# Account Owner Verification
source: https://developer.mastercard.com/open-finance-europe/documentation/licensed/insights/account-owner/index.md

## Overview {#overview}

Account Owner Verification (AOV) enables Client to receive Account Information from PSUs and a calculated Name Match Score. The AOV Solution is available through the **Insights Platform**.

The AOV Solution uses name matching algorithms to determine whether a PSU name submitted to Client matches the name held on file for a given account by the PSU's ASPSP. The AOV Solution provides the capability for Client to verify an account holder name by making account details available, including account holder name and account identifier. Insights Platform then produces a score between 0 and 1 that denotes the strength of the match between the PSU name provided by Client and the account holder name held on file by the ASPSP (the "Name Match Score"). Client can use the Name Match Score for its own purposes, for example, to decide whether to approve a PSU during onboarding.

This Solution is for single and joint accounts and SME business accounts, in each case supported by our underlying connectivity.

This solution can be offered in combination with the [Balance Check](https://developer.mastercard.com/open-finance-europe/documentation/licensed/insights/balance/index.md) service.

## Participants and Interactions {#participants-and-interactions}

Insights provides actionable data retrieved Open Finance connectivity through a single platform that supports multiple products including Account Owner Verification.
![](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/open-finance-europe/uploads/insights/participants-and-interactions.svg)

|      Participant      |                                                                                   Description                                                                                   |                                       Example                                       |
|-----------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| **Consumer**          | Consumer provides consent to share account information. This is also defined as the payment service user "PSU".                                                                 | Bank account holder                                                                 |
| **Business**          | Business provides consent to share account information. This is also defined as the payment service user "PSU".                                                                 | Business bank account holder                                                        |
| **Bank**              | The financial institution where the consumer holds an account. This is also defined as the Account Service Payment Service Provider "ASPSP".                                    | Retail banking provider Business banking provider                                   |
| **Integrator**        | Initiates request for Account Owner Verification through the Insights API endpoint.                                                                                             | Merchants PSPs Technical Service Provider Payment Facilitator Financial Institution |
| **Insights Platform** | Serves as an integration point for integrators to offer Insights services. Returns the account holder name, account number and name match score for Account Owner Verification. | Mastercard                                                                          |

## How it works {#how-it-works}

The following screenshots show sample screens that can be rendered using this service. In this example, Smart Store is using the Account Owner Verification service to retrieve and verify the account owner before setting up a Direct Debit mandate.
![](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/open-finance-europe/uploads/AoV/licensed/AoV_1.png) The customer selects "Connect bank accounts now". ![](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/open-finance-europe/uploads/AoV/licensed/AoV_2.png) The customer selects their bank. ![](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/open-finance-europe/uploads/AoV/licensed/AoV_3.png) Information is displayed to confirm how the customers data will be used. The customer click "Continue". ![](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/open-finance-europe/uploads/AoV/licensed/AoV_4.png) The customer selects the bank to use. ![](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/open-finance-europe/uploads/AoV/licensed/AoV_5.png) The customer authenticates themselves using the bank's existing authentication method. ![](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/open-finance-europe/uploads/AoV/licensed/AoV_6.png) Available accounts are displayed, and the customer selects the preferred account and confirms authorization. ![](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/open-finance-europe/uploads/AoV/licensed/AoV_8.png) The customer is automatically redirected back to the app where confirmation of the linked account is displayed.

### Data flow {#data-flow}

Diagram ao-enterprise-how-it-works

**Detailed steps are explained below:**

1. End user initiates the service with the integrator. For example, a consumer registers their profile with a business and provides their name during onboarding.

2. Integrator collects the consent from the end user with data parameters defined according to which product they would like to consume.

3. End user gives consent to the Integrator to connect to their bank. Consent is managed by the Integrator.

4. Integrator submits the Insights job through the Insights endpoint and specifies which services they would like (e.g. Account_Owner).

5. Mastercard validates the client credentials.

6. Mastercard returns the Connect URL which is then presented to the end user on the client's site.

7. The connectURL is presented to the end user who can use it to authorise access to their account. (This URL will either direct the End User to the Bank Selection screen or ASPSP depending on whether the Client has passed a Provider ID to Insights).

8. Mastercard requests and receives the account information from the bank.

9. Mastercard performs name matching leveraging algorithmic models and custom built metrics.

10. Integrator requests the Insight results.

11. Mastercard returns the account holder name, account number and name match score.

12. The Client can use the results to make a decision that relates to the end user.

### How does name matching work? {#how-does-name-matching-work}

We have a data science platform that use algorithms and custom built metrics to compare the name submitted with the name held on file by the PSU's banking institution. Name matching is optional.

### What is a match score? {#what-is-a-match-score}

The match score is a numerical figure that is returned to the Client which represents how closely the name submitted matches the name found at the PSU's banking institution. The success of the match is also accompanied by text explaining the results.

### How is the score displayed? {#how-is-the-score-displayed}

Account Owner Verification returns a score between 0 and 1 in increments of 0.01 denoting the strength of a match. There is a set range defined for each outcome. This is configurable and can be reset so that clients can build their own logic to determine the outcome of verification processes. This often requires varying degrees of rigor across industries.

## User journey {#user-journey}

When the end user is redirected to their bank for SCA, we will facilitate this through [Supervised login](https://developer.mastercard.com/open-finance-europe/documentation/unlicensed/aiia-data/connect/one-time-flow/index.md). The user will be redirected to an authentication URL in a browser. Here, they will choose their provider (bank or other financial institution) and enter their credentials. A [Supervised login](https://developer.mastercard.com/open-finance-europe/documentation/unlicensed/aiia-data/connect/one-time-flow/index.md). flow consist of a series of steps that the user needs to perform. A typical example is to enter a username and password as a first step, and a one-time password as a second step.

Some providers support multiple login methods. In this way, these providers allow the user to choose between using an authentication app or merely logging in with a username and a password. Therefore, there will be different supervised login flows.
Note: For Insights, integrators do not need to make a separate call for supervised login. Instead, the connectURL (sometimes referred to as authURL) will be provided once the Submit Insights Request is made.

## Next steps {#next-steps}

Refer to the [API References](https://developer.mastercard.com/open-finance-europe/documentation/licensed/insights/api-references/index.md) to learn more about the API.

### Getting help {#getting-help}

Complete the [Contact Us](https://openbankingeu.mastercard.com/contact-us) form if you have any questions or require assistance.