LARO77 Know Your Customer Checks, Step by Step
A know your customer check is the step where a regulated business establishes your true identity from an official ID.
Key facts and contents
- Step 1
- Confirm the address first
- Step 2
- Open the check inside your account
- Step 3
- Prepare the real ID
- Step 4
- Take the selfie as instructed
- Step 5
- Submit only through that form
- Step 6
- Keep a record
A know your customer check is the moment a regulated business asks an official ID to prove who you are. It is routine at wallets and at casino cashiers, and it is also the moment fraudsters imitate, because an ID photo is worth more to them than a password. The six steps below keep the real check easy and the fake one useless; the wider list sits on the page of trusted online casino tests.
What a know your customer check is
A know your customer check, often written KYC, has three parts: you state who you are, you show an official document, and the business verifies the two against each other. The law behind it is stated in plain terms in Section 9(a) of Republic Act No. 9160: covered institutions “shall establish and record the true identity of its clients based on official documents” and “shall maintain a system of verifying the true identity of their clients”.
- You give your name and date of birth.
- You present an ID issued by an official authority.
- The business matches the details and, for many wallets, a selfie.
Where the duty comes from
| Source | What it says | Why you care |
|---|---|---|
| RA 9160 (AMLA) Sec. 9(a) | Establish and record true identity from official documents; anonymous and fictitious accounts “absolutely prohibited” | The root of every ID request |
| BSP Circular No. 608, May 20, 2008 | First-time clients of covered institutions present the original and submit a clear copy of at least one valid photo-bearing ID issued by an official authority | Why wallets want a photo ID |
| BSP Circular No. 1170, Series of 2023 | A person’s PhilSys records “shall be considered as an official and sufficient proof of identity” | Why a National ID is accepted on its own |
| CIRR of RA 10927, Sec. 16 | Casinos “shall establish and record the true identity of their customers” | The casino-side rule, explained on the anti money laundering page |
What GCash asks for
GCash’s own help article “How to verify my GCash account” says: “You only need 1 valid government ID.” Its steps read: Tap Profile > Verify Now; Tap Get Started; read the reminders; enter the 6-digit code sent to your number; enter your birthday and confirm you are a Filipino citizen; Tap Select ID and scan your ID; Take a selfie scan; Review your info and tap Submit. GCash adds: “You will get an update through SMS after 3 days.”
GCash’s “Accepted IDs” article sets the condition for the ID: valid and not expired, not damaged and clear, and “the actual physical ID. Scanned, xerox, or photocopied IDs are NOT allowed, except for the National ID.”
| Accepted IDs listed for adults with a PH SIM |
|---|
| National ID (Card/Paper Type, Digital) |
| Passport |
| HDMF (Pag-Ibig Loyalty Plus) |
| Driver’s License / BLTO Driver’s License |
| Philippine Postal ID |
| PRC ID |
| UMID |
| SSS ID |
What Maya asks for
Maya’s Upgrade page walks through the same ground from Profile > Upgrade Your Account. You enter your full name and date of birth, and “make sure that these match with the information on your National ID”. You then record a video selfie, and after that Maya asks for your work details, place of birth and address where applicable.
Maya’s help center says an adult must submit “either 1 valid primary ID or 2 valid secondary IDs”. The Upgrade page lists the Philippine National Identity Card, ePhilID, SSS ID (digitized with photo), PRC ID, Postal ID (issued 2015 onwards), Passport, Driver’s License and UMID as primary IDs, and PhilHealth ID and TIN ID as secondary IDs. It also says the approval SMS arrives “within 24 hours” of approval.
Selfie verification: what the wallets call it
Selfie verification is the step where a camera image is matched to your ID. GCash calls it a “selfie scan” and Maya calls it a “video selfie”. Maya’s Upgrade page tells you to follow the instructions on screen, note the required gestures, avoid covering any part of your face and position your head properly in the frame.
Maya’s help article on face authentication adds that it “uses your phone’s camera to scan your face and compares it with the face data saved in your Maya account”, and that for an upgraded account Maya uses “the video selfie and ID you submitted”. The same selfie therefore keeps working for you later: a clean one the first time saves you a repeat.
A safe procedure for passing a check
The steps are the same for a wallet and for any site that asks for an ID.
- Confirm the address first. Read the whole address; reach a wallet through its own app.
- Open the check inside your account. Start from the logged-in account or the wallet’s app, never from a link in SMS, e-mail or chat.
- Prepare the real ID. Valid, clear, undamaged, original.
- Take the selfie as instructed. Follow the on-screen gestures, keep your face uncovered and cover nothing the form asks to see on the ID.
- Submit only through that form. No ID photo, selfie or OTP goes by chat or e-mail. Maya’s page says Maya “will never ask for your Maya password, 16-digit card number, and One-Time Password (OTP), nor charge you to upgrade your account”.
- Keep a record. Note the date, the ID type, any reference and the confirmation SMS.
On a casino sign-up, follow what the screen asks and nothing more. A land-based junket table, described on the junket explainer, shows how arrangements differ: PAGCOR’s casino manual lets only valid foreign passport holders play designated junket tables. Whether a game is fair is a separate question, answered by GLI game certificates.
If a check fails
Maya’s help article on declined upgrades says to re-submit and make sure the details on your ID match the details in your application form, the photo of your ID is clear and readable, and all corners of your ID are visible. Maya’s PhilSys article adds that if it cannot confirm your identity through PSA’s National ID Authentication Services, you can continue by submitting another valid government-issued ID.
| Symptom | Fix |
|---|---|
| Details do not match the form | Re-enter the name and date of birth exactly as printed on the ID |
| Photo unreadable | Retake it flat, in even light, with all four corners visible |
| Selfie rejected | Retake following the gestures on screen, with nothing covering your face |
| National ID check fails | Submit another valid government-issued ID, as Maya’s article allows |
FAQ
What does know your customer mean?
It is the identity check a regulated business runs before it opens an account or handles your money. The Anti-Money Laundering Act, Section 9(a), tells covered institutions to establish and record the true identity of their clients based on official documents.
What does GCash ask for to verify an account?
GCash's help page says you only need 1 valid government ID, then a scan of the ID and a selfie scan, followed by a review of your information and submit. It says you will get an update through SMS after 3 days.
What does Maya ask for?
Maya's Upgrade page asks for your full name and date of birth as on your National ID, a video selfie, and for an adult either 1 Primary ID or 2 Secondary IDs. Work details, place of birth and address follow.
Is it safe to send my ID photo by chat?
No. Submit an ID only inside the logged-in account or the wallet's own app. Maya's Upgrade page warns that Maya and its representatives will never ask for your password, 16-digit card number or OTP.
Anong gagawin kung hindi pumasa ang selfie ko?
Ayusin ang liwanag, ilagay nang buo ang mukha sa frame at sundin ang mga galaw na hinihingi ng screen. Sa Maya, kung hindi ma-verify ang pagkakakilanlan, puwede kang maglagay ng National ID number o magsumite ng ibang valid Primary ID.