Identity Verification

DerbyFish uses identity verification to keep competitions fair and ensure that prize money goes to real people. Think of it like showing your fishing license before a tournament -- it protects everyone involved.

Why We Verify

Identity verification serves a few important purposes:

• Fair play -- It prevents one person from running multiple accounts to game the leaderboards.
• Prize payouts -- When real money is on the line, we need to confirm that winners are who they say they are. This is also a legal requirement for prize disbursement.
• Community trust -- Verified accounts help build a trustworthy community where everyone knows they are competing against real anglers.

When Is Verification Required?

You do not need to verify your identity to use most of DerbyFish. You can browse, join free derbies, submit catches, and use the social features without it. Verification becomes required when you:

• Enter a paid derby with a prize pool
• Receive a payout or cash prize
• Reach certain BAIT token transaction thresholds
• Apply for Captain status

What You Need

The verification process requires three things:

1. Front of your government-issued ID -- A clear photo of the front of your driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID.
2. Back of your ID -- A clear photo of the back of the same document.
3. A selfie -- A live photo of your face to match against the ID photo.

Step by Step

1. Go to Profile and tap Verify Identity (or you will be prompted automatically when you try to enter a paid derby).
2. Select your ID type (driver's license, passport, etc.).
3. Use your camera to photograph the front of your ID. Make sure all text is legible and the entire card is visible in the frame.
4. Photograph the back of your ID with the same care.
5. Take a selfie in good lighting. Remove hats and sunglasses. Look straight at the camera.
6. Review your submissions and tap Submit.
7. Wait for the review to complete.

Verification Status

After you submit, your verification will be in one of three states:

• Pending -- Your documents are being reviewed. This typically takes a few hours but can take up to 24 hours during busy periods.
• Verified -- You are all set. A verified badge will appear on your profile, and you can enter any derby or receive payouts.
• Rejected -- Something was not quite right. You will receive a message explaining why, and you can resubmit with corrected documents.

Common Issues and Fixes

Blurry photos. Make sure you are in good lighting and hold your phone steady. Avoid glare from overhead lights reflecting off the ID surface.

ID does not match selfie. The photo on your ID must reasonably match your face in the selfie. If you look significantly different from your ID photo (major haircut, beard, glasses vs. no glasses), try to match your ID photo as closely as possible.

Expired ID. Your government-issued ID must be current and not expired.

Name mismatch. The name on your ID must match the name on your DerbyFish account. If you need to update your account name, do that in Settings before submitting verification.

Under 18. DerbyFish requires users to be at least 13 years old to create an account. Some features, including paid derbies and BAIT transactions, may require you to be 18 or older depending on your jurisdiction.

Privacy

Your ID photos and selfie are encrypted and stored securely. They are used exclusively for identity verification and are never shared with other users or third parties. You can request deletion of your verification documents at any time by contacting team@derby.fish.