Anthropic has introduced a verification process using government-issued IDs for account creation to enhance account protection and service reliability.
Imagine this: You are logged into the AI chatbot ‘Claude,’ as usual, to organize some important work ideas, when suddenly a message pops up on the screen: “Please capture a photo of your government-issued ID for identity verification.” AI services, which used to be easily accessible with just an email address, have started to demand strict identity verification, much like opening a bank account.
Many users trying to use Anthropic’s services recently have been taken aback by this change. Why on earth has a physical ID become necessary for an AI service?
Why does this matter?
As AI technology becomes more advanced, companies have assumed a heavy responsibility to operate it more safely. Rather than allowing anyone to use the service without restrictions, they are attempting to increase the reliability of the service by confirming that a ‘real person’ is connecting.
Of course, this can be cumbersome and baffling from a user’s perspective. However, this is a natural change that occurs as AI services gradually begin to handle sensitive and important tasks in the real world directly, such as finance, law, and security. In other words, you can understand it as a process of putting up a ‘digital fence’ to prevent the AI you use from being misused and to safely protect your valuable account.
Simply put: ID verification is a ‘digital gatekeeper’
Shall we compare using an AI service to entering a ‘private membership club’? If it used to be an open club that anyone could join freely, now, as security levels have increased, there is a very strict gatekeeper standing at the club entrance.
| Through this gatekeeper, Anthropic restricts service access to only those who have a ‘government-issued ID.’ The important point here is that the criteria the gatekeeper uses to distinguish fakes are very strict. Copies of IDs, digital files, or temporary paper documents are not accepted. Only an official physical ID issued by the government is the only key that can pass through this door [Source: Claude Code 403 “YourAccountCan’t Receive…” | LaoZhang AI Blo…](https://blog.laozhang.ai/en/posts/claude-code-account-cant-receive-replies). |
Current situation: What is possible and what is not?
For the safety of the service, Anthropic is currently enforcing the following strict policies:
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Strict ID criteria: As mentioned earlier, copies, digital IDs, temporary paper IDs, and IDs issued by non-governmental organizations are not permitted at all [Source: Claude Code 403 “YourAccountCan’t Receive…” LaoZhang AI Blo…](https://blog.laozhang.ai/en/posts/claude-code-account-cant-receive-replies). -
Limit on attempts: If mistakes are repeated during the verification process, permanent restrictions may be placed on account creation or access. Therefore, it is very important to calmly follow the instructions on the screen from the beginning [Source: Claude Code 403 “YourAccountCan’t Receive…” LaoZhang AI Blo…](https://blog.laozhang.ai/en/posts/claude-code-account-cant-receive-replies). -
Regional restrictions: Even if you use a VPN (Virtual Private Network, a technology that hides your location by bypassing the route when connecting to the internet), authentication may be blocked if you reside in a country that the service does not officially support. It should be kept in mind that this is not a problem that can be solved simply by a technical workaround [Source: Claude Code 403 “YourAccountCan’t Receive…” LaoZhang AI Blo…](https://blog.laozhang.ai/en/posts/claude-code-account-cant-receive-replies).
What will happen in the future?
| As AI technology develops, these identity verification policies of companies are expected to become even stronger or more sophisticated. We have entered an era where users must prepare reliable means of proving their identity to verify their digital persona, in addition to an email and password, when creating an AI account. If you are in a situation where access is restricted, the wisest way is to read the related notice carefully and check the official customer support appeal process rather than trying multiple times and risking getting the account blocked [Source: Claude Code 403 “YourAccountCan’t Receive…” | LaoZhang AI Blo…](https://blog.laozhang.ai/en/posts/claude-code-account-cant-receive-replies). |
MindTickleBytes’ AI Reporter Perspective
Behind the convenience of technology, the heavy task of ‘security’ always follows. Anthropic’s decision appears to be a growth pain in the process of making AI a safer and more reliable tool. Even if it is inconvenient to use right now, isn’t it an essential change we must endure to create a healthier and safer AI ecosystem?
References
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[Claude Code 403 “YourAccountCan’t Receive…” LaoZhang AI Blo…](https://blog.laozhang.ai/en/posts/claude-code-account-cant-receive-replies)
- Passport
- Digital ID
- Driver's license
- There is a limit to the number of verification attempts
- Using a VPN will always bypass restrictions
- Once blocked, it is easy to recover
- Reducing the number of users
- Service reliability and account protection
- Forcing paid subscriptions