Google Maps API

I have heard that Monzo uses the Google Maps API during account opening process to identify where you are. E.g. it can detect your home location because you’re there most of the time and it’s acts as one factor for verifying home address.

Whether or not Monzo, is this actually possible? I don’t know anything about identity and verification but thought it sounded interesting if these are indeed mechanisms for checks.

Why would you need to be physically at home to verify you live somewhere? So long as you have acceptable ID, you shouldn’t be penalised for signing up while you’re at work, at your parents, at your friends, on holiday, wherever you want to be.

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Yeah that’s what I didn’t understand but it may one of many factors they use to verify and they revert to another if it doesn’t succeed? As I say though, not sure how true this all is.

This is the first i’ve ever heard of this. Obviously monzo have many AML / Verification methods so they may use it however I do know for certain that they verify a users ID using a ID verification service and they do a soft credit check.

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As far as I know, Monzo only uses the Google API to identify & display merchant locations on the transaction details’ map.

I’m also pretty sure that they generally locate you by asking you to share your address so that they can send you your card. Although they can send your card to a different address in some circumstances.

Lastly you can switch on location based security to help prevent fraud & they use your location to spot when you go abroad. But I don’t think this is linked to Google’s services.

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Only on iOS for now. :grin:

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I signed up at work… if they’d tried to geolocate me to verify me I’d have failed :stuck_out_tongue:

The primary verification of home address I’d have thought would be actually receiving the card…

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