Personal Background Check Blog

Jobseekers Rush to Clear Criminal Pasts for Background Checks in Bad Job Market

Tom Ahearn — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:12:00 -0800

An article in The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) – “More Job Seekers Scramble To Erase Their Criminal Past” – reveals that many jobseekers looking for work in a tight job market are rushing to legally clear criminal records that would appear on pre-employment background checks that delve deeply into their sometimes checkered pasts.

According to statistics cited in the WSJ article, millions of American jobseekers fear their criminal pasts will show up on background checks. While over 50% of American men had been arrested in 1967, that figure is now an estimated 60% due to arrests made in connection with domestic violence and illegal drugs, with the annual number of arrests for possession of marijuana more than tripling to 1.8 million from 1980 to 2007, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

At the same time, the WSJ article notes that background checks have become more affordable and commonplace since the September 11 terrorist attacks, and more than 80% of companies performed background checks in 2006 compared with fewer than 50% in 1998, according to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). In addition, the article asserts that background checks can help lessen employer liability from workplace theft – which cost retailers over $15 billion last year according to the National Retail Federation – and workplace violence that costs billions more in legal costs and lost work hours.

In the WSJ article, two men – both veterans – were used as examples of jobseekers with criminal pasts affecting current employment opportunities:

An Air Force veteran was refused temporary employment because a background check by the temp agency turned up a 1986 conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (when threatened, he once pretended a silver brush was a knife). More than 20 years after a "no judgment" finding by the judge and a $60 fine, the man is still fighting to erase the arrest from criminal records and background checks.
A veteran turned jobseeker back from Afghanistan after serving in the Army for 15 months was unable find work with the New York City Police Department because of a 2002 conviction of illegal possession of a gun found on a background check, this despite scoring in the 98th percentile on his civil-service exam. The man is now serving another overseas tour.

With unemployment is currently above 10% and potential employers choosing from the largest talent pool in decades, the WSJ article clearly shows that a growing number of American jobseekers hope to boost their odds in a tough job market with “clean” background checks by clearing their criminal records of minor crimes through legal means, a process known as “expungement” in which official records of minor crimes may be shredded, erased, sealed, or blocked from view.

Along with expungement, jobseekers can make sure that their information on their criminal records is current and accurate by running “personal” background checks on themselves to see what potential employers will see. By purchasing their own background checks, jobseekers take a pro-active step in their search for employment, stand out from the crowded field of applicants, and show potential employers that they have nothing to hide. While most background check companies focus only on employers, MyBackgroundCheck.com – a pioneer in consumer requested and applicant supplied background checks – offers jobseekers the opportunity to perform “personal” background checks on themselves to help them find employment in a tight job market.

To learn how personal background checks help jobseekers find work, visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com, email info@mybackgroundcheck.com, or call 1-800-503-2364. To follow MyBackgroundCheck.com on Twitter, visit www.twitter.com/MyBackgroundChk.

tahearn@mybackgroundcheck.com

“Overzealous” Yankees Fans Throw Personal Data Instead of Confetti during Victory Parade

Tom Ahearn — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:20:00 -0800

A report from ESPN.com reveals that while the New York Yankees were celebrating their record 27th World Series with a victory parade, some "overzealous" fans apparently got carried away and tossed unshreded documents containing sensitive personal data such as Social Security numbers out of windows instead of more traditional confetti.

An auditor attending the victory parade for the 2009 World Series champion Yankees told The New York Post he found unshredded documents containing sensitive personal data – including Social Security numbers, financial information, pay stubs, court files, and balance sheets – in the mountains of shredded paper tossed from skyscrapers by office workers as the baseball players rode through Manhattan.

The founder of one financial firm said his company had reprimanded one “overzealous” employee for throwing records containing personal data out the window that should have been shredded, ESPN.com and the Post reported, and he was just one of several fans who apparently began tossing files containing personal data out windows when they couldn't get their hands on regular confetti.

While one can understand the enthusiasm of the crowd, personal data and the privacy of individuals should be protected at all times by companies to help prevent identity theft and fraud – even during a victory parade.

MyBackgroundCheck.com – a pioneer in consumer requested background checks – helps individuals perform “personal” background checks on themselves to keep the personal data contained in their criminal background checks current, secure, and accurate. For more information on personal background checks help protect personal data, visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com, email info@mybackgroundcheck.com, or call 1-800-503-2364. Follow MyBackgroundCheck.com on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MyBackgroundChk.

tahearn@mybackgroundcheck.com

So-Called “Free” Credit Reports May End Up Costing Consumers Money

Tom Ahearn — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:10:00 -0800

An article in the New York Times, “A Free Credit Score Followed by a Monthly Bill”, points out the simple irony of a website called FreeCreditReport.com – best known for its entertaining television commercials featuring a band consisting of three slacker friends singing songs about ruined credit report scores while waiting tables dressed as pirates or performing at a Renaissance Faire – that may not actually be free and could charge customers $14.95 per month.

According to IMPORTANT INFORMATION on the FreeCreditReport.com website, when consumers order their free credit report they also begin a free trial membership with a credit report monitoring service and will be billed $14.95 every month if they don't cancel the membership within a 7-day trial period. The website also discloses that, “under a new Federal law” (the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, or FACTA, of 2003), consumers have the right to receive a free copy of their credit report once every 12 months from each of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies – Experian (which owns FreeCreditReport.com), Equifax, and TransUnion – and to request their free annual credit reports consumers must go to www.AnnualCreditReport.com.

Even with information about free credit reports available, credit report monitoring services are approaching one billion dollars in sales with nine million people spending between $650 million to $700 million annually, according to the Times article. To end the confusion over free credit reports, the Times reports that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has tried for years to get Experian to follow disclosure requirements for its “free credit report” ads and even asked Experian to give it the FreeCreditReport.com URL, but to no avail. So the FTC created its own site at FreeCreditReport.gov that includes videos spoofing the FreeCreditReport.com commercials.

Most recently, Senator Charles E. Schumer (D - NY), issued a news release asking the FTC to force FreeCreditReport.com and other companies like it to give away the credit report before asking for customers’ credit card numbers to make clear to consumers that the sites intended to charge them for credit report monitoring and not to confirm their identification. The FTC also has proposed new rules to prevent deceptive marketing of so-called “free credit reports” by February 2010, the Times reports.

The bottom line? Consumers should never forget the Latin phrase Caveat emptor (“Let the buyer beware”) when making any kind of purchase. While – according to another old saying – there may be “no such thing as a free lunch,” there apparently is such a thing as a “free credit report” as long as you know where to get it (or remember to cancel your free trial membership in time).

Along with credit reports, consumers should also be aware of the contents of their criminal background checks. While most background check companies focus only on employers, MyBackgroundCheck.com – a pioneer in consumer requested background checks – allows individuals to perform “personal” background checks on themselves that help kept personal information is accurate, current, and secure. For more information on personal background checks, visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com, email info@mybackgroundcheck.com, or call 1-800-503-2364. To follow MyBackgroundCheck.com on Twitter, visit www.twitter.com/MyBackgroundChk.

Could a Mistake on Your Background Check Get You Fired from Your Job?

Tom Ahearn — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:08:00 -0800

An error on a background check may prevent a prospective employee from getting hired for work, but could an error on a background check get an already hired employee fired from a job?

The answer is “Yes” according to an article in the Baltimore Sun that tells the story of a woman in Maryland who was fired from her job after an error on a government background check mistakenly deemed her “unsuitable” for work on a government contract even though she had no criminal record.

According to the Sun, Eschol Amelia “Amy” Studnitz, 59, lost her $58,000 a year accounting job at Corporate Mailing Services (CMS) in July because a background check investigation for the Social Security Administration (SSA) – the government agency CMS had won a contract to handle mail for – was returned as unsuitable for the low-level (Level 1) security clearance needed for all employees at the CMS facility in Arbutus, Maryland.

However, the Sun reports that the SSA wrote a follow-up letter to CMS in August reversing its decision on the background check so that Studnitz could work on the new contract, but Studnitz was not reinstated by her former employer due to reorganizing and supposed performance shortfalls or hired elsewhere in this tough job market. Studnitz has also asked Representative Roscoe Bartlett (R - MD) to look into her case, and Bartlett is also considering legislation to address future similar situations where inaccurate government criminal background checks are the cause of action for loss of jobs for government work, according to the Sun.

With background checks becoming increasingly common, the Sun report on Studnitz’s firing shows the impact that glitches in databases used during the background check process can have on employees, employers, and even the government. While firings based on mistakes in background checks are relatively rare, errors and inaccuracies on background checks do occur and should be avoided at all costs – especially when the cost includes employment. Some jobseekers are literally taking background check investigations into their own hands by ordering “personal” background checks on themselves to make sure their personal information is accurate, current, and secure.

While most background check companies focus only on employers, MyBackgroundCheck.com – a pioneer in consumer requested background checks – offers both jobseekers and current employees the opportunity to perform personal background checks on themselves to protect their personal information. For more information on personal background checks, visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com, email info@mybackgroundcheck.com, or call 1-800-503-2364. To follow MyBackgroundCheck.com on Twitter, visit www.twitter.com/MyBackgroundChk.

tahearn@mybackgroundcheck.com

More Volunteers Screened with Criminal Background Checks to Protect Children

Tom Ahearn — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:58:00 -0800

According to an article in USA TODAY, screening volunteers with criminal background checks has become common in many volunteer organizations, and background checks are seen as an effective way to protect children, the elderly, and the disabled from sex offenders and people with criminal pasts — and protect volunteer organizations from liability over negligent recruiting.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the U.S. Department of Labor's "VOLUNTEERING IN THE UNITED STATES, 2008" report reveals that approximately 61.8 million people (or 26.4 percent of the population) volunteered at least once between September 2007 and September 2008.

If volunteers in America work with children, the elderly, and the disabled, they most likely undergo criminal background checks that look for "red flags" such as drug felonies, domestic violence, child abuse, and sex crimes, USA TODAY reports. Using background checks on volunteers has grown steadily since 1993, when the National Child Protection Act became law and enabled organizations to use criminal background checks to screen out volunteers with criminal records, according to USA TODAY, and some states have enacted their own laws concerning volunteer background checks:

Florida: A 2005 state law requires school districts to run potential volunteers through the sexual predator and offender database.
Minnesota: A 2008 state law made background checks mandatory for volunteers who work with children, the elderly, the disabled, and other vulnerable populations.
Ohio: A 2001 state law encourages youth organizations to require background checks for volunteers.
Oregon: A 2001 state law authorizes the State Police to conduct national background checks on people volunteering to work with children, the elderly and the disabled.

Ensuring the safety and security of members and the community should be a top priority for volunteer organizations, and they need a volunteer background check program in place that meets the specific requirements of for volunteer screening, MyBackgroundCheck.com — a pioneer in the consumer requested and applicant supplied background check industry — has developed a unique and comprehensive Volunteer Tracking System (VTS) for volunteer background checks that tracks volunteer applicants that effectively manages risk, significantly reduces volunteer background check costs, and protects volunteers, volunteer organizations, and the community.

For more information about MyBackgroundCheck.com's Volunteer Tracking System (VTS) for volunteer background checks, visit www.volunteertrackingsystem.com, call 1-800-503-2364, or request information. Take a Volunteer Screening and Risk Management Nonprofit Organization Survey. Follow MyBackgroundCheck.com on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MyBackgroundChk.

tahearn@mybackgroundcheck.com

Identity Thief Allegedly Commits Identity Theft while Awaiting Sentencing for ID Theft

Tom Ahearn — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:16:00 -0800

While many types of identity theft cases have been duly reported on this website, a unique story from New Hampshire tells of an identity thief who allegedly committed identity theft while awaiting sentencing on a conviction for identity theft.

According to SeaCoastOnline.com, Ramie Marston, 40, who was waiting to be sentenced for stealing her nanny's identity to make over $60,000 in fraudulent purchases, allegedly committed identity theft using a businessman's credit card, checks, and debit card to purchas $8,000 in unauthorized goods that included a diamond ring, a puppy, and music downloads.

Marston is also being investigated by police in several areas for a string of alleged identity thefts committed after her guilty pleas in June to three felonies related to identity theft, SeaCoastOnline.com reports. She is scheduled to be sentenced in October.

Identity theft is committed by all types of people. As a result of identity theft cases like this, consumers should be far more wary about protecting their personal information. This particular case shows that some “serial” identity thieves will possibly keep committing identity theft even after prior convictions.

To help protect against identity theft, “personal” background checks – where people perform background checks on themselves – can ensure that personal information is current, accurate, and secure. While many background check firms only service businesses, MyBackgroundCheck.com – a pioneer in consumer requested background checks – offers individuals affordable “personal” background check services. Over one million individuals have purchased background checks through MyBackgroundCheck.com. For more information about personal background checks, visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com, email info@mybackgroundcheck.com, or call 1-800-503-2364. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MyBackgroundChk.

tahearn@mybackgroundcheck.com

BBB Warns Jobseekers about Background Check Scams, Phishing, and Identity Theft

Tom Ahearn — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:30:00 -0800

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning jobseekers to be cautious during their search for employment and to watch out for background check scams, phishing attacks, and identity theft.

According to the BBB, with the national unemployment rate close to 10 percent, and 13 states experiencing unemployment rates in the double-digits, the threat of identity theft, phishing, and background check scams targeting job seekers is rising with unemployment rates because scammers are out to take advantage of the unemployed.

In a press release, the BBB warns jobseekers to beware of three scams in particular that could lead to lost money, missed opportunities, and identity theft.

Job Offers Requiring Upfront Fees: Recently, job ads from a company in Florida claiming it needed 2,500 employees for their new headquarters asked applicants had to submit $24 to pay for a background check, money that was later discovered only went to the company’s owner. Similar schemes are appearing across the country.
Job Placement Companies Making Promises They Can’t Deliver: Job placement companies, or headhunter firms, usually do NOT charge the job seekers but are paid by companies that need help filling positions. However, one Maryland company charged $195 and guaranteed it could find jobseekers work, but the jobseekers didn’t receive call backs, jobs, or refunds.
Phishing Attacks By Fake Businesses To Commit Identity Theft: "Phishing" involves spam e-mails with job offers directing jobseekers to websites designed to solicit financial information for identity theft. The jobseekers may also find out they have been hired and immediately be asked for bank account or Social Security numbers.

In order to avoid identity theft or background check scams, the BBB advises jobseekers to be cautious when responding to unsolicited e-mails from supposed employers, fully research job placement companies, and not pay money to employers up front for services such as background checks without vetting the companies first.

To avoid background check scams and protect against identity theft, jobseekers may also want to perform "personal" background checks on themselves to make sure their personal information is current, accurate, and secure. While many background check firms only service employers, companies like MyBackgroundCheck.com – a pioneer in consumer requested background checks – offers "personal" background checks for individuals to use as jobseekers and consumers to use to protect against identity theft. Over one million individuals have purchased background checks through MyBackgroundCheck.com in the past year.

For more information about how jobseekers can use personal background checks to help prevent identity theft, visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com, email info@mybackgroundcheck.com, call 1-800-503-2364, and follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MyBackgroundChk.

tahearn@mybackgroundcheck.com

Users of Popular Social Networking Sites Facebook and Twitter Warned About Identity Theft

Tom Ahearn — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:16:00 -0800

A story on CNN.com – "Facebook, Twitter users beware: Crooks are a mouse click away" – warns users of Facebook, Twitter, and other popular social networking sites that they could be victims of identity theft if they keep providing personal information to identity thieves.

According to CNN, since 2006 nearly 3,200 account hijacking cases – a type of identity theft – have been reported to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National White Collar Crime Center, and the Bureau of Justice Assistance. In 2008, IC3 received more than 72,000 complaints about Internet identity theft and fraud resulting in financial losses of $264.6 million, up from 2007, an average loss of $931 per person, CNN reported.

Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter are the new frontier in the identity theft battle because of their astounding growth rates. CNN reported that Facebook claimed 300 million users – almost the size of the current U.S. population – while micro-blogging site Twitter grew over 1,300 percent in one year to more than 7 million users.

The FBI and Internet security experts provide Facebook, Twitter, and other social network users with information on how to protect against identity theft scams, including:

Change passwords frequently;
Adjust privacy settings;
Add friends carefully (the average Facebook user has 120 friends);
Click with care, and;
Report compromised accounts.

Protecting personal information should be a top priority to users of social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter if they want to avoid identity theft. In addition to FBI suggestions, "personal" background checks – where individuals perform background checks on themselves – can be helpful in ensuring that personal information is kept safe from identity theft.

MyBackgroundCheck.com – a pioneer in consumer requested background checks – provides “personal” background checks that individuals perform on themselves to ensure that their personal information is current, accurate, and secure from identity theft. Over one million consumers have purchased background checks through MyBackgroundCheck.com.

To learn how personal background checks can help prevent identity theft on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com, email info@mybackgroundcheck.com, or call 1-800-503-2364. Follow MyBackgroundCheck.com on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MyBackgroundChk.

tahearn@mybackgroundcheck.com

Survey Shows Two Out of Three Americans Worry about Identity Theft

Tom Ahearn — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:49:00 -0800

Just in time for the “National Protect Your Identity Week” (PYIW), October 17 to 24, a new survey from Gallup shows two out of three Americans worry about identity theft.

According to Gallup's Crime survey, identity theft is the top-ranked crime concern of Americans, with two-thirds (66 percent) of U.S. adults saying that they worry “frequently” or “occasionally” about being victims of identity theft, the only crime a majority of Americans worry about at least occasionally. More specifically, 31 percent of Americans “worry frequently” about identity theft – the highest level for any crime rated in 2009 – while 35 percent “worry occasionally,” 18 percent “rarely worry,” and 15 percent – the lowest for any crime – “never worry” about it.

Gallup's Crime survey has measured Americans' fear of being victims of specific crimes for decades, with the question being updated annually as trends in crime change. “Terrorism” was added to the list in 2001, while 2009 marks the first year “identity theft” has been included. The survey asked respondents the follow question: “How often do you, yourself, worry about the following things – frequently, occasionally, rarely, or never?” The top five crimes receiving the highest percentage of “worried frequently or occasionally” answers were:

Identity theft (66%);
Having car stolen or broken into (47%);
Home burglarized when you are not there (46%);
Being a victim of terrorism (35%), and;
Home burglarized when you are there (33%).

The survey also found that, while men and women equally worry about identity theft, people making less money were also less likely to say they worry frequently or occasionally about identity theft than those making higher amounts. Almost three-fourths (74 percent) of Americans in households earning more than $75,000 per year worry frequently or occasionally about identity theft, compared to 70 percent of households earning between $30,000 and $75,000 per year and only 54 percent of households earning less than $30,000 per year.

The results of Gallup's Crime survey were based on telephone interviews (on both land-line and cellular phones) with over 1,000 adults, aged 18 and older, conducted October 1-4, 2009. For PYIW, the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) has partnered with the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) to provide consumers with identity theft education.

MyBackgroundCheck.com provides “personal” background checks that individuals perform on themselves to ensure that their personal information is current, accurate, and secure from identity theft. To learn how personal background checks can help prevent identity theft, visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com, email info@mybackgroundcheck.com, or call 1-800-503-2364. Follow MyBackgroundCheck.com on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MyBackgroundChk.

tahearn@mybackgroundcheck.com

WSJ Column Calls Identity Theft a “Fallacy,” Ignores True Stories of Real Victims

Tom Ahearn — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:36:00 -0800

A column in the Wall Street Journal technology section – in which the author states that she hates the term “identity theft” – argues that “identity theft” is nothing more than a “brilliant linguistic construct” and part of “a fear campaign designed to get us to buy expensive services that we don't need.”

The author of “The Fallacy of Identity Theft” also believes the real victims of identity theft and fraud are retailers who have to absorb the “vast majority” of the losses and fees associated with the crimes, and that – behind all of the hype – data shows that the overall trend of identity theft is falling.

While it is true that independent researchers at Javelin Strategy & Research showed fraud fell to $48 billion in 2008 from $58 billion in 2003, figures from the 2009 Identity Fraud Survey Report by Javelin Strategy & Research confirm that the number of identity theft and fraud victims increased 22 percent to reach 9.9 million adults in the United States in 2008.

But numbers don’t tell the real truth about identity theft; true stories about identity theft victims do:

An identity theft victim in Omaha, Nebraska was jailed twice – once for two weeks during Christmas and New Year’s Day, and a second time after calling police to report his home had been robbed – because of an arrest warrant meant for an identity thief using his name.
An identity theft victim in Florida suffered helplessly while an illegal alien committed crimes, ruined credit, and found work while using his name before finally catching the criminal with the help of police (although, unfortunately, happy endings like this are not common).
An identity theft victim in Seattle, Washington struck back after a chance face to face meeting with the thief who stole her identity and then helped bring down an identity theft ring, which prosecutors said would not have happened without the identity theft victim's presence of mind.
An identity theft victim in the Washington, D.C. area – who just happened to be Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke – showed that anyone could be a victim of identity theft. "Identity theft is a serious crime that affects millions of Americans each year," Bernanke later said in a statement.
An identity theft victim in Oregon suffered from identity theft for 35 years – over half of his life – and “spent thousands of hours” over the decades repeatedly trying to clear his name and correct his financial records by writing letters to credit card companies, banks, and government agencies – even appealing to the alleged identity thief’s mother for help.
An identity theft victim in Kentucky discovered how identity theft can turn landing a dream job into a nightmare after learning that another man shared his name, date of birth, and his social security number – and also had an extensive criminal record that showed up during pre-employment background checks when the identity theft victim tried to get a job.

These are just a few of the literally millions of stories about identity theft, and calling the phrase “identity theft” a “fallacy” – or deceptive, misleading, false, unsound, erroneousness – does not help with the stress and uncertainty victims face while clearing their names, or lessen the emotional impact and psychological damage caused by this crime.

Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet contained the line: “What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Identity theft by any other phrase – “person steal,” “self larceny,” “character rob” – would taste just as sour to its victims. What matters is what identity theft is – a terribly personal and invasive crime – not what it is called.

MyBackgroundCheck.com provides “personal” background checks that individuals perform on themselves to ensure that their personal information is current, accurate, and secure. To learn more about personal background checks, visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com, email info@mybackgroundcheck.com, or call 1-800-503-2364. Follow MyBackgroundCheck.com on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MyBackgroundChk.

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tahearn@mybackgroundcheck.com

Identity Theft Victim Jailed Twice Due to False Arrest, Once After Being Robbed

Tom Ahearn — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:25:00 -0800

An article on Lexch.com – the website is based on the local Lexington, Nebraska newspaper, The Lexington Clipper-Herald – tells the story of an identity theft victim who ended up in jail twice for a crime he didn't commit, once after being robbed and calling the police for help.

According to the article, Joe Salazar, 38, of Omaha, Nebraska, recently spent a night in jail after calling the police to report a burglary at his home, and he also spent two weeks in jail – including last Christmas and New Year's Day – after being pulled over for speeding, all because the identity theft victim had an arrest warrant for failing to appear for sentencing in a drug case meant for an identity thief using his name.

Salazar believes the identity theft occurred after the unknown impostor stole his identification, date of birth, and Social Security number after he left his wallet behind at a restaurant years ago, the Clipper Herald reported, adding that a local prosecutor calls the identity theft one of the most extreme examples he has seen, one that has cost Salazar his good name, his time, and his freedom. Even worse than losing his freedom, according to the article, Salazar feared losing his job at a local manufacturing company because his bosses might not believe that he was in jail due to a case of identity theft.

Salazar's case of identity theft, although extreme, is much more common than most would think. According to Javelin Research, almost 10 million people in the U.S. suffered from identity theft and fraud in 2008, a rise of 22 percent from the previous year. With identity theft such a problem, many people have taken the situation into their own hands by ordering “personal” background checks on themselves to see the data contained in their public and private information. MyBackgroundCheck.com – a leading provider of background checks for individual consumers – helps people make sure that the personal information in their background checks is current, accurate, and safe from identity theft.

Over one million consumers have purchased background checks through MyBackgroundCheck.com. For more information on how “personal” background checks can help prevent identity theft, visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com, email info@mybackgroundcheck.com, or call 1-800-503-2364. Follow MyBackgroundCheck.com on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MyBackgroundChk.

tahearn@mybackgroundcheck.com

Research Shows One Out of Five Background Check Disputes May Involve Identity Theft

Tom Ahearn — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:59:00 -0800

False background checks from possible identity theft or misidentification as described by CNN (video here) is a national problem that occurs nearly one out of five times a report is contested, according to research by MyBackgroundCheck.com, a national consumer background check company that has screened over a million consumers for criminal activity.

In a report first aired September 29 (video here), CNN reporter Gerri Willis interviewed a woman who described how her husband's dream job turned into a nightmare because of false information found on his pre-employment background check.

"Unfortunately, the case described in the CNN report is not unusual, and a recent study shows nearly one in five disputed background checks contain false information attributed to identity theft or misidentification" stated Robert Mather, CEO of MyBackgroundCheck.com. "Over one million consumers have purchased background checks through us, many to help in the job seeking process."

The research by MyBackgroundCheck.com focused on consumers that purchased their own background check – or had a background check procured through a prospective employer – and contested the results of the report. The study of disputed background checks revealed that the reasons for the disputes were:

Criminal Identity Theft or not their record -- 21%
Some Criminal records dismissed, others reported correctly (partial dispute/correction) -- 16%
Untruthful applicant; Criminal record was reported correctly -- 16%
Charges were reduced/dismissed or expunged and should not be reported -- 14%
Court error (wrong criminal record was retrieved from files) -- 12%
Record not allowed to be reported by law for employment purposes -- 11%
Other -- 9%

A multitude of State and Federal laws protect job applicants from error and mandate potential employers – as well as the agency that investigated the background check and sold the report – to correct the mistakes at no cost to applicants.

A list of these laws and the potential penalties to employers or background check agencies violating them can be obtained for free by emailing info@mybackgroundcheck.com and requesting the publication "Laws Protecting the Rights of Consumers during the Background Check Process."

MyBackgroundCheck.com offers consumer requested "personal" background checks for consumers to use to keep their public and private information current, secure, and accurate. For more information, visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com, email info@mybackgroundcheck.com, or call 1-800-503-2364. Follow MyBackgroundCheck.com on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MyBackgroundChk.

tahearn@mybackgroundcheck.com

Foiled Kidnapping Plot Shows Importance of Background Checks for Home Help

Tom Ahearn — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:53:00 -0800

A troubling story out of Charlotte, North Carolina shows the importance of background checks for home help – also known as “in-house” services workers – and how performing these background checks on painters, landscapers, builders, and anyone else working in and around one’s home can help protect one’s family.

A report from WCNC News Channel 36 in Charlotte, NC revealed that Ruben Garcia-Rosario, 25, an illegal immigrant, was recently arrested and is accused of plotting to kidnap two area girls from a bus stop for ransom money. Garcia-Rosario had apparently done some painting at the girls’ home nearly a year ago, News Channel 36 reported.

According to News Channel 36, after the girls – aged 7 and 9 – saw a suspicious man in a dark car with tinted windows watching them at their bus stop, they told a parent who was later able to write down the car's license plate number and call police about the incident.

Officials say this incident underscores the importance of protecting yourself with background checks when you hire people and let them into or near your home, News Channel 36 reported, and that people who hire home help should not be afraid to ask for proof of a background check and should look elsewhere if the company or person can't provide it.

Another solution is to have to home help workers perform background checks on themselves with a reputable company that provides “personal” background check services for painters, contractors, landscapers, babysitters, and other in-house workers. MyBackgroundCheck.com – a pioneer in consumer requested background checks – helps individuals screen home help workers through a unique and innovative “applicant supplied” background check system where the jobseeker foots the bill.

For more information on MyBackgroundCheck.com’s Home Help Background Check service, visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com, email info@mybackgroundcheck.com, or call 1-800-503-2364. Follow MyBackgroundCheck.com on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MyBackgroundChk.

tahearn@mybackgroundcheck.com

CNN Report Tells Truth About False Background Checks; MyBackgroundCheck.com May Have Prevented Them

Tom Ahearn — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:09:00 -0800

A recent breaking news video report from CNN’s Gerri Willis shows a woman describing how her husband’s dream job turned into a nightmare because of false information found on his pre-employment background check, a problem that “personal” background check provider MyBackgroundCheck.com may have prevented.

The woman – who asked that her identity be hidden in order to avoid further problems for her husband – told Willis that she was shocked to discover that her husband’s background check revealed two felony convictions – and the job offer was gone, even though the records belonged to another man with the same name and the same birthday as her husband.

According to CNN, the background check report came from ChoicePoint, one of the nation’s largest commercial data brokers that sell personal information obtained from public and private records to employers and law enforcement.

The case described in the CNN report is not unusual, as many background checks contain errors and inaccuracies. Robert Mather, CEO of MyBackgroundCheck.com, a leading provider of “personal” background checks that consumers can perform on themselves to keep their personal information current, claimed that a recent study showed that nearly one in five disputed background checks contained false information.

“Over one million people have purchased background checks through MyBackgroundCheck.com,” said Mather. “We empower individuals take control of their personal information and correct any mistakes before others, including potential employers, see them. We help people take a pro-active approach to the problem of mistakes on background checks, and help them avoid being the victim of identity theft and lost job opportunities.”

“With an account from MyBackgroundCheck.com, jobseekers can make sure no errors or inaccuracies exist in their background checks and find out if they have been victimized by identity theft,” Mather added. “According to recent research, identity theft and fraud increased 22 percent in 2008, affecting nearly ten million Americans.”

In the CNN report, privacy advocate Lillie Coney from the Electronic Privacy Information Center said that most people have no clue what is included in data bases that can include incorrect and outdated information. “Let’s say there was an arrest based on faulty information and it was resolved and there was no conviction,” she explained to Gillis. “They still have that original arrest record that may be in a data based somewhere that is passed along repeatedly to people outside of your knowledge.”

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), who has introduced legislation to make databases more accessible and more secure, told CNN’s Gillis he believes most consumers don’t know how exposed they are. “I want to know what is in my records,” Leahy said. “I want to know how to stop misinformation on records. And today people cannot do that.”

And while the woman in the CNN story says her husband ended up getting the job after ChoicePoint corrected the mistake, she is still concerned: “This will happen again,” she told Willis, especially if her husband ever needs a background check again if he changes jobs. “That record is out there.”

For more information on how consumers – including jobseekers – can use personal background checks to protect their personal information from errors, inaccuracies, and identity theft, please visit http://www.mybackgroundcheck.com/DontBeAVictim.

Follow MyBackgroundCheck.com on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MyBackgroundChk.

tahearn@mybackgroundcheck.com

Illegal Alien Committed Crimes, Ruined Credit & Found Work Using Identity Theft Victim's Name

Tom Ahearn — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:04:00 -0800

Imagine being stopped for a traffic violation in Florida. Now imagine the police officer tells you there is a warrant for your arrest in Pennsylvania. One problem – you have never been to Pennsylvania.

According to a story from the Greeley (CO) Tribune, this imagined scenario was a very real case of identity theft by an illegal alien for Daniel Ortiz, 33, who not only had never been to Pennsylvania but had only been out of Florida once. But the traffic stop was least of Ortiz’s problems with identity theft, for the Tribune also reported:

He received letters from the Internal Revenue Service claiming that he owed additional taxes for income he received from jobs he worked in a number of states that he had never visited;
His credit report showed multiple charges – including medical expenses and missed car payments totaling more than $20,000 – that were never paid for, and;
He applied for a government construction job but was turned down because of his criminal record in Colorado and California, two states he had never visited.

Suspicious that he was a victim of identity theft and that someone was using his identification to find employment, make purchases, and commit crimes, Ortiz – on the advice of a collection agent for a bill that wasn't his – filed a criminal report with the Eustis, Florida Police Department, the Tribune reported.

The investigation found a “Daniel Ortiz” working a construction job in Greeley, Colorado – one who later admitted that his actual name was Jose Carlos Limon, that he purchased Ortiz's personal information years ago, and that he had entered the country illegally and was not a U.S. citizen, the Tribune reported, adding that Limon faces deportation and six felony counts of identity theft and forgery.

While Ortiz’s case had a happy ending, most victims of identity theft never find the person who stole their identity. According to Javelin Research, the number of identity theft victims in the U.S. reached almost 10 million in 2008, an increase of 22 percent over the previous year. Since identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America, citizens should do everything they can to protect their identity.

One such protection against identity theft is for individuals to perform “personal” background checks on themselves to see if – like the unfortunate Mr. Ortiz – they have had someone commit crimes, use credit, or gain employment in their name. While most background check companies focus on employers, MyBackgroundCheck.com is a pioneer in consumer requested background checks that allow individuals to keep a close watch on their personal information and helps them in preventing criminal identity theft.

For more information on how “personal” background checks can help prevent identity theft, please visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com, email info@mybackgroundcheck.com, or call 1-800-503-2364. Follow MyBackgroundCheck.com on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MyBackgroundChk.

tahearn@mybackgroundcheck.com