Contact a record holder via Alias Token

The Verification service lets you contact the holder of a registered Kaharagian record (a registered animal's owner, the holder of a credential) without learning their identity or contact details. This is the Alias Token contact channel. This page explains how it works and how to use it.

Why this exists

A defining principle of the Verification service is that the record can be verified without identifying the holder. Many real-world situations need both:

• You found a lost item (a registered animal, a misplaced credential) and want to return it
• You need to confirm something with the issuing party
• You spotted an error or concern about a record

In each case, you need to reach the holder, but the State's privacy invariant means you should not learn their address or contact details from the Verification service. The Alias Token contact channel solves this by routing your message through the State.

How the channel works

When a record returns a verification result and contact is appropriate, the result page presents an Alias Token: a URL of the form verify.kaharagia.org/contact/{alias_token}.

The alias token uniquely identifies the record on the State's side, but reveals nothing about the holder to you. The State maintains the mapping internally.

When you send a message via the alias token URL:

1. You write the message: your name (optional), your reply contact (where the holder should respond), the subject and body, any attachments
2. The State receives the message and resolves the alias token internally to the relevant record holder
3. The State delivers the message to the holder via the channel they have on file (usually the ePortal inbox for an account holder, or an alternate channel for non-account holders)
4. The holder may choose to respond: if they do, the response goes back to the reply address you provided. The holder learns who you are only to the extent you told them in your original message.

What you'll see on the contact page

The Alias Token contact page (/contact/{alias_token}) shows:

• A confirmation of the record you're contacting about (e.g. "Animal: Rover, Registration #ANM-2024-001234"), only what's already on the public verification page
• A form with: your name (optional), reply email or telephone, subject, message body, attachments
• A note that the message is confidential and routed through the State

You do not see the holder's name, contact details, address, or any other personal information.

How to write a good message

For a returning a found animal:

Hello. I found your registered animal Rover today around 14:00 in Riverside Park (cross-streets Maple and Oak). He's safe with me and seems healthy. My phone is [+XX XXX]; please call so we can arrange you to collect him.

[Your name]

For confirming a credential:

Hello. I'm verifying credential KGS-MED-2024-1234 you submitted in [context]. The Verification service confirms it as genuine. I have one question about [specific point]; please reply at this email when convenient.

[Your name, your role/affiliation]

A useful message:

• States who you are (real or appropriate identifier. "the finder", "the receiving organisation")
• States what you have / found / observed
• Provides clear reply details (email, phone) so the holder can respond easily
• Is brief: enough information to make the situation clear, no more

What not to send:

• Threats, abuse, or harassment
• Repeat messages on the same matter (one well-written message is better than many)
• Anything you wouldn't want a third party to read (the State sees the message during routing)

What happens after you send

1. The State receives the message and validates basic content
2. The message is resolved against the alias token and queued for delivery to the holder
3. The holder receives the message via their chosen channel (typically ePortal inbox)
4. The holder may choose to respond. This is their decision; the State does not pressure responses

If the holder responds, the response goes to the reply contact you provided. If the holder does not respond, you will not necessarily be told, silence is itself a response.

What the holder sees

The holder sees:

• The fact that someone used the verification service to verify their record and chose to send a message
• The full text of your message
• Any reply contact details you provided
• A note that the message arrived via the Alias Token channel and that the State does not vouch for the sender

The holder does not see:

• Your IP address (if known)
• Browser metadata
• Any information about you beyond what you wrote in the message

Limits of the channel

The Alias Token channel is a one-shot delivery, not an ongoing chat:

• You write one message; the holder gets one delivery
• You can write again (re-running the verification gets you a fresh token), but please don't spam, the State may rate-limit or block abusive use
• If you and the holder need ongoing contact, the holder can reply directly to your provided contact, after which you correspond outside the State's channel
• The State doesn't offer a tracking or read-receipt facility

Privacy and abuse

The State logs alias-token messages (sender's IP, timestamp, message content) for security and abuse-detection. See the Verification Privacy Notice for the full handling.

Abuse of the channel, harassment, stalking, threats, attempts to identify the holder through indirect means, is prohibited under the Verification Terms of Service and may be investigated and blocked.

What if you're the holder, receiving a message?

If you're the holder of a record and you've received an Alias Token message:

• You're not obliged to respond. The decision is yours.
• Verify the sender's stated context before sharing personal details, the State does not vouch for senders. If the message appears to be a scam, ignore it.
• If the message is abusive, ignore it and report it through the Verification service contact channel. Abusive senders can be blocked.
• If the message is helpful (e.g. someone has found your lost animal), respond at your discretion through the reply contact provided. You'll learn the sender's identity only to the extent they tell you.

Common questions

• "Can I see who sent the message that came to me?" Only what they wrote. The State doesn't disclose IP or device metadata to the recipient.
• "My message went unanswered. What now?" The holder chose not to respond. There's no further escalation through the alias channel; consider whether an alternative channel (e.g. handing the found item to the appropriate authority) is appropriate.
• "Can I attach photos?" Yes, within size limits the form indicates.
• "Is the channel encrypted?" Yes, end-to-end at the transport level (TLS); the State sees the message content during routing for delivery.
• "Can I use this for marketing or fundraising?" No. The channel is for legitimate, record-specific communications. Commercial use is prohibited.