For today’s post I’ll be breaking down the most common types of reports that can be included in a background check. If you haven’t had a chance to read my previous posts regarding background check be sure to read them here. I hope this helps clears any confusion you or someone on your team might have regarding background checks!
Background checks and business investigations are conducted using these and other reports:
• Credit report
• Criminal record
• Driving record
• Social Security number check
• Education record
• Employment record
• Sex offender record
• Eviction report
• Rental record
• Address verification record
• Workers’ Compensation claim report
• Professional license check
• Reference check
• Drug testing report
• Civil report
• Tax lien report
• Bankruptcy report
• UCC report
• Business records
• Land records
Classifying the various reports used to conduct background checks is essential. The application of these reports is regulated and restricted by applicable laws such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act. A signed release giving written consent from the consumer is required to obtain restricted records such as credit reports or driving reports. Some reports—eviction records, for example—are considered non-restricted and can be obtained without the written consent of the consumer.
Reports for background checks can be obtained from Consumer Reporting Agencies (CRA). Consumer Reporting Agencies supply their clients’ with consumer/business reports for a fee. Experienced CRAs know how to convert data into usable information. A CRA can extract useful nuggets of data from larger compilations, and they have the ingenuity to take a single piece of data and develop multiple applications for it.
Feel free to let me know if you have any questions or concerns?
xo Yinka
