A duplicate account occurs if you already verified your identity on a different ID.me account. Since a verified account is tied to you as an individual, you can only have one account.
This article provides instructions on how to merge accounts or sign in to your original account.
I want to merge my accounts
If you are eligible to merge your accounts, you will see a message saying “We found another account that matches your identity” when you try to verify your identity on a new account. To merge, select “Merge accounts” on this screen if you recognize the email address displayed. Not everyone is eligible to merge accounts.
If you have trouble after merging your accounts, visit Troubleshooting merged accounts.
I didn’t get the option to merge my accounts
If you don’t have the option to merge accounts, you need to use your original ID.me account. Your original account is the one you used to verify your identity the first time. On the error screen you may see the first and last initial and email domain of your original account.
To sign in to your original account:
- Visit the organization’s website you are trying to access with ID.me.
- Select the ID.me button.
- Enter the email address and password for your original account.
- Follow the prompts after you sign in.
Troubleshoot duplicate accounts
Use the table below for help troubleshooting duplicate accounts:
| Duplicate account issue | How to resolve |
|---|---|
| I can’t sign in to my original account |
You may be able to sign in by resetting your password or multi-factor authentication (MFA). To learn how, visit I can’t sign in to my account. If you still can’t sign, ID.me Support will help recover your account. |
| I want to use the email that’s on my new account |
To use the email from your duplicate account, close the duplicate account first, then add the email to your original account. To learn how, visit Using an email address that’s on your duplicate account. |
| I want a separate account for work |
You cannot have a separate account for work purposes. Use your original account by adding your work email to the account. To learn how, visit Setting up your ID.me account for work. |
| I can’t access the email on my original account |
Even though you can't access the email on your original account, you still might be able to sign in. To learn how, visit Signing in if you can’t access the email address on your account. |
| My original account is suspended |
You need to contact ID.me Support since you won’t be able to sign in. To learn how, visit My account was suspended. |
| The name on my original account is wrong |
Update the name on your ID.me account. To learn how, visit Updating your name on your ID.me account. |
| I don’t recognize the email in the duplicate error |
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| I don’t remember creating another account |