenant names are anonymised.
Cross-tenant details are anonymised for data protection. You see the signal, not the other tenant's case details.
Description
Numerical severity score assigned to each address alert based on the type and frequency of signals detected.
Impact
Higher scores warrant more urgent investigation. Used for prioritising the alert queue.
Example
Score 15 (low): single velocity signal. Score 45 (medium): velocity + ghost address. Score 80 (high): cross-tenant + velocity + forwarding.
Benchmark
1-30: Low priority. 30-60: Medium. 60+: High priority — investigate immediately.
Description
Mark an alert as reviewed after investigation. Acknowledged alerts are moved out of the active queue.
Impact
Helps team members track which alerts have been investigated versus which need attention.
Example
Click "Acknowledge" on an alert → add a note like "Confirmed shared office building, legitimate usage". Alert moves to resolved queue.
Pro Tips
Description
Real-time HTTP POST notifications sent to your configured endpoint when case status changes occur.
Impact
Enables automated workflows — update your CRM, trigger follow-up actions, or sync verification status with your systems.
Example
Events: case.created, case.digital_verified, case.postal_dispatched, case.postal_verified, case.completed, case.failed, case.expired, letter.dispatched, letter.delivered
Pro Tips
Description
Every webhook request includes an X-Postal-Id-Signature header containing an HMAC-SHA256 hash of the request body using your webhook secret.
Impact
Verify this signature before processing to ensure the webhook came from Postal.id and was not tampered with.
Example
Header: "X-Postal-Id-Signature: sha256=a1b2c3d4e5...". Verify by computing HMAC-SHA256(your_secret, raw_body) and comparing.
Formula
HMAC-SHA256(webhook_secret, request_body)
Never process webhooks without verifying the signature — this is a critical security control.
Description
Failed webhook deliveries (non-2xx response or timeout) are retried with exponential backoff up to 5 attempts.
Impact
Ensures temporary outages on your side do not cause missed events.
Example
Retry delays: ~30s, ~2min, ~8min, ~30min, ~2hr (exponential backoff with jitter)
After 5 failed attempts, the webhook is marked as failed. Check the webhook logs to identify persistent failures.
Description
Maximum number of verification cases included in your current subscription plan per billing period.
Impact
Cases beyond the plan limit may incur overage charges or be blocked depending on your plan settings.
Example
Performance plan: "87 / 100 cases used this period". At 100, new case creation may be blocked until next period.
Benchmark
Essential: 25/month. Performance: 100/month. Enterprise: unlimited.
Pro Tips
Description
The current billing cycle during which verification cases are counted against your plan limit.
Impact
Case counts reset at the start of each billing period.
Example
Displayed as "1 Feb 2026 — 28 Feb 2026". Cases created within this window count toward the limit.
Description
Current state of your subscription: active, past_due, cancelled, or trialing.
Impact
Verification capabilities may be restricted for past_due or cancelled plans.
Example
Values: "active" (normal), "trialing" (free trial), "past_due" (payment failed), "cancelled" (subscription ended).
Past-due accounts have a grace period before case creation is blocked.
Description
Visual breakdown of cases at each stage of the verification lifecycle, showing where subjects progress and where they drop off.
Impact
Identify bottlenecks — if many cases stall at POSTAL_PENDING, subjects are receiving letters but not entering codes.
Example
Created: 100 → Digital Verified: 85 → Postal Dispatched: 80 → Postal Verified: 65 → Complete: 62 → Failed: 8 → Expired: 15.
Pro Tips
Description
Cases escalated from the automated flow for human review. Typically due to risk signals, edge cases, or caseworker discretion.
Impact
Manual review cases require a caseworker to approve or reject. They do not auto-complete.
Example
Case escalated due to risk score 85 + ghost address. Caseworker reviews evidence, clicks "Approve" (→ COMPLETE) or "Reject" (→ FAILED).
Pro Tips
Description
Create multiple verification cases at once by uploading a CSV file. The system validates every row, flags errors, checks for duplicates, and processes valid rows in parallel.
Impact
Enables bulk onboarding — process hundreds of verification cases from a single file upload instead of creating them one by one.
Example
Upload "clients_q1.csv" with 50 rows → Validate → 47 valid, 2 invalid, 1 duplicate → Upload 47 cases → Cases created and digital OTPs sent.
Pro Tips
Description
Your CSV must include these required columns: name (subject's full name), line1 (street address), city, postalCode, countryCode (2-letter ISO code e.g. GB, US, DE). Optional columns: email, phone (with country prefix e.g. +44), line2, region, reference (your internal ID), bundleId.
Impact
Correct CSV formatting ensures maximum validation success. Missing required columns will cause row-level errors.
Example
Header row: name,email,phone,line1,line2,city,region,postalCode,countryCode,reference,bundleId Data row: Jane Smith,jane@example.com,+447700900123,12 Baker Street,,London,,NW1 6XE,GB,MATTER-001,bundle_enhanced
Using "UK" instead of "GB" is the most common error. The correct ISO code for United Kingdom is "GB".
Pro Tips
Description
Before uploading, click "Preview & Validate" to check your file. The system checks: required fields present, valid email format, valid country codes, address completeness, and duplicate detection against existing cases.
Impact
Validation catches errors before cases are created, saving time and avoiding wasted postal costs on invalid addresses.
Example
Validation results: Total Rows: 50, Valid: 47 (green), Invalid: 2 (red), Duplicates: 1 (amber). Country breakdown: GB: 30, US: 15, DE: 5.
Pro Tips
Description
Common errors: "Missing required field" (name/line1/city/postalCode/countryCode is blank), "Invalid country code" (not a recognised 2-letter ISO code), "Invalid email format" (malformed email), "Duplicate" (same name+address already exists as an active case).
Impact
Each error shows the row number, field name, and error message so you can fix the exact issue in your CSV.
Example
Row 15: postalCode — "Missing required field". Row 23: countryCode — "Invalid country code 'UK' (expected 'GB')". Row 31: name — "Duplicate of row 12 (Jane Smith, 12 Baker Street)".
Pro Tips
Description
After validation, you'll see: Total Rows (all rows in CSV), Valid (ready to upload), Invalid (have errors — fix and re-upload), Duplicates (match existing active cases — skipped). Only valid rows are processed when you click Upload.
Impact
Invalid and duplicate rows are skipped. You can download a report of failed rows to fix and re-upload separately.
Example
Click "Upload 47 Cases" → system creates 47 verification cases in parallel. Each case gets digital OTPs sent immediately. Postal letters dispatched based on bundle config.
Description
After upload, each batch job shows a status: Processing (still creating cases), Complete (all rows processed), Failed (system error during processing). The progress bar shows Succeeded/Failed/Remaining counts.
Impact
Monitor batch progress in real-time. Most batches complete within minutes.
Example
Batch "clients_q1.csv": 47/47 processed, 45 succeeded, 2 failed. Click "View Errors" to see which rows failed.
Pro Tips
Description
Click "View Errors" on a completed batch to see which rows failed and why. Click "Download Report" to get a CSV of failed rows with error details — fix the errors and re-upload just those rows. "Retry Failed" re-processes failed rows without re-uploading.
Impact
Efficiently handle partial failures without re-processing the entire batch.
Example
Error report: Row 12 — "Address validation failed: undeliverable address". Row 38 — "Plan limit exceeded". Fix address in row 12, upgrade plan, then retry.
Description
Opens the case creation form where you enter the subject's details, address, and select a verification bundle. Once submitted, digital OTPs are sent immediately and a postal letter is dispatched (if the bundle includes postal verification).
Impact
The primary way to start a single address verification. For bulk verifications, use Batch Upload instead.
Example
Click "New Case" → fill in name, email, address → select "Enhanced" bundle → click "Create Case" → email OTP sent within seconds, letter dispatched within 1 hour.
Pro Tips
Description
View all subjects (people being verified) across all your cases. Search by name, email, phone, or address. Click any recipient to see their full verification history, risk signals, and address changes over time.
Impact
Central directory of all people you've ever verified. Useful for re-verification, fraud investigation, and compliance audits.
Example
Search "Jane Smith" → see all cases for that person → click through to view detailed profile with verification history, risk signals, and address timeline.
Description
Create multiple verification cases at once by uploading a CSV file. The system validates every row, flags errors, checks for duplicates against existing cases, and processes valid rows in parallel.
Impact
Essential for high-volume onboarding. Process hundreds of verifications from a single file instead of creating cases one by one.
Example
Prepare CSV with columns: name, line1, city, postalCode, countryCode (required) + email, phone, reference (optional) → Upload → Validate → Process.
Pro Tips
Description
Digital-only verification using email OTP. An 8-character OTP code is sent to the subject's email address. The subject enters the code to verify email ownership. Fastest completion time (~5 minutes).
Impact
Assurance level: Verified (Digital). Suitable for low-risk onboarding where email confirmation is sufficient and postal proof is not required by regulation.
Example
Layers enabled: Email (required). Subject receives email with OTP "A3K9X2MF" → enters code → case completes with "Verified (Digital)" assurance.
Benchmark
Completion time: 2-5 minutes. Success rate: 85-95%. Cost: lowest (no postal dispatch).
Pro Tips
Description
Two-factor digital verification using both email OTP (8-character code) and SMS OTP (6-digit code). Both channels must be verified for the case to complete.
Impact
Assurance level: Verified (Digital). Provides dual-channel digital confirmation. Stronger than Basic but still does not prove physical address possession.
Example
Layers enabled: Email (required), SMS (required). Subject receives email OTP "A3K9X2MF" + SMS OTP "482917" → enters both → case completes.
Benchmark
Completion time: 3-10 minutes. Success rate: 80-90%. Cost: low (email + SMS, no postal).
Pro Tips
Description
Full postal + digital verification. Sends email OTP and dispatches a tracked physical letter with a unique 10-character postal OTP and QR code. SMS is optional. The postal letter proves physical possession of the address.
Impact
Assurance level: Verified (Digital + Postal). Meets the strictest FCA, SRA, and HMRC requirements for proof of address. The gold standard for regulated industries.
Example
Layers enabled: Email (required), SMS (optional), Postal (required). Subject verifies email → letter arrives in 1-7 days → subject enters postal OTP → case completes.
Benchmark
Completion time: 3-10 days (depends on postal delivery). Success rate: 70-85%. Cost: medium (includes postal dispatch).
Postal verification adds cost and time. Only use when regulatory requirements demand physical address proof.
Pro Tips
Description
Highest assurance. All four verification layers: email OTP (8-char), SMS OTP (6-digit), postal letter (10-char OTP + QR code), AND GPS geo-location capture when entering the postal code. Proves both mail receipt AND physical presence at the address.
Impact
Assurance level: Verified (Digital + Postal) with geo confirmation. The strongest possible proof that the subject physically resides at the claimed address.
Example
Layers: Email (required), SMS (required), Postal (required), Geo (required, 200m radius). Subject verifies email + SMS → receives letter → enters postal OTP while GPS confirms they're at the address.
Benchmark
Completion time: 3-10 days. Success rate: 60-75% (geo may fail if subject declines location). Cost: highest.
Some subjects may decline location permissions. Configure geo as optional if you don't want to block these cases.
Pro Tips
Description
The bundle marked as "Default" is automatically used when cases are created via the API without specifying a bundleId. Only one bundle can be the default at any time.
Impact
Controls the verification flow for API-created cases and any cases where the caseworker doesn't explicitly select a bundle.
Example
Set "Enhanced" as default → all API-created cases automatically use email + postal verification. Change to "Basic" → API cases only use email.
Pro Tips
Description
Pre-configured verification packages provided by Postal.id: Basic, Standard, Enhanced, and Maximum. These cannot be edited or deleted but can be set as the default.
Impact
Platform packages cover the most common verification scenarios. Create custom packages only if you need non-standard layer combinations.
Example
Platform packages: Basic (email only), Standard (email + SMS), Enhanced (email + SMS + postal), Maximum (all 4 layers). All are always available.
Description
A "recipient" (also called "subject") is the person whose address is being verified. Each recipient may have multiple verification cases if they've been verified at different addresses or re-verified over time.
Impact
Click any recipient to view their full profile including verification history, risk signals, address changes, and verification method success rates.
Example
Recipient "Jane Smith" has 3 cases: 1 completed (London address), 1 active (Manchester address), 1 failed (disposable email detected).
Description
Shows the status of the most recent verification case for this recipient. Reflects where they are in the verification flow right now.
Impact
Quick indicator of whether the recipient's most recent verification is complete, in progress, or has issues.
Example
COMPLETE (green): latest case fully verified. POSTAL_DISPATCHED (amber): letter sent, awaiting delivery. FAILED (red): latest case failed.
Description
Total number of verification cases ever created for this recipient across all addresses and time periods. Includes active, completed, failed, and expired cases.
Impact
Multiple cases may exist if the recipient moved, if a previous case expired, or if periodic re-verification is required.
Example
3 cases: means this person has been through the verification process 3 separate times (possibly at different addresses).
Description
Aggregated risk percentage based on all risk signals detected for this recipient across all their cases. Combines ghost address, mail forwarding, address velocity, disposable email, and cross-tenant signals.
Impact
Red (>70%): High risk — investigate immediately. Amber (40-70%): Moderate risk — review recommended. Green (<40%): Low risk — no immediate action needed.
Example
15%: Low risk (no signals). 52%: Medium (disposable email detected). 85%: High (ghost address + cross-tenant + velocity).
Formula
Weighted average of all risk signals across all cases for this recipient.
Pro Tips
Description
Search across name, email, phone number, and address fields. Filter by case status to find recipients at a specific verification stage. Sort by newest, oldest, name alphabetically, or most cases.
Impact
Quickly find specific recipients or identify groups of recipients in a particular state.
Example
Search "Manchester" → shows all recipients with Manchester addresses. Filter "FAILED" → shows recipients whose latest case failed.
Description
All verification cases ever created for this person, regardless of outcome. Includes active cases in progress, successfully completed cases, failed cases, and expired cases.
Impact
A high case count may indicate re-verifications (normal) or repeated failed attempts (investigate).
Example
5 total cases: 3 completed, 1 active, 1 expired.
Description
Cases currently in progress — not yet reached a terminal state (COMPLETE, FAILED, or EXPIRED). These are cases where the subject still needs to complete one or more verification steps.
Impact
Active cases require monitoring. If a case stays active for too long, the subject may need a reminder.
Example
2 active cases: one at DIGITAL_PENDING (email OTP sent, awaiting entry), one at POSTAL_DISPATCHED (letter sent, awaiting delivery).
Description
The subject's name, email address, and phone number as provided when the case was created. "First Seen" shows when this person was first added to the system. "Latest Status" shows their most recent case state.
Impact
Contact information is used for email OTP delivery (email) and SMS OTP delivery (phone). Tags help categorise recipients.
Example
Name: Jane Smith. Email: jane@example.com. Phone: +44 7700 900123. First Seen: 15 Jan 2026. Tags: VIP, Priority.
Description
The most recent address provided for verification. "Verified" with a date means postal verification was successfully completed for this address. Ghost Address and Forwarding badges indicate risk flags detected during address validation.
Impact
The current address is the one used for the latest or active verification case. Previous addresses appear in Address History.
Example
12 Baker Street, London, NW1 6XE, GB. Verified: 20 Feb 2026. Badges: none (clean address).
Ghost Address badge means this is a known virtual office or mail forwarding address. Forwarding badge means mail may be redirected to a different location.
Description
Breakdown of how many email, SMS, and postal OTPs were sent to this recipient and how many were successfully verified. The progress bar shows the success rate for each channel.
Impact
Identifies which verification channels work best for this recipient. Low success on a channel may indicate delivery issues.
Example
Email: 3 sent, 3 verified (100%). SMS: 2 sent, 2 verified (100%). Postal: 2 sent, 1 verified (50%). Green bar (≥80%), Amber (50-79%), Red (<50%).
Pro Tips
Description
Chronological list of all addresses this person has been verified at across all their cases. Each entry shows the full address, country flag, and whether verification was completed.
Impact
Useful for detecting frequent movers, address fraud patterns, or confirming legitimate address changes over time.
Example
1. 12 Baker Street, London — Verified 20 Feb 2026. 2. 45 Oxford Road, Manchester — Verified 15 Nov 2025. 3. PO Box 123, Bristol (Ghost badge) — Not verified.
Description
All verification cases for this recipient in reverse chronological order. Click any Case ID to view the full case details including timeline, risk assessment, and evidence pack.
Impact
Complete audit trail of every verification attempt for this person. Useful for compliance reviews and dispute resolution.
Example
Case a1b2c3d4: COMPLETE, Verified (Digital + Postal), 12 Baker Street, 20 Feb 2026. Case e5f6g7h8: FAILED, --, 45 Oxford Road, 15 Nov 2025.
Description
The person whose address is being verified. "Subject" is Postal.id terminology for the end-person — not your employee or team member. Provide their full legal name as it would appear at the address.
Impact
The subject's name is printed on the postal letter and included in the evidence pack. Use the correct legal name for compliance purposes.
Example
Input: "Jane Elizabeth Smith" (full legal name). Avoid nicknames or abbreviations unless that's the name at the address.
Description
Email is used for email OTP delivery (8-character code). Phone (with country prefix like +44 for UK, +1 for US) is used for SMS OTP delivery (6-digit code). Both are optional but required if the selected verification bundle includes email/SMS layers.
Impact
Without email, the email OTP layer cannot function. Without phone, the SMS OTP layer cannot function. Postal verification does not require either.
Example
Email: jane.smith@example.com. Phone: +447700900123 (UK mobile) or +12125551234 (US). Note: phone must include country prefix.
Pro Tips
Description
Legal requirement (GDPR/data protection): you must confirm the subject has given consent for address verification before creating a case. This checkbox is mandatory — the case cannot be created without it.
Impact
Ensures compliance with data protection regulations. The consent status is recorded in the audit trail and included in the evidence pack.
Example
Check the box to confirm: "Subject has given consent for address verification". Unchecked = "Create Case" button is disabled.
Creating cases without genuine subject consent may violate GDPR and expose your organisation to regulatory penalties.
Description
After entering an address, the system automatically validates it for deliverability. Checks include: valid postal code format, known ghost/virtual office addresses, active mail forwarding/redirection services, and address standardisation.
Impact
Pre-dispatch validation prevents wasted postal costs on undeliverable addresses and flags risk signals early.
Example
Enter "12 Baker St, London" → validation returns: Deliverable (green tick), standardised to "12 Baker Street, London, NW1 6XE". Or: "71-75 Shelton Street" → Ghost Address warning (orange).
Pro Tips
Description
Choose which verification bundle to use for this case. Each package defines which layers (email, SMS, postal, geo) are enabled and whether they're required or optional. "Default" badge means this is the bundle used for API-created cases. "Platform" badge means it's provided by Postal.id.
Impact
The selected package determines the verification flow, timeline, cost, and resulting assurance level.
Example
Select "Enhanced" → email OTP sent immediately, postal letter dispatched within 1 hour. Estimated postal cost shown below (e.g. £1.20 for UK letter).
Pro Tips
Description
Optional internal reference for your own records. Use your matter ID, client number, file reference, or any identifier that helps you match this verification case to your internal systems.
Impact
Searchable in the case list and included in webhook payloads and evidence packs. Makes it easy to cross-reference with your practice management software.
Example
Examples: "MATTER-2024-001", "CLT-4521", "AML-REF-789", "Property-Sale-42-High-St". Any format up to 100 characters.