In 2007, 290,996 UK passports were reported stolen. The cost to business in fraudulent passports being used as proof of identity has risen to more than £1bn. In its commitment to supporting UK business, IPS introduced the Passport Validation Service (PVS). Following the successful pilot, financial services organisations began using PVS on a continuous basis. PVS confirms the validity of UK passports presented as proof of identity.
PVS is also offered to government organisations that require definite proof of identity. This helps combat people smuggling and benefit fraud. It also mitigates the risk of inappropriate access to vulnerable individuals.
