A Common AWS Signup Pitfall: Auto-Filled Name During Identity Verification

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A Common AWS Signup Pitfall: Auto-Filled Name During Identity Verification

When creating an AWS account for the first time, most beginners expect the signup process to be straightforward. During my initial AWS account setup, I encountered a small but important issue related to identity verification that is worth being aware of.

This post explains what happened, why it matters, and what turned out to be the safest way forward.

What Happened During Signup

While signing up for AWS:

Payment verification via UPI AutoPay completed successfully (₹2 authorization)
During the identity verification (PAN) step, AWS auto-filled a name
The auto-filled name did not exactly match the name on my PAN card
There was no option to edit or correct the name at that stage

Since AWS requires identity details to match legal documents exactly, proceeding further felt risky.

AWS documentation for India clearly states that identity details must match PAN information exactly:

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/accounts/latest/reference/managing-accounts-india.html

Why This Matters

AWS identity verification is strict, especially in regions where PAN verification is mandatory.

If identity details do not match:

Verification may fail
Account access may be restricted
Fixing the issue later may require contacting AWS Support
It can cause unnecessary delays and administrative effort

This is not a critical failure, but it can turn into a problem if ignored early.

Options I Considered

Option 1: Continue With the Auto-Filled Name

This would mean completing the signup and hoping the issue could be fixed later.

Why I avoided this:

No guarantee the name could be changed easily afterward
Risk of verification failure
Possible need for manual AWS Support intervention

Option 2: Delete the Account and Reuse It

AWS account deletion is not immediate and can take up to 90 days.

During this period:

The email address may not be reusable
Some account metadata remains reserved

This made the option impractical.

Option 3: Start Fresh With a New Signup (Chosen)

I signed out completely and restarted the signup process in a clean browser session.

This time:

My legal name exactly matched my PAN
Identity verification completed successfully
No follow-up corrections were required

This turned out to be the simplest and safest solution.

Final Outcome

AWS account created successfully
Identity verification completed without issues
AWS Free Tier credits applied
Full console and billing access available

No inconsistencies remained.

Key Takeaways for Beginners

AWS does not allow name correction during certain signup steps
Payment verification does not mean identity verification is complete
Legal identity details must match exactly
If something looks incorrect early, restarting is often easier than fixing later

Beginner tip:

If AWS auto-fills identity information that doesn’t match your legal documents, pause and correct it before proceeding.