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Insights and Expertise

When visual checks fail: checks, they depend entirely on manual verification pro-
cesses. Employees must examine documents, calculate
Why retailers need customer ages and make subjective decisions about au-
thenticity.

POS-integrated This manual approach creates multiple operational prob-
lems. Transaction times increase as employees perform
ID scanners calculations and inspections. Customer interactions can
become confrontational when IDs are questioned. Most
importantly, the verification process remains vulnerable
to human error and sophisticated forgeries.
ID scanners provides data‑based verification

Advanced ID scanning technology shifts verification from
subjective visual inspection to objective data analysis. The
POS integrated ID scanner reads the secure 2D barcodes
on state-issued identification documents, which contain
encrypted information encoded by the issuing authorities,
such as state Department of Motor Vehicles.

When an ID is scanned, the system instantly reads this
secure data, compares the birthdate against current re-
quirements, and provides immediate approval or denial.
The verification process moves from employee judgment
to automated data processing, removing subjectivity and
human error from the equation.
Key advantages of ID scanner
By Elie Y. Katz
National Retail Solutions (NRS) The primary advantage of using an ID scanner include:

ge verification at the point of sale (POS) has • Speed and efficiency: Digital scans complete in un-
become significantly more complex. What mer- der one second, compared to the extended time re-
chants once handled with a quick visual check quired for manual verification and age calculation.
A of an identification card now requires more
sophisticated approaches as fake IDs become harder to • Accuracy: Automated systems eliminate calculation
detect. For businesses processing age-restricted transac- errors and remove the guesswork from age verifica-
tions, this shift presents operational challenges and com- tion decisions.
pliance risks that demand attention. • Fraud detection: While physical ID features can be
Fake IDs reach new levels of quality expertly replicated, the digital information within
barcodes is far more challenging to forge correctly.
Today's fake IDs feature authentic-looking holograms, Systems can detect formatting errors and data incon-
realistic textures and high-quality photography that can sistencies invisible to human inspection.
deceive even experienced staff. Many of these counterfeits
originate from overseas operations that utilize advanced • Compliance support: Many jurisdictions require
printing techniques and professional-grade materials, businesses to record customer birthdates for certain
making visual detection extremely challenging. age-restricted purchases. Automated scanning cap-
tures, verifies and logs this information simultane-
This improvement in counterfeit quality creates substan- ously, ensuring compliance with local regulations.
tial vulnerability for merchants selling age-restricted • Reduced confrontation: Professional, impartial re-
products. Relying on employee judgment for document
verification places enormous pressure on front-line staff sults from digital verification reduce customer dis-
putes and employee stress during ID checks.
while exposing businesses to regulatory violations and fi-
nancial penalties. Addressing modern security challenges
Outdated POS systems offer limited protection The quality of counterfeit identification has reached a
point where visual inspection alone cannot provide ade-
Most POS systems provide basic age verification prompts: quate protection. Businesses that continue to rely on man-
simple reminders that appear when age-restricted items
are scanned. While these prompts prevent forgotten ID ual verification face increasing exposure to:
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