A method for verifying the identity of one party on behalf of another party is provided. The method includes providing a money-transfer system and a communication system that communicates with the money-transfer system; receiving at the money-transfer system from the first party certain verification criteria for confirming the identity of a second party; and storing the verification criteria in the host computer system of the money-transfer system. When an ID is received from the second party at a money-transfer location; the verification criteria is retrieved from the host computer system; and the acceptability of the ID is determined in accordance with the verification criteria. If the identification device is acceptable, identification information is obtained from the identification device; and the identification information is processed to verify the identity of the second party. In other embodiments, a method for pre-verifying the identity of a party and a system for performing the method of the invention are provided.