There are a number of ways we may verify your identity, including biometric recognition technology, electronic verification or via certified documents.
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Thanks for choosing to bank with us. Your security is our top priority, so to help keep your information safe, we need to verify your identity before we can offer our products or services to you.
Our client identity verification process is designed to help protect you while ensuring we meet our legal obligations. It’s important to understand our identification methods because if we can’t verify your identity, you won’t be able to bank with us.
Ways we identify you
Biometric recognition technology
This verification method relies on advanced biometric technology and government records. We collect, use and share your biometric information for the sole purpose of verifying your identity. Here’s how it works:
- Scan your ID: use your phone’s camera to scan your Australian driver’s licence or Australian passport.
- Facial recognition: we’ll ask you to take a photo of yourself. Using our technology, we’ll match your face to your ID.
- Electronic verification: we’ll use the details from your ID to verify your identity electronically. Your information will be securely shared with our biometric and electronic verification service providers, who will compare it against government records, such as the Australian Government Document Verification Service.
- Verification results: we’ll let you know if your identity verification has been successful.
Rest assured that our biometric service providers keep your information confidential and use it solely for identity verification.
Electronic verification
We’ll use the details from your application (including additional information from documents like your driver’s licence or passport) to verify your identity electronically. Here’s how it works:
- Information matching: we share your information with a selected credit reporting agency and/or electronic verification service provider. They’ll try to match your details with:
- public and government sources, like the Australian Government Document Verification Service; and/or
- personal information held by the credit reporting agency and/or the electronic verification service providers. This may involve matching your information against information held by the credit reporting agency on your credit file (Credit Header Information).
- Verification results: we’ll let you know if your identity verification has been successful.
By providing the information in your application, you're confirming that you are authorised to do so, especially if you’re acting on behalf of someone else in relation to one of our products or services.
You can contact the relevant credit reporting agency for further information on how your personal information is used.
Equifax
For credit header information: www.mycreditfile.com.au
Privacy Policy: www.equifax.com.au/privacy
For information on the Australian Government Document Verification Service please visit: https://www.idmatch.gov.au/
If you’re opening a Macquarie Business Savings Account and you’d prefer not to have your identity verified electronically, please contact us to discuss alternative verification options.
Certified documents
There may be some instances where you’re unable, or do not consent, to verify your identity through biometric or electronic verification. In certain circumstances, we may permit you to provide certified copies of your ID to verify your identity. For more on this, including instructions, read our Help Centre article.
What happens if verification fails
If we can’t verify your identity, we’ll let you know. To ensure electronic verification is successful, please check that your personal information is up to date with the relevant bodies, such as credit reporting agencies or ASIC.
Please note, if we’re unable to verify your identity, you won’t be able to bank with us.
Your rights and our obligations
Here’s what you need to know:
- Under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (Cth) (AML/CTF Act) we must verify your identity (as well as any identified signatories or beneficial owners) before providing you with our services. Please note it’s an offence under the AML/CTF Act to provide any false or misleading information.
- Under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Identity Verification Services Act 2023 (Cth) we collect, use and disclose your information for the purpose of identity verification.
- You have the right to make a request to access or correct the information we hold about you, as well as the right to make a complaint in relation to our collection, use or disclosure of your information. For more information on how to do so please refer to our Privacy Policy and, where it applies to you, our Privacy Statement.