With growing fraud on digital platforms, cybersecurity is continuously striving to make advancements especially when it comes to reducing scams. A digital footprint is a succession of data left by the user after any activity using the internet. It includes emails, website visits, retention time, social media exposure, and many more. Besides, two types of digital footprint checkers are active digital footprint and passive digital footprint.
| Active Digital Footprint | Passive Digital Footprint |
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How Does it Work?
This process follows some steps to gather information about the user online. It automatically collects or tracks the record of all the activities such as posting on social media, blogs, comments, search history, and others. Besides, search engines can be easily tracked by the checkers to see what articles, posts, and websites the user has visited. In addition, certain social media APIs can track information after the permission of a user. Some checkers ask the user directly to keep a check on the trails of the user’s data.
Moreover, after collecting data, the checkers categorize information such as comments, posts, and others separately. The information or actions are then identified whether they are suspicious or not. The checkers also make sure that any user’s activity is affecting their personal or professional reputation. The checkers compile the information in an easy-to-understand format that includes suggestions as well to improve the activities.
Advantages of Footprint Checker
This system can be used in many ways because it helps acknowledge what information about the user is present online and how it can be used for various purposes.
- Using it can help one notice that information can be easily accessible. By knowing this the user can come to know about what should be kept private or what shouldn’t.
- It can also help users to hide previous posts that they might not want to disclose publicly.
- It can help mitigate the risk of using the information in any harassment, scam, or fraud.
- Digital footprint reports can help notice the impact of user’s daily activities and improve them accordingly.
- If the user finds any misuse of its activities, he or she can request the website to remove the activity timely.
- The checkers can access the information about which sites are using the particular ID.
Significance of Footprint Checker in KYC
The importance of a digital footprint checker can not be overstated when it comes to KYC (know your customer). It plays a crucial role and is valuable in preventing fraud, monitoring, risk assessment, compliance, decision-making, and building trust.
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Effective Customer Verification
This system helps recognize customers by evaluating their online presence. It utilizes data from multiple sources like websites, social media, public records, and many more.
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Fraud Prevention
Footprint checker helps in mitigating illegal thefts. It evaluates the activity of the user including involvement in suspicious acts and dubious search history. It can effectively prevent the scam before occurring.
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Sustained Monitoring
In KYC, it is crucial to keep a check on customers and employees. Continuous monitoring is highly recommended for the users to check their activities and intentions.
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Digital Risk Assessment
By using a footprint checker, companies can get to know potential risks and prepare them for handling those effectively and timely.
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Regulatory Compliance
Digital footprints analysis can help businesses aid companies in maintaining KYC and AML regulations. By doing so, businesses can maintain trust with stakeholders.
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Better Decision-Making
Companies by using footprints checker and digital identity management can make informed and better decisions before onboarding new clients and managing the previous ones.
Conclusion
Several illegal thefts are prevalent in today’s digital world. However, it is the prime responsibility of the users to protect their data from disclosure. To avoid such thefts and scams, one should use trusted platforms and avoid using websites that can cause harm to your online reputation. Also, by keeping a check on positive and negative activities, the users can learn and reduce the possibility of being victimized.
