10Jun

Lack of a Background Check Leads to Embarrassment for College

Categories: Background Check & Due Diligence
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by Syed Faiez Hussain

A former college instructor was recently arrested in Maryland following a fraud investigation of his falsified degrees, military experience and other personal details, according to TBD.com. Bill Hillar had been teaching, leading workshops, giving speeches and conducting training for at least a decade based on his fabricated biography.

Hillar instructed at Middlebury College on drug trafficking, human trafficking and other college summer classes to hundreds of students. An investigation was launched when student veterans who were taking Hillar’s class challenged his credentials as a retired U.S. Army Special Forces colonel and holder of a doctorate, saying he did not exhibit the mannerisms of a high-ranking army officer.

When Middlebury tried to verify his credentials, they found he did not have the Ph.D. he claimed and his military experience was substantially exaggerated. In reality, he’d served for eight years as an enlisted sailor in the Coast Guard, but did not serve in any of the locations or hold the ranks or conduct any of the duties he claimed.

A college official told the FBI she’d hired Hillar based on his resume and website biography and that a background check hadn’t been conducted since Hillar was not a formal employee.

Middlebury’s mistake is a very common one made not only by higher education institutions, but by a wide range of organizations as well – not conducting a background check on contingent workers.

Even organizations that have an extensive background checking program in place often can miss this major security gap and neglect to screen consultants, contractors, partner and vendor employees, and temporary workers. This workforce, however, can represent considerable risks for organizations – as they can serve in highly responsible positions, and have access to personnel, facilities and sensitive data.

It’s a best practice to ensure that the background screening policies cover contingent workers, to avoid both security and business liabilities. By performing a background check including education and employment verification on Hillar, this incident likely would have been prevented.
Organizations should implement the same background screening procedures and requirements for the entire workforce, including contractors, consultants and vendor employees. Background screening requirements should be explicitly laid out in contracts, conducted and enforced through regular audits.

Source: Hire Right


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10Jun

Screening Employees To Avoid Workplace Violence

Categories: Background Check & Due Diligence
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by Syed Faiez Hussain

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an average of 564 work-related homicides occurred each year in the United States from 2004 to 2008. While maintaining a safe workplace is the primary goal of any workplace safety program, many companies – both small and large – fail to engage in a comprehensive background-screening program for employees and contractors. Why is background screening so important in screening out potential work-related violence? And why should current employees and contractors be screened annually?

Workplace violence prevention can include many strategies and tactics. Developing and implementing a workplace violence prevention plan is essential. Ongoing reviews, training and drills are needed to ensure that the plan lives, and is effective. Procedures and hotlines can be established for employees who need assistance, or for those who recognize the warning signs of workplace violence from a co-worker.

Many organizations also institute highly effective awareness campaigns that include workplace speakers and seminars. Workplace violence also is taken into consideration when developing security policies and access control methods.

The Eye of the Storm

While all of these steps are highly recommended, another critical strategy is to review what is at the center of every workplace violence situation: employees. Whether the assailant or the victim, an employee is involved in every instance of workplace violence. Companies that care about the environment in which people are working must strive to ensure that everyone who interacts with the work force has a violence-free history. The best prognosticator of future violence is a review of the past.

People who have histories of domestic abuse, assault and battery, or drug and alcohol abuse, often demonstrate anger management and personal control problems, which may be red flags for employers.

Background checks can identify applicants and employees who have demonstrated unacceptable workplace behavior. The background check can include county criminal record and national criminal file searches, drug testing, prior employment and education verification, license verifications and other investigations that can reveal potential warning signs.

When people know that a company stands behind comprehensive background screening, they know that the company cares about their welfare. Applicants who have dubious backgrounds that include reckless acts may self-select out of the interviewing process. Applicants and existing employees with clean backgrounds typically are not bothered by the screening process as they appreciate the organization’s commitment to a safe workplace.

Know Whom is on Your Premises

To fully secure a facility, employers must know exactly who is on the premises. Whether you are a property manager, HR representative or business leader, it is important to understand that a secure workplace means screening not just employees, but also contractors, vendors and temporary staff. These individuals can run the gamut from regular faces your employees know well, to the contractor who visits only once.

Regardless of your level of familiarity with these vendors or temporary employees, the need for thorough background screening is the same. To promote a greater level of safety and security for employees and customers, it is vital to conduct regular screening of the extended work force that may include service and repair professionals, construction workers, food service workers – virtually any non-employee that is interacting with your personnel and customers.

I worked in the staffing business for over a decade, and found that companies always are looking for speed in the hiring and on-boarding process. Comprehensive background screening can take up to a week to complete, which can exasperate some hiring managers. However, a company that fails to rigorously screen applicants or repeat screening for current employees and contractors may face much larger issues than a few days delay in on-boarding a new hire. Workplace violence, employee theft, fraud and a host of other issues can arise when hiring an employee who has not been properly screened. This may make an organization vulnerable to employee injury or death, unsafe working conditions, brand and reputation damage and lawsuits for negligent hiring.

Additionally, it is critical to re-screen employees – and contractors – each year. Employees who keep their personal lives private may be involved in activities that negatively could impact your workplace. For example, an employee who joined the company with a clean record 5 years ago may have been involved in domestic disputes over the past few years. This new information is crucial for an employer as domestic disputes sometimes travel into the workplace. The same applies for contractors.

Violence-Free Culture

Requiring employees and contractors to complete initial and annual background screening is a common practice. When communicated properly, and presented as part of your comprehensive effort to maintain a violence-free workplace, everyone involved will better understand the need. Employees will appreciate your dedication to creating a corporate culture and daily working environment that is focused on safety and security.

Background screening also can become the marker for when employees and contractors should be reminded of other elements of your workplace violence prevention efforts. Information to promote awareness and reminders to participate in company-sponsored training can be distributed when background checks are initiated.

There are many stressors in the workplace today. Employees and contractors are juggling large workloads, demanding deadlines and a rocky economy. People want to know that the colleagues they pass in the hall, the contractor who fixes their copier and the cleaning crew who tidies up the workspace have been vetted by their employer as best as is legally possible. Background screening may not weed out every potential workplace violence situation, but it is the gold standard of what companies can and must do.

Source: EHS Today

 

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8Jun

Russian Background Checks and the Social Network Scam

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When talking about online dating scams, Russia and the Ukraine often come to mind. For the past five years or so, they’ve been among the leading countries in the world for this type of internet crime. It is precisely the bad reputation that has forced many scammers to search for new ways to con people online. As consumers become aware of scam risk, criminals quickly evolve their tactics.

Con artists have taken the fast lane of the internet and have essentially stopped using emails to target their victims. The new trend is to target victims on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook as posts have proven to be more effective than spam mail, and easier than targeting victims on internet dating websites. The fact is, anyone using a social networking site such as Facebook or MySpace, or online dating site like Match.com or eHarmony is facing increased risk for fraud and scams. Experts advise never to reveal any personal information to anyone unknown who has not been verified, and when in doubt, consult a professional private investigator for an international background check. If your partner or new friend is based in Russia or the Ukraine, a Russia background check is advised.

Scam types are varied and can come in many forms, but criminals are smart to work slowly. Their objective is to gain your trust, and then your money or your personal information, which can be used to steal your identity and/or money. Posters on social networking sites can claim to be normal people, doctors or lawyers, investors, etc. Scams can involve inheritances, romance, assistance with visas or passports, money for airfare, precious metals and gold, and countless others. The story ends with the victim having lost precious information or money, and the criminal long gone into cyberspace.

 

Criminals tend to operate from internet cafes in and around Kiev, Ukraine and Moscow, Russia, where tracking down and identifying criminals can be difficult. Muslim terrorist Osama Bin Laden himself used a courier to send his messages from different cyber cafes and was able to avoid the detection from the CIA, under direction of the Barack Hussein Obama Administration. If terrorists are avoiding detection and capture by using random internet cafes, one can understand how difficult it might be to locate an unknown criminal in Russia, the Ukraine, the U.K., the Philippines, Ghana, South Africa or Nigeria.

Social networks are not the only hunting ground, although it is one of the main risk areas, along with online dating. Youtube and Flikr are getting trendier for internet criminals to get victims by adding appealing content that is hard to ignore, like “the pictures you didn’t see of William and Kate”. People click on the link and open their computers up to virus and other malware, which the scammer can use in his approach to communicate with the subject, and eventually steal their information and money.

Because of the high risk, law enforcement agencies such as the FBI and Interpol strongly advise to never reveal your personal information over the internet to someone you’ve never met. And, be cautious about publishing personal details on sites such as Facebook or Twitter or Myspace, or Match.com, even if your profile is believed to be private. Small businesses alone lose billions of dollars worldwide each month from scams like this. The losses from individuals is difficult to estimate, as many victims let their crimes go unreported. For cases and new contacts in Russia or the Ukraine, stay skeptical and guard your personal information. To be safe, contact a Russia private investigator for assistance.

All the best,

S. Birch.
© 2011 S. Birch

Mr. Birch is a graduate from the University of Pennsylvania and has over 20 years of experience in private investigation services and surveillance. Mr. Birch has served as an advisor for international private investigators including Wymoo International and maintains his own private investigation blog.  He has directed investigations in over 25 countries and is widely considered an expert.
Article from articlesbase.com

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8Jun

Screening The Screeners: Airport arrests raise security questions

Categories: Background Check & Due Diligence
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By Douglas Quan, Postmedia News

They’re entrusted with keeping travellers safe in the skies.

But the recent arrest of two Vancouver International Airport security screeners for conspiring to export drugs has once again raised the question: Who’s screening the screeners at Canada’s major airports?

Sen. Colin Kenny, former chair of the Senate Committee on National Security and Defence, said the infiltration of organized crime in Canada’s airports is pervasive, but background checks of airport workers and the screen-ing of employees when they enter or leave restricted areas are woefully inadequate.

“The government knows all these problems. The government has not taken action on any of these problems,” Kenny said in an interview.

Late last month, police announced they had arrested a man at the Vancouver airport for attempting to carry a backpack full of ecstasy -nearly 15 kilograms worth -onto a plane bound for Los Angeles.

It is alleged that the man did not have the backpack on him while he went through security screening, but somehow acquired it after he was cleared.

Canada Border Services Agency officers intercepted the man at the departure gate as he waited to board the plane. A spokeswoman declined to say how authorities were tipped off.

The investigation led to the arrests of two uniformed, preboard screening officers employed at the airport. One was a supervisor. The other was a frontline worker.

One of the two had a recent conviction for credit card fraud and was on probation.

Their employer, Aeroguard Group, said the two men have since been suspended without pay.

Kenny said background checks of airport employees who work in restricted areas need to be more rigorous.

Right now, checks happen every five years, and, according to Kenny, consist merely of typing in a person’s name into a database and seeing if something bounces back. Kenny said the checks should happen at least every three years and should be more probing for associations with criminal groups.

Kenny also said airport employees should be screened for contraband every time they enter or exit a restricted area. This is the practice in Britain.

In Canada, such screening is random and, according to Kenny, occurs only one to two per cent of the time. “They could be bringing drugs, bombs or guns,” he said.

Transport Canada is the agency responsible for setting up regulations and policy for aviation security in Canada.

In an e-mail, Transport Canada spokeswoman Melanie Quesnel said background checks on employees working in restricted zones at airports are similar to checks performed on federal employees with secret-level clearances -and those are valid for 10 years.

Under a 2009 agreement with the RCMP, those checks were expanded, enabling Transport Canada to “base security clearance decisions on more complete data from a broader range of intelligence sources.”

Citing security reasons, Quesnel declined to say how often airport workers are screened for contraband when they enter restricted areas. She did not say why they’re done only on a random basis.

Transport Canada said it does not keep statistics on airport employees charged with on-the-job criminal violations. If the agency obtains information that a worker poses a transportation security risk, “the department responds immediately to refuse, suspend or revoke the clearance of the individual in question,” said Maryse Durette, another Transport Canada spokeswoman.

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7Jun

The Dangers To U.S. & Worldwide Employers From ‘Ban The Box’ Legislation

Categories: Background Check & Due Diligence
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To prevent job applicants with criminal records from automatic hiring rejection, cities and states are considering and already adopting so-called “Ban the Box” laws and ordinances. Among the states that have adopted such a law are Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and New Mexico, and the cities of Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago and Philadelphia. Among the states mulling such legislation are Rhode Island and Nebraska, and the city of Pittsburgh.

This Alert lauds the policy considerations behind “Ban the Box” type of legislation, but points out how it can unintentionally create impossible-hiring decisions and pose huge legal risks for employers.

To read more click here:

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3Jun

Fake Resume Guide

Categories: Background Check & Due Diligence
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The all new and updated Fake Resume Guide: The Machiavellian Guide to Getting the Job is ready to download now! Click here and get it now

Some of topics covered in the new guide:

  • How common are background checks now and how to beat them
  • The main reason good liars get job offers and honest people don’t!
  • What to do if the job you’re applying for requires your past W-2’s
  • The 6 dumb mistakes people make when lying on their resume
  • How to rig your resume so it gets picked by the new automated Human Resources systems
  • Why you should lie on your resume but NOT on a job application (hint: it’s a legal reason)
  • Why you can’t afford not to lie on your resume

To read more go to http://www.fakeresume.com/

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26May

Do it Yourself – Run Your Own Employment Check Before Applying for a Job!

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Posted by Khurram Zahid

“In today’s tight job market and in the era of rampant identity theft, it’s important to stack the odds in your favor and stand out from the crowd.”

All knows that these days most employers conduct background employment checks on their prospective and potential hires, often times, the results of these checks are find determinant on whether you get the job or not.

Well, in today’s economic environment, firms cannot afford to be side-tracked by employee problems such as workplace violence, theft, false resumes, embezzlement, lawsuits for negligent hiring, harassment, or trumped-up inquiry claims. The truth is that employers are very strict and conscious about making hiring decisions; they are not taking risks at all. They are running comprehensive employment checks on their employees to pick out the wrong ones on initial stages.

So, as the scarcity of employment persists with the double dip recession in past few years, we really need to assure ourselves that we get the best out of every employment opportunity we get around.

“A 2004 study by the U.S Public Interest Research Group found that 79% of consumer –credit reports contained at least one mistake”.

By taking the above example we can easily understand that minor discrepancies in our credit histories, educational documents, criminal records and in past employment records can cost us a job. So, It may be a very good idea for you to run an employment background check on yourself to make your job application secure!

It sounds a bit odd, but it’s possible to run an employment check on you. There are four essential pre employment background checks that you can run on yourself are as follows:

  • Education background checks
  • Credit History Checks
  • Criminal background checks
  • Social Security Number Trace


How to Do Education background Checks to Survive Strict Credentialing:

There are some important things which employers really want to look in is your authentic education background and credentials. Your university/college accreditations, Your study tenure (dates), Sometimes your grades are being verified

  • When verifying your college degree, the first place you want to look is The National Student Clearinghouse. They run the automated database that provides degree verification.
  • Typically, colleges and universities provide education verification over the telephone. Very few require signed released or verify on by mail. You can contact your institution administration office or the registrar office to confirm the accreditation of university/college with accreditation authorities. Then you can double check your admission and passing out dates.
  • If your institution cannot find your degree or the name on degree is changed to your current name, (an unusual situation, but it might happen), you have to take care of the problem. You will probably need to fax the school a copy of your diploma or any other documentation you have.

How to Run Credit History Checks on Yourself:

Credit histories are very essential in background employment checks and the employers are keen to know about your past credit endeavors to understand about your future in their organization. So it’s better to run a credit history check on yourself by adopting these five precautions to detect minor mistakes which can cost you a job.

Be aware of what is on your credit report, especially if you think a prospective employer might check it. That way, if there are inaccuracies on the report, you can take steps to correct them.

  • Contact your bank and ask them for your credit report.
  • If you find any mistake or discrepancy, point out and correct it right away.
  • Make your bank to certify you for clean credit history.

After these 3 steps to resurrection, you can notify your prospective employer of the inaccuracies and of the steps you have taken to correct them. Correction of inaccuracies on your credit report is something that may take time, but it’s worth-ed to secure a job.


Criminal Background Checks as Employment Checks:

Employers want to know about your background, and you can be assured that they will check to see if you have a criminal history.

  • Criminal conviction records can be invaluable source of information. For the most part, these records are public and available to anyone. In most instances these records can be obtained from the country criminal court clerk’s office.
  • Convictions for minor infractions to major felonies can be found there. Files include full details of the case and ultimate disposition. Statewide criminal record databases can also be helpful in criminal records search.
  • Criminal background checks be best searched by hand at the county/states level, with full names, date of birth, should be used as much as possible to confirm a positive identification.


Social Security Number Trace

An applicant’s social security number is used throughout the pre-employment screening process, so it is important to verify that the number is valid.

Checking your validity of the number accomplishes several things:

  • It confirms that the number belongs to you and it provides a list of current and previous addresses, as well as other names used.
  • Make sure each numeral is clearly written so no one has to try and decipher your handwriting.
  • If you had reason to change your SSN, provide both numbers and add a brief note explaining why you had to change your number. Also, indicate when you started using the newer SSN.
  • This verification also provides other last names associated with the SSN and a list of previous addresses.


Concluding Remarks:

There are many different things that need to come together when you’re searching for a new job. You need a professional-looking resume, strong interviewing skills, and a can-do attitude. These things will get you in the door and help you make the final cut.

But you have to get through the background check to get the job. Offers aren’t made to people when there background checks are red flagged.

Preparing yourself for a background check is one of the best things that you can do to help your job search efforts.

Not everyone knows what happens during a pre-employment screening. In fact, most people know very little about it. They go into a background check blissfully unaware of the possible pitfalls that might occur.

Consider hiring a background check company or try to check your background online with authentic sources and public record portals, they are extremely helpful and can easily detect you out of everywhere; they are reliable, cost effective and time saving.

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22May

Labor and Employment: Can An Inexpensive Background Check Prevent Tragedy?

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Can employers face liability for failing to conduct pre-employment background checks? What background information may employers consider? Should a 20-year-old homicide conviction preclude someone from driving a bus? These are some of the questions arising in the wake of a recent tragic bus accident involving a driver with a criminal record.

Based on this tragic story, employers are reminded to determine if their employee-screening strategy is both legal and adequate. Inadequate precautions may lead to disaster (and, obviously, claims by customers, employees, and others). Failing to follow federal and state rules on background screenings may lead to civil rights charges or claims under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) by rejected applicants. Below are some of the major issues involved in developing an appropriate strategy. But first, a consideration of the facts of the recent tragedy reveals some practical challenges and potential consequences.

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22May

First Advantage Report Highlights Employers Remain at Risk for Employment Applicant Discrepancies in the U.S. and Asia Pacific

Categories: Background Check & Due Diligence
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First Advantage Corporation, a global risk mitigation and business solutions provider, today announced the release of its Global Screening Benchmark Report. The report provides employers with an overview of the employment screening results for Q3-Q4 2009 and Q3-Q4 2010 for many of the world’s top employers and helps them evaluate their employment screening programs. The report is based on a subset of checks conducted by First Advantage for their clients.

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