An embodiment of the invention provides a method for selectively using degree confidence for image validation to authorize transactions, wherein a request to authorize a transaction is received, the request including a user's name, a photo of the user, and a transaction value. A database is queried with the user's name to identify one or more reference photos of the user; and, the received photo of the user is compared to the reference photo of the user with an analysis engine to generate a confidence value. An authorization threshold is determined with a processor based on the transaction value. The transaction is authorized when the confidence value is equal to and/or greater than the authorization threshold.