🆔Verify: KYC
Contents
What is KYC?
We do not store any KYC documents at The Sandbox. KYC data removal requests must be sent directly to [email protected].
About KYC
KYC is an abbreviation for "Know Your Customer".
KYC was first devised and implemented by banks and financial institutions in the 1990s. They did this to combat financial fraud, as well as to choke the amount of money that was being sent and used to fund criminal enterprises and terrorism.
Fast-forward to the twenty-first century, KYC has now found many other additional uses. For example, it is commonly now used by employers to check you have the right to work in a country, by estate agents and insurance agencies to check your funds/property come from a legitimate source, and many more.
It is also used by many blockchain projects as well as cryptocurrency exchanges, again to prove who their customers are and prevent crypto being used to fund crime and terror.
Why KYC at The Sandbox?
Everyone is welcome to play the many Experiences within The Sandbox and create content using The Sandbox's software.
However, in order to claim any rewards or earnings, you will be required to pass KYC. The Sandbox has implemented KYC into its platform, by the majority request of its SandFam members, for the following reasons:
To prevent fraudulent activity during contests, events, and sales.
To prevent the use of multiple accounts during contests, events, and sales.
To prevent The Sandbox being used to perform illegal activities, such as money laundering.
To prove that users are a genuine, living person.
Starting with the launch of Alpha Season 3 in 2022, only users with a verified account will be able to claim rewards and access official LAND Sales in The Sandbox.
The KYC process (Know Your Customer) ensures that a real, physical person is behind the account. It proves that a person is who they claim to be. Required by current regulations, identification prevents a person from carrying out activities in the name of another person, using false documents to commit fraud (e.g. money laundering, identity theft, etc.).
The process consists first in a liveness proof, where it is verified that you are alive, and you are a real person applying for the account verification. Then you will upload a document ID to verify your identity.
The process is quick and easy, however, this academy will, of course, guide you through the process. We also have some support contact options in this resource for you, should you need any further help.
KYC will not lead to you being denied access to or being banned from The Sandbox if you reside in a country that may have international sanctions imposed against them (ie, Iran, Russia). It is there to prevent the community's SAND tokens from ending up in the wallets of fraudsters and cheats.
What Does KYC Involve?
KYC is a very simple process. You will need to prove your identity by showing a government-issued identification document. This might be a passport, driving licence, or national identity card, for example.
You may also need to take a live selfie to prove that the person in the identification's photograph is you. For this reason, birth certificates are unlikely to be an acceptable medium of proving your identity, since it doesn't have a (current) photograph of you on it.
Supported Countries
The following countries are currently supported by the Synaps KYC system.
A to B | KYC Supported Countries
Afghanistan
Åland Islands
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
C to D | KYC Supported Countries
Cabo Verde
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Congo (Democratic Republic of the)
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Côte d'Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Curaçao
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominican Republic
E to F | KYC Supported Countries
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
G to H | KYC Supported Countries
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
I to J | KYC Supported Countries
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Iraq
Ireland
Isle of Man
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
K to L | KYC Supported Countries
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Korea (Democratic People's Republic of)
Korea (Republic of)
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
M to N | KYC Supported Countries
Macao
Macedonia (the former Yugoslav Republic of)
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia (Federated States of)
Moldova (Republic of)
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
Norway
O to P | KYC Supported Countries
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
S to T | KYC Supported Countries
Saint Barthélemy
Saint Helena
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin (French part)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Syrian Arab Republic
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
Personal Information & Privacy
To delete personal information provided to and secured by our third party provider, contact Synaps directly at [email protected].
For GM/GC, account, and rewards support, including KYC support requests, visit The Sandbox Support Portal.
For privacy questions, email [email protected].
What KYC provider does The Sandbox use?
The KYC process is managed by an independent, third-party WEB3 security firm called Synaps.
Is my data stored on The Sandbox platform after I complete the KYC?
No. The document ID image and the information contained in the document is not stored on The Sandbox platform.
Synaps sends us a confirmation on whether the KYC process is approved. We record:
The status of the KYC process, which will be one of the following:
Not started
Pending
Approved
Rejected
The time and date of the result of the above status.
Your Synaps Session ID (which is a long, randomly-generated number unique to your account, so that The Sandbox and Synaps can help you in support tickets if needed).
We do not store any personal data from your identity documents at The Sandbox.
Is my data secure with Synaps?
Your data is encrypted in AES-256bits with a unique encryption key per file. The encryption keys are stored on hardware security modules provided by Google. All data is stored on Google Cloud in European data centres.
Synaps' KYC complies with strict standards in line with the stringent regulations of the European Union and beyond. The data is kept for a minimum of 5 years according to the KYC/AML directive.
Why are the microphone and camera accessed during the identification process?
During the KYC process, Synaps needs access to the camera so you can go through the different steps of the workflow (deliverability and submission of the ID document). This also includes access to the camera light that is activated to make holograms on identity documents more visible.
The monitoring and recording of these security features is done to prevent fraud and is particularly necessary due to the regulatory requirements for conducting a KYC.
Prior to the KYC process, each user is informed that the application requires access to the camera and that the user must give explicit permission for this.
Synaps only collects camera data during the identification process, as well as some general, non-personal data about the device for diagnostic purposes in case of an incident. At no time does Synaps have access to the data or images stored in the smartphone, tablet or computer.
Can I hide data on my ID document to pass the account verification process?
Certain security features (e.g. holograms) and the information on the identity document must be checked to prevent fraud. This is necessary due to regulatory requirements according to the KYC/AML directive.
It is mandatory that the information and fields required in the identity document are clearly visible. We therefore always advise against blacking out information, covering it up or using adhesive tape, as otherwise, the verification may not be successful, and/or your document could be flagged as a forgery.
Can I request to delete all the personal information Synaps gathered during the account verification process?
Yes, you can request personal information removal by contacting Synaps directly at [email protected]. All KYC/KYB documents are stored and secured by our third party service provider Synaps.
The Sandbox does not hold or store any personal information provided to Synaps.
Events, Rewards, Sales & Web3
Events & Playing The Sandbox
Can I play games and experiences at The Sandbox without passing KYC?
Yes, you can play games and other metaverse experiences within The Sandbox without having a KYC-verified account.
However, you will need a verified account to earn rewards from events.
Can I play gated events or experiences without passing KYC?
As long as you hold the relevant NFT or token that grants you access to that gated game or experience, yes you can play them without having a KYC-verified account.
I am under 18, can I play The Sandbox or pass KYC?
Our terms of use specify that registrants must be 18 or over. This is in part due to data protection regulations, such as the GDPR, that forbid companies from knowingly collecting data from minors under the age of 18.
However, in the local jurisdictions of some countries, some regulations state a minor under the age of 18 may be able to use some online services as long as:
Their account is registered and managed entirely by a legal parent or guardian until the minor turns 18.
They have constant supervision by a legal parent or guardian during their sessions using the online service.
The Sandbox cannot offer legal advice directly to its users, as the accuracy of this advice differs by not only nation but also by local jurisdiction within those nations. If you need any legal advice about minors using online services, please seek it from a professional in your local jurisdiction.
Nevertheless, The Sandbox cannot knowingly allow accounts where the player is under the age of 18 years old to pass KYC. No matter what your local jurisdiction says about minors using online services, The Sandbox is still required to be fully compliant with GDPR, which states no data can knowingly be collected from those under 18.
While we understand that this may be annoying or an inconvenience to some people, bear in mind that these regulations, such as GDPR, exist to protect minors from exploitation and abuse online.
Rewards at The Sandbox
Can I earn rewards from events without having KYC on my account?
No. You will need to have a KYC-verified account in order to be eligible for rewards from events.
Sales & Web3 at The Sandbox
Do I need to pass KYC to participate in LAND sales?
Yes, you are required to have a KYC-verified account to participate in LAND sales.
LANDs are an extremely high value and high utility NFT.
Do I need to pass KYC to participate in Avatar sales?
At this moment in time, no.
This may be subject to change in the future.
KYC Process
Getting Started
Why do I need to verify my account?
To ensure everyone has a fair chance of earning rewards and joining our upcoming raffles, we need you to verify your account.
This will help us prevent bots, cheaters, and bad actors from, trying to take advantage by using exploitative and other unsporting tactics in attempt to gain rewards that they are not eligible for.
It ensures that rewards eared in events are going to those who earned them legitimately.
You will not be able to earn rewards at The Sandbox unless your account is verified.
How can I Verify my Account?
To begin the verification process, go to your account settings on The Sandbox website, then click the Account Validation link on the left panel.
What do I need in order to verify my account?
Computer or laptop.
Smartphone or tablet with a camera.
Stable internet connection.
A well-lit room.
A valid, legitimate, government-issued photo identification document.
Documents
Is my country supported?
Synaps supports a wide range of countries. Support in different countries might vary without notice due changes in current regulations and laws.
See the Supported Countries tab above in What is KYC?.
What kind of identity documents can I use?
Passport, National ID, Driver license or Resident Permit issued by the government can be submitted in your KYC process.
However, your document must:
Have the 4 corners are clearly visible
Be in a good quality with all information clearly readable
Be valid: the document expiration is not exceeded
Not be handwritten (if your identity document is handwritten, it will be rejected)
Be in color (not in black and white)
My ID document has expired. Can I still use it?
No, the document needs to be valid and in date.
In many countries, using an expired document as a form of identity is illegal.
Can I use a hand-written document?
No, handwritten documents cannot be accepted.
These lack security features, which makes them too likely to be forgeries or stolen.
As per regulations enforced by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), it is unlawful to use a handwritten document as a form of international identification.
While it may be lawful to use such document in your own country, it cannot be used as a form of ID internationally, such as for travelling across international borders or for confirming your identity outside of your birth country for any purpose including KYC.
As per ICAO regulations, all international ID documents must be "machine-readable". Handwritten documents do not fall into that category.
Verification
How long does it take for my account to be verified?
In roughly 80% of cases, verification can take around just 12 minutes.
In some complex cases, it can take between 48 and 72 working hours (2 to 3 working days) for verification to complete.
This occurs mainly when the automated process believes it has detected an issue with the ID, if the ID is in poor condition, cannot read the ID properly, and so on.
Both of these are estimations. The times can vary and change depending on the volume of documents that are currently being processed, and so on.
How do I know if my verification was approved or rejected?
To check your verification progress and/or result, go to your account settings on The Sandbox website, then click the Account Validation link on the left panel.
You will also receive an email notification if you have a correct email linked to your account at The Sandbox.
Can I get assistance while I’m doing the account verification?
Yes, after you start your account verification you can open a ticket by pressing the dialogue icon at the top right (to the left of the language flag).
You will be asked a series of questions to filter and focus your request. Do not hesitate to give us as much information as possible so the support team can help you as much as possible. The support while you are in the account verification process is provided by Synaps, if you want to reach out to The Sandbox support team please send an email to [email protected].
Rejection
In some cases, your identification documents may be rejected by Synaps. This page offers some of the reasons why your ID may have been rejected. Click the expandable boxes below to learn more about each rejection reason and how to potentially resolve it.
The Sandbox understands that individuals with certain visual or motor complications may have difficulty with taking photographs of their document or video liveness of their face. In this case please consider asking a family member or friend to assist you.
What can I do if I have my document rejected?
If your document gets rejected we will request you to resubmit the document.
You can try resubmitting your document again or try a different type document. Synaps recommends using your national passport.
To resubmit your document go to
Account > Settings > Account Verification.
How can I resubmit an ID?
To resubmit your document go to
Account > Settings > Account Verificationand clickUpload ID Document.
I believe my document was rejected or flagged in error
If you believe the reason for your KYC being rejected is in error, you are welcome to reach out to support. Please choose one of the options below.
Synaps Chat: Click the speech bubble icon in the top-right of the pop-up window that you see when starting the KYC process.
The Sandbox Email: Send an email to
[email protected].Note that this is the slowest method of contact, you may be waiting between 3 and 7 working days for a response.The Sandbox Discord Support: Open a KYC Support Ticket in our Discord community. This is a live chat option, and response times will vary depending on the current support ticket queue.
Possible Rejection Reasons
Photography or Liveness Quality Reasons
The document needs to be clearly readable. There should be no obstructions to the information or security markers on the document.
Parts of the document or your face are hidden
There are objects, light glare, your cat's tail, or similar covering the document.
The four corners of the document are not visible.
There are fingers or other body parts in the photograph.
Part of your face might be missing in the liveness video challenge. Try to keep your face within the circle and move only your arms, not your face itself.
The environmental lighting is too bright or too dark.
Reflections from light glare or bright lights will prevent the document from being read correctly.
Avoid using flash on photography equipment such as smartphones.
Avoid placing the document directly under a light source, such as a lamp or on a window sill.
The environment is too dark, meaning the document, or parts of it, cannot be read correctly.
Use a naturally-lit room or a room with "normal" lighting levels.
This also applies to the liveness challenge.
The photo or liveness challenge is in black & white or contains photographic effects
The image must be taken in its natural full colour state.
It must not be a black & white image. We're no longer in the Victorian Era.
This error may also be caused by being in a room that is too dark.
It must not have any visual effects or "filters".
Your ID or liveness challenge does not need cat's ears or sparkly butterflies on it.
The document's photograph or liveness challenge is in bad quality
The photograph/video may be too blurry or pixelated to read the document clearly.
The photograph/video may be out of focus.
The photograph/video may be "shaky" or "wobbly".
The wrong part of the document was photographed
Be sure to read the on-screen instructions carefully before taking a photograph of your document.
Depending on the document type, you'll be asked to provide an image of the top and bottom, or the front and back.
Some documents may have multiple pages, such as passports. Make sure you're on the correct requested page.
Similarly, make sure you are taking a liveness challenge of the correct body part. The liveness challenge needs to see your face, not your bottom (yes, for some reason, we need to make this clear...).
You do not look like your photograph
Your liveness challenge could fail if you do not look much like your ID's photograph.
For example, major differences in facial hair, the use/lack of glasses, you have headwear, you've had complete facial reconstruction surgery, you're using a filter to make yourself look like a puppy, or you've accidentally morphed into a werewolf because you hadn't realised it is a full moon.
In seriousness, it is unlawful in some countries to use an ID document if the photograph on it is no longer an accurate representation of yourself.
Document Quality Reasons
The document is in poor quality or is damaged
A damaged document makes it difficult to read the information, see your portrait, and identify the security markers on the document.
The document may be too crumpled.
The document may be too worn over time.
Edges of the document may be frayed.
The lamination may be peeling off.
There might be a cut or tear in the document.
There might be a stain or smear on the document.
In many countries it is unlawful to use a damaged document as a form of identity, doing so may lead to fines from local authorities.
The document is expired
Documents that have reached their expiration date cannot be accepted.
Using an expired document as a form of identity is unlawful in many countries and can usually lead to fines from local authorities.
Legal Reasons
The document is no longer an accepted form of identification in your nation
Some nations may have made changes to identity legalisation over the years. This may include scrapping certain ID document schemes.
The document you are submitting is not an official or recognised proof of identity document
The document you are submitting needs to be a photographic-type ID.
This means birth certificates cannot be accepted as proof of identity, for example.
A birth certificate provides proof of birth/nationality, not of identity.
The document needs to be one of the following:
Official passport, issued by the government.
Official national ID, issued by the government.
Official driving licence, issued by the government.
Official residence card, issued by the government.
The document is a copy, unoriginal, or is handwritten. ("The document you are trying to verify is not accepted")
Photocopies, print-outs, and so on, of identity documents are not a valid form of identification.
Handwritten documents are also not valid forms of identity.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has enforced a global ban on handwritten documents being used as international forms of identity.
While some handwritten IDs may be able to be used locally within your own country, they cannot be accepted internationally as proof of identification, as per ICAO's regulations.
Using either of the above as international identification could be seen as an act of fraud.
You are underage (Under 18)
The Sandbox Terms of Use state that you must be 18 years of age or older to open and operate an account at The Sandbox.
Many nations also have laws stating that minors under a certain age require constant parental or guardian supervision when online, which is something The Sandbox cannot regulate.
Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), it is also unlawful for a company to knowingly collect and store the data of a minor.
Please read Events, Rewards, Sales & Web3 above for more information.
The document is forged
Using a forged or fake document as identification is a criminal offence, namely fraud, which is punishable by custodial sentences in many countries.
We, for what should be plainly obvious reasons, will not be accepting forged ID documents.
This rejection reason may also be triggered due to documents being too damaged to see the security features within it correctly.
Other legal & anti-fraud reasons
These may include but are not limited to:
Attempts to deliberately cover parts of the document. For example, placing a photograph on top of someone else's.
There are inconsistencies in the information provided.
There is a reasonable belief that someone else other than the person the document belongs to is attempting to use it.
The document has been reported as stolen and has therefore been flagged and deactivated.
There is other intelligence that generates a reasonable belief that the document is being used fraudulently or not by the person who owns it.
Other Reasons
You have a multiple account
The use of multiple accounts are forbidden at The Sandbox under most circumstances.
Each person may only have one KYC-verified account at The Sandbox.
This is for the purposes of fraud prevention (ie, to prevent people from claiming more rewards than they are eligible for, which is a crime of theft).
The Sandbox's community overwhelmingly requested that The Sandbox does its best to prevent multiple accounts.
Your document or nation is not yet accepted
Some forms of specific documents cannot be accepted.
For example, maybe they are far too easy to forge due to the lack of security features within them.
You can try a different type of document.
It is also possible that documents certain nations cannot yet be accepted.
This may be due to Synaps' system not yet being able to read the national documents.
It may also be because the nation's identity documents lack any form of security features within them, meaning they are too easy to forge.
It may also be due to international sanctions against your nation, which is not something The Sandbox nor Synaps have any control over.
The Sandbox welcomes individuals from all nations and cultures and will endeavour to expand the number of official documents we can accept.
The document contains inconsistencies
The information in the document is not consistent.
This may also be an early indication that the document is a forgery.
If you a retrying a different document because the first one was rejected, the information in the second may not match the information in the first.
This may also be an early indication of a stolen document.
Other
My webcam isn’t working, how can I do the proof of liveness?
You can do the proof of liveness from any mobile device or tablet with a camera. Start the account verification process and follow the steps to select mobile device verification.
What should I do if I have an unstable connection to pass my account verification?
If you have an unstable connection, try connecting to another network and avoid using a VPN.
I am a business, studio, or partner account. Can I pass KYC?
No, a business or studio may not pass Know Your Customer (KYC).
KYC is the process of proving your humanity and compliance with legislation & regulations. Businesses are not human beings and do not get issued passports, driving licences, etc by government agencies.
Legislation does not allow personal identity documents to be used to verify the legitimacy of a business. Verifying the legitimacy of a business involves a completely different and much more complicated process called KYB (Know Your Business).
Other points to note:
KYC is used to prove your eligibility to claim rewards and participate in high-value sales such as LAND sales. These can be achieved perfectly fine from your personal account. There is no real need for a business to have a verified account.
The Sandbox is aware that businesses sometimes attempt to enquire about passing KYC on a second account during events or LAND sales in order to gain an unfair advantage. The community (aka your potential customers) are also aware of this (all actions on the blockchain are recorded for public knowledge and transparency) and so it would put your business in a negative standing with them.
It is okay to have a business account at The Sandbox, such as for your game development studio. But there is absolutely no reason why such an account would need to pass KYC, if it is being used for business rather than personal purposes.
Know Your Business (KYB) Enquiries
To enquire about KYB at The Sandbox, please contact
[email protected].KYB is a more complicated and time-consuming process than KYC, so do not delay getting in touch if you believe you are a studio that is eligible for KYB.
I want to change the wallet on my account at The Sandbox, do I need to redo KYC?
Sometimes people want to change the wallet that is connected to their account at The Sandbox for various reasons, such as changing providers, getting compromised, or purchasing a hardware wallet.
You do not need to redo KYC or request a KYC removal from your account if you wish to change the cryptocurrency wallet that is connected to it.
You can change your wallet via the account settings at The Sandbox while logged into the account.
Synaps is showing my ID as verified. However, at The Sandbox, it is still shown as pending.
Sometimes it may take some time for the sync between Synaps' and The Sandbox's database to occur, especially during high-traffic periods (ie, event & sale launches), which is why it is important to do your KYC as soon as possible, best of all before major launches.
Sometimes The Sandbox may want to perform an additional check on your account.
Sometimes there may be a blockage in the syncing process, for any number of technical reasons.
Contact support if for two working days (weekends & major public holidays excluded):
Synaps has been showing you as verified, but
The Sandbox has been showing you as pending
KYC Security
Visit our Security Topics for account and wallet security guidance.
Beware of fake recruitment scams!
You may at some point see on social media a "job" offer.
This offer commonly asks for game testers, beta testers, or moderators. Though other varied roles may also be used.
Sometimes they also make a payment offer in the post that sounds too good to be true, though not always.
This may be a type of scam where a scammer is attempting to steal KYC data.
How does the scam work?
The scammer will tell you that you need to pass KYC before you can apply or begin working for them.
They will offer you a link to complete this KYC so that you can apply or work for them.
In fact, the link is a fake one that, instead of submitting your KYC for verification, stores and steals it from you. The KYC can then be used on other websites without your knowledge.
How to avoid this scam
Only apply for jobs that are listed on and vetted by official job search websites, as opposed to random offers on social media.
Refuse to complete any KYC process until you have been through the interview stage and are certain the job offer is legitimate.
When performing KYC verification at The Sandbox, make sure the link is https://www.sandbox.game/me/settings/account-verification/. And that, when you begin the KYC verification process, the provider is Synaps.
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