Still waiting on your background Checks
"It was a small error and I feel stupid for it."
This has to be one of the most popular excuses people use in order to back out of a job. We're all guilty of telling this lie from time to time, but there's really no excuse for not checking your background. This post will show you some quick ways you can check the accuracy and legitimacy of any criminal record that may or may not be attached to your name. You'll also get some tips on how you can approach this sensitive topic with confidence and grace in the future.
Official Checks
The first thing that you'll want to do is make sure that the background check company has your correct physical address. If you are using an online service, verify their information on a website dedicated to your state and the service provider. In some cases, this is a completely free process while in other cases you'll have to pay in advance for the service. You will need to provide your driver's license, passport, or state issued ID (regardless of whether it's federal or state ID) and social security number. For credit reports, you may either submit a paper copy from an employer or pay by credit card for the report. This step is not necessarily required as many background check providers can verify your identity without giving out your personal information.
Now that you know you are dealing with a reputable company, you'll want to make sure that the information they have on hand is correct. In some cases, these services provide their clients with the option of doing a self-verification. If this is an available option for you, be sure to take advantage! A simple phone number or email verification can help you rest assured that the information provided is correct and belongs to you. An incorrect name could mean any number of things including someone stealing your identity or an error in the report itself.
The last step is to verify that the criminal record being provided to you is actually yours. In some cases, a different person could have the same name as you with a future date of birth. This is not uncommon and can be fixed by reporting the error with the company itself. On top of this, if you have been reported by someone else or there was a mistake made by the background check company, this could mean that someone else's criminal record is attached to your name. This may be an odd situation for you and for them, but it does happen from time to time and it's important that you know how to take care of these situations in a proper manner.
Independent Checks
If you are not comfortable using a legitimate background check company, you can always request an independent verification of your criminal record from one of the sites listed below. This is also not a guaranteed process, so be sure to do your own research before deciding which service to use. You should also keep in mind that an error could occur at either end. For example, someone may have the wrong year of birth on their report or see a error in the information that was submitted. When it comes down to it, there's no guarantee that what you receive will line up with what is on file and even if it does match, there's no way for you to verify through that company what is valid and what isn't.
At this point, you'll want to do the preliminary research on each website and make sure that they are free of errors. You'll also want to inspect the terms and conditions of each site. For example, if you are going to a social security search, it's important that you know what steps they will need you to take in order to prove your identity and existence. In many cases, clients should read these terms before signing up for any services.
Don't forget that many criminal record searches may only show up certain offenses or incidents as being attached to your name. If you don't want to chance being shown a criminal record without knowing the details, there are often times you can request the reports that they are showing in order for you to look them over more closely. This is something that is not always an option with a regular background check so take advantage of this if it is available to you!
Tip: Avoid catching some of those embarrassing mistakes by doing your own research!
Maintaining Your Privacy
If your criminal record is accurate and your name was used without your permission, these companies have every right to keep the information on file. In most cases, however, this material will be only be available from the background check company. This information may be accessed by the federal and state government if you are convicted of a crime. In some cases, it may also come get put to use by private companies as well. This is especially true when it comes to credit reports which are valuable to potential employers and landlords in the search for a reliable tenant or renter.
In most cases, this is not something that will be collateral damage of having your name attached to someone else's criminal record while some false arrests or overzealous enforcement of laws on the part of the police or law enforcement agencies will only have a limited impact on your life. However, it is important to take precautions against this. If you have a criminal record, make sure that you are doing all that you can to clear your name from the public record. If you are not sure how this could be done, ask around or research it online until you have an idea of what is possible and what is not.
Cautions in the Future
Once you've completed your background check on yourself and found out that it was accurate, go ahead and contact the companies that provide these services asking them to remove your information from their systems. This will not be a simple task but it is something that you will want to complete before taking any further steps. If you don't do this, your criminal record could begin to show up in other places as well.
You'll want to also keep in mind that this is a situation that only occurs if someone else uses your name without permission. If you are in position where someone with the same name has been arrested and their criminal record is accurate, you may want to consider asking the police or another law enforcement agency for information on the correct individual. Once you have confirmation that it is someone else, you can then request that they remove your name from the report or otherwise resolve the issue themselves.
A Final Word
When it comes down to it, you are required to consult with an attorney for any questions regarding your criminal record. Not only is this a good idea for knowing what may or may not be on file, but you'll also want to know about any possible legal action that you can take and what steps to take next in order to clean up your criminal record. For example, if someone else has used your name without your permission, contacting the police and filing a complaint is often required in order for you to move forward with clearing your name of an arrest or conviction.
Conclusion
If you have had your name used without your permission, you should immediately begin looking for signs that you may be attached to someone else's criminal record. This is often very hard to do on your own and it may require legal action in order to get the information that is needed. Before filing a suit or going through this process, it's essential that you verify the accuracy of the report and find out when it occurred. You'll also want to know how far back these records go and whether or not there are any occurrences that occurred before you were even born.