Since the September 11th bombings the FBI has made some surprising discoveries. Hundreds of terrorist suspects and insurgents that have been rounded up in Afghanistan, Iraq and Africa have criminal records here in the United States. Many of the suspects have multiple felony records including drug, assault and weapons charges. Read more…

The US fares badly when it comes to compliance with the law. Statistics have demonstrated that time and again, with recent ones providing further reiteration. It seems that the more our criminal laws are refined, the more they’re put to the live test. Americans sure love a challenge, right or wrong. Fortunately, we have the means to cope. One of the pillars of that strength is our Police, and the public system to go with it.

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I have been reading and answering questions on forums for quite some time and I guess I didn’t even realize how little people actually knew about background checks. I have been in the business for quite some time so it seems second nature to me. Below are some of the myths that I will try and dispel and I look forward to any questions you may have Read more…

Digg and other social news sites are very popular web services that are used by millions of people. People submit stories and they are voted on by other members, they can also make comments on these stories. Unfortunately if your company is in the public eye some of these stories can be bad PR for your company or even your company leadership. You may even have an internal leak posting stories about your company. So, how do you track down the source of these PR nightmares or determine what employees might be disparaging your company? Short of hiring a computer forensics expert there are some simple ways to track stories about your company Read more…

This started out as a humorous thought when I heard of the bridge being stolen in Bosnia. That’s right, a bridge! It seems that on a seldom used roadway, a crew showed up and just started dismantling a bridge. They looked legitimate, so no one paid any attention. The crooks ended up selling it to a salvage yard! So, naturally my curiosity got the better of me and I had to dig a little deeper. Read more…

Background checks, the phrase brings with it a connotation of mystery. Many people aren’t even aware of what a background check entails. Many people are worried, wrongly I might add, about an invasion of privacy. Why do I, as an employer, get to know about your background? Well, there are many reasons but I would say that the most compelling among them is because I do not want to lose my business! Is it fair to judge someone based on their past performance? In many instances I would say yes! How come I get to pick and choose who works for my company? Because, it is my business! I owe my employees a safe workplace. I owe my family a secure future.

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The vast number of individuals participating in social networking has surpassed the hundred million mark. The appeal of these sites, such as MySpace.com, Facebook.com and others, is the availability of searchable profile data they contain, such as past employment, affiliations, schools, hobbies, interests, pictures, and personal web log entries.<!–more–>

A growing number of employers are searching social networking sites as part of their pre-employment screening process. According to a CareerBuilder.com 2006 survey of over 1,000 hiring managers, 12% used social networking sites to verify information about a job candidate. While many managers found these sites useful in confirming a hiring decision, 63% reported not hiring a candidate based on what they found.

The implication is a hotly debated issue among hiring managers, especially when it comes to information found on these personal sites not posted there by the candidate. Examples being: comments posted from teens venting their frustration about a parent or from a disgruntled co-worker with an ax to grind. Although there is no body of case law concerning the regulations and use of content from social networking sites, when placed in the context of FCRA compliance, hiring managers are required to use reliable and verifiable methods and data sources. Because content on social network sites is public, many hiring managers argue that these sites fall within the guidelines, especially when the site is created and managed by the applicant. The argument becomes critical when it comes to protecting an organization from negligent hiring suits. Due diligence requirements almost make it impossible to ignore information found on a job applicants’ social network site. The question becomes, should that information be accessed at all?

In the upcoming years, the debate over the uses of social networking sites in pre-employment screening will define if they have a place in the hiring process. The critical issue for many organizations now is how to use data found on social sites. Key findings from the CareerBuilder.com survey offered these tips in evaluating a candidate based on their social network site:

1. Does the candidate’s background/profile information support the professional qualifications submitted with the application/resume?
2. Is the candidate well rounded? Shows a wide range of interest?
3. Do the candidate’s posts demonstrate great communications skills?
4. Does the candidate’s site convey a professional image?
5. Does the candidate’s personality fit the organization?
6. Have others posted recommendations and positive appraisal of the candidate?

Warning signs include the following:

1. Is the candidate linked to criminal behavior?
2. Has the candidate posted negative comments about previous employers or co-workers?
3. Has the candidate posted information about drug and/or alcohol use?
4. Has the candidate posted confidential information from a previous employer?

Ultimately, searching social network sites as part of a screening process should just be one of the many tools an organizations uses. As with simple background checks, you will find that not all relevant information is accessible. It remains to be seen if social networking sites will garner enough support to become viable tools in the pre-employment screening industry.

A due diligence check is an excellent tool to use before entering into a business relationship with another individual or business.  A due diligence check is a comprehensive check used most often for verifying the qualifications of an executive or a company with whom you are considering entering into a business relationship or agreement with.  Due diligence checks can also be used for medical personnel, pilots, teachers, engineers and other professional who require professional credentials or licensing in order to perform their job.  Without the proper professional licensing, an individual or business is not qualified to participate in the transaction or do business.  Before entering into any business transaction or any other business relationship, it is essential to protect yourself from fraud by conducting a thorough due diligence check of all involved parties.

Utilizing a due diligence search is the most efficient, convenient and effective way to prevent business to business fraud.  One of the leading causes of business to business fraud is doing business with someone who is not who they say they are.  This risk can easily be reduced by making a due diligence check a regular part of your pre-employment and pre-contractual repertoire.  A typical due diligence check involves surveying data from numerous federal and state databases and regulators pertaining to professional licensing and registration.  Further, a due diligence check will also provide a comprehensive background check, including a multiple jurisdiction and federal criminal background search, civil litigation search, search of property and business ownership, and personal and professional reference verifications.  The result is that you will have a comprehensive understanding of the individual or business’ background before entering into a relationship or transaction with them.  This information will give you the confidence you need to make sound business and hiring decisions. 

Performing a due diligence check is both simple and efficient.  One of the most convenient ways to run a due diligence check is to utilize the services of a professional background check company.  By using a professional background check company, you will have access to their due diligence search engine and the multiple databases it is capable of searching.  Prior to agreeing to a business relationship, you simply log onto the professional background check website or other computer program and enter such identity verification information as the individual’s name, Social Security number, address, date of birth, drivers’ license and telephone number.  To perform a due diligence check of another business, simply enter the company’s name, tax identification number, address and telephone number.  Once this information is entered, the due diligence check will automatically search the relevant databases, comparing the entered information with the data found in the databases.  The results will show you whether there are any discrepancies with the individual or business that may prevent you from wanting to conduct business with them.  If the due diligence check returns any information that calls into questions the individual or business’ qualifications, credentials or honesty, then you should think twice about doing business with them or risk being a victim of fraud.

What would you do if an employee made a comment like this one? “I started to grab her by the throat and choke her, until the top part of her head popped off.Then I was going to step on her throat and pluck her bozo hairdo bald. Strand by strand….”

Believe it or not this was from a real threat assesment performed by the FBI in response to a problem employee. Take a look at the provided PDF file called Workplace Violence Issues in Response.

If you are involved in a financial-related business, it is essential that you protect your business’ financial well-being by hiring qualified and trustworthy employees.  An applicant’s personal credit and financial history can help tell you a great deal about whether or not the applicant is qualified for the job.  A pre-employment credit check allows you to access this financial information and make an informed hiring decision.

Knowing a potential hire’s personal credit history can provide you with valuable information about the individual’s financial status.  For instance, by performing a pre-employment credit check you can learn about the applicant’s financial habits, which provide a valuable prediction of what their financial habits will be as an employee.  If an individual has a poor personal credit history, they will more likely than not be financially responsible as an employee.  Essentially, a pre-employment credit check will give you access to information pertaining to an applicant’s ability to meet financial obligations and what type of financial pressure they are personally under.  Using a pre-employment credit check gives you a clear picture of how the individual applicant handles their own personal funds and thus provides you with a reflection of how the are likely to handle your company’s financial responsibilities and needs.  All of this information is invaluable to making the right decision on whom to hire.�
A pre-employment credit check is conducted by a professional credit check company.  To conduct a pre-employment credit check, you simply enter such information as the applicant’s full name, address, date of birth and social security number into the credit check company’s credit check search engine.  Most pre-employment credit checks are now conducted via an online program.  Once entered, the pre-employment credit check will survey numerous databases contained by various credit information companies and is done in accordance to the Fair Credit Reporting Act’s various rules and regulations.  Once the pre-employment credit check is complete, you will be provided a list of both current and previous credit accounts held by the applicant, including a complete payment history and current status for each account.  Further, the pre-employment credit check will provide you with information pertaining to any credit-related legal actions (both pending and closed), bankruptcies, and any other noteworthy credit-related activities.

By conducting a pre-employment credit check, you will have access to invaluable financial information about an applicant that can be used to predict what type of employee they will be if hired.  This information is of particular importance to any business involved in banking or other financial endeavors.  If a pre-employment credit check shows the job applicant has a history of being unable to manage their own personal finances, chances are they will not be able to manage the finances of your business.  Instead of finding this out after the fact, a pre-employment credit check acts as a preemptive screening tool that can effectively sift out potential problems before they are even given the change to become a problem.