Guide

Reading a result

Match-first results: found, match_result, match scores, route and cost.

Verath is match-first. You send the details your customer gave you, and Verath tells you whether each one matches the official record. You don’t get the record itself unless your business is approved for records and the source allows it.

An example result

200 OK

{
  "reference_id": "chk_3c5e1f0a9b2d4c7e8f6a1b2c3d4e5f60",
  "object": "check",
  "check": "nin_basic",
  "status": "completed",
  "found": true,
  "source": "registry",
  "source_ref": "sbx_8f29a712c4e01b5d",
  "id_number": { "type": "nin", "last_digits": "0006" },
  "match": { "first_name": 100, "last_name": 100, "dob": 100 },
  "match_result": { "first_name": "match", "last_name": "match", "dob": "match" },
  "route": [{ "source": "registry", "outcome": "found", "latency_ms": 412, "ref": "sbx_8f29a712c4e01b5d" }],
  "latency_ms": 431,
  "error": null,
  "cost": { "billed": false, "amount_kobo": 0, "currency": "NGN" },
  "customer": { "id": "cus_9a7b…", "customer_ref": "cust_1042" },
  "purpose": "KYC-ONB",
  "consent_ref": null,
  "mode": "test",
  "created_at": "2026-11-11T15:32:00.112Z",
  "completed_at": "2026-11-11T15:32:00.543Z",
  "retry": null,
  "data": null,
  "data_policy": "match_only"
}

The fields that matter

Field	Meaning
status	completed (found or not found), pending (no source answered yet; retried automatically) or failed (gave up after 72 hours).
found	Whether the number exists on the record. false is an answer too, and is billed like one.
match_result	For each field you sent: match (95+), partial (50–94: a typo, a middle name used as a first name, day and month swapped) or no_match. Face and liveness: high, medium or low.
match	The 0–100 score behind each result, computed by Verath, so it means the same whichever source answered.
id_number	The type and last digits of the number. Verath never stores the full number.
source, source_ref, route	Which source answered (by label), its reference for the call, and every source tried with its timing.
cost	What this check was billed, in kobo. Pending and failed checks are never billed.
data, data_policy	Record fields, if any, and why they are or aren't there (below).

data_policy

Value	What it means
match_only	Your business gets match results only. data is null.
records	Your business is approved for records and the source allows it: data has the record fields. They're sent once and never stored.
source_match_only	You're approved for records, but the source that answered only allows match results.
not_stored	A replay of an earlier request (same Idempotency-Key). Record fields aren't kept, so only the match result comes back.

Deciding what to do

All match: the person’s details agree with the record.
Partial: close but not exact. Common causes are typos, a middle name in the first-name field, or day and month swapped. Ask the person to check, or review it by hand.
No match or not found: don’t onboard on this check alone. Ask for the details again, or send a link with a face check.

Every check also appears in the console under Customers, with a PDF certificate you can file. See Reading a check in the Verath Console.