What You Need to Know to Avoid Improper Background Checks

POSTED: 04/26/12 5:07 PM
CATEGORY: Background Checks, Industry News, True Hire Services

Not all agencies performing background checks are equal. Practically anyone with access to a computer and internet connection can jump in the business of pre-employment screening since they aren’t required to be licensed nor registered.

There are companies who claim to provide instant background searches, but given the nature of instant checks, it is impossible for these companies to complete thorough investigations and stay in compliance with state and federal laws. These companies are simply searching a database and returning the results to you without further examination. While database searches are incredibly valuable and certainly speed up the time required to do a proper check, without the trained eyes of a professional investigator, it’s easy to mistake candidates who share the same name. Unless a background inquiry has been re-verified and cross-referenced by checking the validity of a person’s social security number, name(s), previous addresses and birthdate, database searches cannot provide an accurate picture of a person’s history. It’s also essential to combine all of these checks with federal, state and county searches as many databases have no updating requirements and can take up to a year to show new and relevant information.

In a new report released by the National Consumer Law Center, a case was referenced, revealing that Samuel M. Jackson of Illinois was denied a job because his background report showed he was convicted of rape in 1987. If the background investigation had been processed correctly, they would have realized that the Samuel M. Jackson who had applied for the job was only 4 years old at the time the conviction occurred. His identity had been confused with a Samuel M. Jackson from Virginia who was still in prison at the time the background check was requested.

Another growing issue is the security risks concerning a candidate’s information. Where are your confidential files actually being sent? Just recently, one of the largest bureaus has decided to outsource much of its background investigations operations to India. Unlike in the US, there are no security and safety protocols in India to protect the confidentiality of US citizens. On top of this, there are no regulations obligating any company to disclose offshoring, meaning their clients may be none-the-wiser that their employees’ personal information is being sent overseas.

It is important for a company to know how their possible candidates are being screened and how secure their information is. The background check company you choose to work with should be open and upfront with you about this information.

True Hire is proud to say that we cross-reference and re-verify all of our searches. We combine the best of both worlds, using time and money-saving technologies and professionally trained employees to give you the most accurate results. There’s no worry about offshoring either. Our company is based in the US, and all of True Hire’s employees live and work in the United States, ensuring that all of our safety policies and procedures keep your candidates’ information confidential.

True Hire Background Checks does all of the work for you. We adhere to all FCRA regulations, keeping you compliant with all state and federal laws; provide you with reports that are thorough, accurate, and easy to read; and give you all of the information you need to make informed decisions about your pre-hire candidates.

Elderly Woman Dies Because Caretaker Wasn’t Qualified to Work with Clients

POSTED: 04/23/12 3:07 PM
CATEGORY: Industry News, Unqualified

Ms. Martens and Her Family

West Metro, Minneapolis, Minnesota—83-year-old Bernice Martens died recently after being dropped several times when her caretaker tried to transport her from her car to her wheelchair and back. Ms. Martens’ care plan called for the use of a transfer belt, and her caregiver never used it during the times she was dropped.

As it turns out, the company, Senior Helpers, who had hired Ms. Martens’ caretaker had never performed a background check on the caretaker until after her release. If they had done so before hiring her as was Minnesota statute, they would have found out that the caretaker was never qualified to work directly with clients.

Senior Helpers’ owner, Mike Johnson, extended his sincerest apologies to Ms. Martens’ family and continued by saying, “This is an isolated incident, and we have a well established reputation of excellence serving this community. We thoroughly trained our caregiver, and unfortunately this person did not follow procedure.”

Despite Senior Helpers’ assurances to the public, the state faulted the company for failing to follow Martens’ care plan, conduct a background study or report the incidents to a nurse. The company is now in compliance with state laws according to Stella French, director of the Office of Health Facility Complaints.

You can read more about Ms. Martens here.

True Hire Background Checks: Powered by People

POSTED: 04/17/12 9:59 AM
CATEGORY: Background Checks, Exit Interviews, Industry News, Overview, True Hire Services

True Hire Background Checks brings you a safer, more efficient workplace for your employees at a lower cost. We are 42% faster than other leading background-investigation service bureaus and can save the average business 23%. True Hire offers a variety of services, including Social Security Number, Name and Address History Verification, Education and Employment Verification, Reference Checks, Bureau of Motor Vehicles Records, County, State and Federal Criminal Background Checks, National Sex Offender Registry Checks, along with others like Workers Compensation Reports, Professional License Verification, Civil Court Records, and Government Watch Lists. We can even help you with Global and International Screening, checking the backgrounds of pre-hire employees no matter where they’ve lived in the world.

True Hire Background Checks is one of only eleven companies in the United States who can do NAIC Third Party Verification and Biographical Affidavits, and we’re a proud member of the Sue Weaver Cause. We can help you with those I9 Verifications, and we even offer an all-in-one Drug Screening program.

No time to do your own Exit Interviews? Need more accurate results? No problem.

From businesses large to small, we help everyone, giving personal care and attention to all—no matter if you’re a Fortune 500 Company, a landlord needing credit checks on prospective tenants, or a family needing a babysitter. Churches, schools, nonprofits and volunteer-operated businesses, True Hire has you covered as well. We offer affordable packages, tailored just for you, and we can even set up a no-cost option where an applicant donates the cost of his/her background check on your behalf.

Let True Hire Background Checks be your one-stop solution for all of your business and corporate needs. We’ve combined the efficiency of automated services with the irreplaceable, cross-checking abilities of our professionals. We’ll take the stress and worry out of staying compliant with all state and federal laws and set your mind at ease.

True Hire Background Checks. Easy. Fast. Affordable.

Four Employees Use City Credit Cards for Personal Purchases

POSTED: 04/6/12 9:29 AM
CATEGORY: Embezzlement, Fraud, Government, Illegal Activity, Industry News, Theft

All workplaces are at risk for embezzlement, fraud and other forms of illegal activity, and the government is no different.

Four of Warren, Michigan’s employees were suspended for allegedly using city-provided Home Depot credit cards for personal use. The department where the employees worked, Forestry-Park Maintenance, found discrepancies when taking inventory of their equipment. The case was turned over to the police, and search warrants were granted, allowed police to investigate the employees’ property. Tools and other assets were found in their homes, supposedly having been purchased using the Home Depot credit cards.

The case has been turned over to the Macomb County prosecutor.

You can read more here.

Five-Year-Old Identity Theft Victim

POSTED: 04/2/12 9:44 AM
CATEGORY: Background Checks, Fraud, Identity Theft, Industry News, True Hire Services

Identity theft victim, Carter Andrushko with his mother, Jennifer. Credit: Ronald Mortensen

Lidia Aguirre, also known as Lidia Chavez, has been charged with two counts of forgery and three counts of identity fraud. Ms. Aguirre has allegedly used the social security numbers of two children, one of whom is five-year-old Carter Andrushko. Not only has Ms. Aguirre committed fraud, but she’s taken up residence in the US as an illegal immigrant and is currently using a taxpayer-funded interpreter and attorney to defend herself in court.

Identity fraud is committed by the vast majority of illegal aliens working in the United States as they are unable to legally obtain valid Social Security numbers; however, the majority of these crimes is never reported, and those that are reported are routinely ignored by police departments unless a victim actively seeks prosecution. Between 50,000 to 88,000 children like Carter are affected by identity theft in Utah alone.

Make the right choice for your company by routinely checking the backgrounds of every one of your employees. There are a number of companies who can provide full-service background checks, but only a handful go the extra mile by cross-referencing each result for you. True Hire can give you everything your company needs to keep your workplace safe while keeping your company compliant with all state and federal laws. We’ll confirm an applicant’s identity, including his/her name, address, Social Security Number, and AKAs. Avoid fraud and legal ramifications with a simple and affordable background check today.

You can read more about Lidia Aguirre here.