Why And How We Verify Identity
Overview
At Hookhub, trust is the cornerstone of our community, where everyone across the United States and Canada places trust in each other as they travel or find long-term parking. A key part of building this trust is verifying the identity of our users.
Our identity verification process is a series of steps we take to help ensure users within our community are genuine so that everyone can feel more confident using Hookhub. Every host and booking guest must be identity verified to use our platform.
While no process is perfect, this aims to minimize fraudulent behavior, promote safety, and enable meaningful, real-world interactions within our community.
Why We Verify Identity?
Verifying the identity of guests and hosts helps us to:
🗸 Promote trust between guests and hosts.
🗸 Reduce fraudulent behavior.
🗸 Perform background checks when permitted by law.
🗸 Respond to, support, and investigate safety and security issues.
How Identity Verification Works?
We require primary Hosts and booking guests to be verified for all stays on Hookhub. Verifying your identity means verifying certain personal information, such as your legal name, address, phone number, or other contact details. In some cases, we can do this without any additional information needed from you. In other cases, we may need to ask for more information, as described below.
In the US, some users may be able to choose to use facial recognition technology, also known as facial recognition, to complete identity verification. Don’t worry – any identity information you provide outside of your name won’t be shared with any Hosts or guests on Hookhub, and will be handled according to our Privacy Policy.
When We Ask To Verify?
As a guest, you’ll need to verify your identity when you book your first stay. Most users only need to do this once, and we’ll guide you through any steps you’ll need to take.
If you’re getting started as a Host, you’ll need to verify your identity when creating your first listing. While there’s no time limit for hosts to complete verification, your listing won’t be published until you finish.
Lastly, if you need to edit your legal name, we’ll also ask you to re-verify your identity. We may be able to do this instantly using information you’ve already provided us, such as your name and contact details, or you might be asked to complete other verification steps.
When this happens, any existing trips you’ve booked won’t be affected, but you won’t be able to make a new booking until we verify that change. As a Host, your existing bookings also won’t be affected, but your calendar will be blocked until you complete verification.
How Long Does The Process Take?
After you submit your info, it typically takes less than 10 minutes to verify your identity. This may differ based on what info you provided.
Make sure the info you provide is valid, accurate, and up to date. Otherwise, it could take us longer to verify you, or we might need to follow up and request additional information.
Tips If You’re Having Trouble
🗸 Check your messages.
You may have been sent additional information via text, email, or phone.
🗸 Use your first and last legal name.
Make sure the legal name you provide matches that in public records or on your Government ID. If your legal name is different, such as after a marriage or gender affirmation, you can contact our team via the Help Screen to verify an alternative legal name with a government-issued document like a marriage license or court order. You have to use a legal name for verification.
🗸 Take a picture of yourself in the moment.
If you’re asked to take a selfie, it must be taken of you at the moment of submission and not be a previous photo of you. Don’t worry – this won’t show on your profile or to other users on Hookhub.
🗸 Use an original ID that’s not expired.
Make sure the ID you provide is unexpired and an original – that means it’s not a photocopy, PDF, or other digital copy. If the ID has two sides, such as a driving license or national identity card, submit photos of both the front and back.
🗸 Use high-quality photos.
Take photos in a well-lit room, and check that the photos are clear, not obscured, and fit within the frames we designate during the process. Don’t worry – your selfie won’t be shown to other users or be on your profile.
Identity info your Host can ask for.
Hookhub doesn’t share your government ID with a Host when you book. However, your Host may ask for a government ID after booking if they added information about what is required and why in their listing description at the time you booked, and only where required for legal or compliance reasons.
How We Share and Manage Your Data?
We are a community built on trust. A fundamental part of earning that trust means being clear about how we use your information.
Only authorized Hookhub personnel and authorized third-party providers may access the information you submit, and all info is stored and transmitted securely.
We share your identification information with authorized third-party service providers to help support the identity verification process, including such things as verifying your identity, authenticating your identification documents, and performing background checks (where permitted under applicable law).
We delete your Government ID after a prescribed retention period relating to the purpose it was collected for has elapsed – unless we’re legally required to retain it.
Note that after your ID has been deleted, we continue to retain some information from it, such as your date of birth, for the management of your account, legal compliance, and general security purposes.
We handle the information collected during identity verification for purposes outlined in our Privacy Policy.
Final Thoughts
Verifying your identity is a simple, quick, and secure process. By adding this to the Hookhub application, we aim to make RV booking and space rental as easy, safe, and trustworthy as can be.
