An apparatus for use in an identity management system includes a storage device; a network interface; and a processor, the storage device storing software instructions for controlling the processor to: process a request, received via a network interface, for an exclusive claim to a unique identifier associated with an individual; verify the individual's claim to the unique identifier is proper; if the individual's claim is verified, create a user account, wherein the user account is associated with the respective individual's claimed unique identifier; provide a look up service for responding to external queries regarding whether individual unique identifiers of the type claimed by the individual have been claimed; and provide proof of the identity of the individual based on the individual's exclusive claim to the claimed unique identifier in response to a request to provide said proof if authorized by the individual through the user account.