Les Miserable, a Medallion and Knowing Who You Are
One of Broadways greatest shows closed this week. The original version of Les Miserables opened in New York on March 12, 1987 and went on to run for 6,680 performances, making it the fifth-longest running production in Broadway history. A 2006 revival ran for an additional 463 performances. It’s the world’s longest running musical, now seen by over 60M people. The show tells the gripping story of Jean Valjean’s life and how he struggles with his identity, past and present, as he sings the incredible song of “Who am I, 24601”.
Bringing the question into modern times, how do we prove that we are who we say we are? Does a piece of plastic representing a driver’s license prove beyond doubt that you are the person in the photo? There are those who have trouble proving their identity to Apple when trying desperately to reset their password and struggle to provide adequate proof that they are who they claim to be! It is apparent that the need for identity verification has increased significantly in recent times, due in part, to the recent rise in identity theft.
For example, according to the Ohio Department of Taxation, about 50 percent of those who are getting refunds from the state will be asked to take an Identity Confirmation Quiz, either online or by calling a toll-free number on the letter. The quiz will ask you a series of four questions to help identify you are the actual person due a refund. These type of questions are designed so that only the individual that should be getting the refund can answer. You may have seen these types of questions when you tried to open a new bank or credit card account and you were presented with some multiple choice questions asking you to verify where you got your mortgage or car loan (the sort of facts that credit bureau knows about you).
Where else is it critical for someone to prove that they are who they say they are? When the need to obtain a Medallion signature guarantee arises such as for the transfer of securities, annuities or in a probate scenarios. The question format used by credit bureaus and by the department of taxation is the same format incorporated by eSignatureGuarantee.com in helping confirm the identity for those needing a medallion guarantee. Additionally, eSignature secures the user’s identity by using a dual authentication code sent to the user’s cell phone and email address. As the hit song in Les Miz says, “Drink with me to days gone by” as the days of having to have an account at a retail bank, travel to the branch and prove that you are who you say you are is no longer needed. At the end of the day, with next generation compliance technology that allows you to get a medallion signature guarantee online, you can be the master of the house and dream the dream.
