About identity verification

GigSalad uses identity verification to help keep our marketplace safe and trustworthy for everyone. This process helps us confirm that the people joining our platform are who they say they are, and it allows us to catch and remove fraudulent or duplicate accounts before they cause problems.

How it works

Identity verification is powered by Plaid, a trusted third-party verification service. Plaid checks basic identifying information against trusted sources to confirm your identity. In some cases, you may also be asked to provide a photo or scan of a government-issued photo ID.

You'll complete the verification by following a link from your email, which will take you to GigSalad, where the Plaid interface will open within a modal. The whole process typically only takes a few minutes.

Free signups:

Identity verification is currently being tested with a subset of new members who choose a free membership. If you were asked to verify your identity, you'll receive an email with a link to get started. You'll need to complete verification before your profile can move through the approval process. If you weren't prompted, no action is needed at this time.

Paid signups:

If you sign up for a paid membership, you may choose to verify your identity to add an additional layer of trust to your account, but it is not required.

Your privacy and security

Your sensitive information is handled by Plaid and is not stored in readable form on GigSalad's servers. Plaid may collect the following to verify your identity:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Address
• Phone number
• National ID (e.g., Social Security Number)
• A photo of a government-issued ID (only if required based on your verification results)

GigSalad does not store your raw personal information. We only retain whether your name and phone number matched your registration details, and we use one-way hashed data to detect duplicate accounts.

Frequently asked questions:

Will my verified status be visible on my profile?

Not at this time. Identity verification is currently used internally to help us review and approve profiles. We're not yet displaying a verified badge or any public indicator on member profiles. If this program expands, we'll share more about what that looks like.

What happens if I fail verification?

A failed ID verification means your profile will not be approved for listing on GigSalad.

If you believe there's been an error, please reach out to our Customer Happiness team. They can review your situation and, if appropriate, send you a new verification link so you can try again.

You may attempt identity verification up to 3 times.

For security reasons, we can't share specific details about why a verification attempt was unsuccessful — this helps protect the integrity of the process.

I got an email about identity verification — is it legitimate?

Yes, if you recently created a GigSalad account and received an email with a link to verify your identity, that email is from us. The link will take you to a GigSalad page where the Plaid verification flow will open.

If you have any concerns about the email you received, feel free to contact our Customer Happiness team before proceeding.