Identity Verification Technology Will Reduce Scams Seen on Other Crowd Funding Sites and Ensure Fire, EMS, Military, Police and Healthcare Workers Receive Financial Assistance
MCLEAN, Va., July 22, 2020 – ID.me will power the online verification and validation program for Fund the First, the first verified online fundraising platform built for first responders, by first responders. Criminals have learned to use crowdfunding sites to promote first responder stories of need, and take advantage of consumer generosity, to collect millions in online contributions that never went to the intended recipients. Today’s partnership with Fund the First and ID.me will provide first responders and citizens with a means of raising funds in a scam-free environment.
“Our nation’s first responders are performing heroic feats every day. We knew this long before the Covid-19 pandemic, but our reliance on them has grown exponentially,” said Blake Hall, CEO and Founder of ID.me. “So many need our help and we are proud to help Fund the First deliver the assistance that so many deserve.”
FundtheFirst.com enables anyone to host a contribution campaign to help a first responder. Campaigns can be created to help with injury or illness, support a first responder family due to death or even help a first responder launch a new business. Prior to the launch of any campaign, the identity of the first responder or family in need (in the case of a death) must be fully verified. In just a few minutes, ID.me can verify professional credentials for firefighters, EMS, healthcare, police and military service members.
Once a Fund the First campaign is verified using ID.me, all campaign funders have peace of mind that their money is going directly to their intended beneficiary.
“Our research has found that 25% of consumers who said they donated to an online fundraising campaign thought they were duped by fraudsters, and 81% admitted that they don’t know how to tell if an online fundraising campaign is legitimate,” said Robert Garland, CEO of Fund the First. “Thanks to the launch of Fund the First and our partnership with ID.me, the scams end today.”
About ID.me
ID.me simplifies how individuals prove and share their identity online. Our next-generation identity platform provides identity proofing, authentication and group affiliation verification for organizations across sectors. ID.me’s technology meets the highest federal standards for online identity proofing, authentication, KYC and AML requirements and is approved as a NIST 800-63-3 IAL2 / AAL2 conformant credential service provider by the Kantara Initiative. More than 25 million users and over 450 organizations use ID.me to verify identity, including healthcare organizations, federal and state government agencies, financial institutions, retailers and nonprofits. To learn more about ID.me and its secure identity verification platform, visit https://www.ID.me/ and follow on Twitter @IDme.
About Fund the First
Fund the First is the only verified fundraising platform for first responders. FundtheFirst.com enables anyone to host a contribution campaign for first responders – fire, EMS, law enforcement, military and medical – in need. Prior to the launch of any campaign, the identity of the first responder or family in need (in the case of a death) must be fully verified. In addition, all campaign proceeds are paid directly by Fund the First to the campaign’s designated beneficiary – a first responder or his/her family. No third parties, no fraud, no scams. For more information, please contact info@fundthefirst.com or visit us on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
