A Social Security Number (SSN) trace is considered the backbone of any background screening package. All other components during the screening process hinge on the identity of your applicant, and an SSN trace validates that we’re utilizing the correct name and date of birth when searching for county criminal records, motor vehicle records, financial data, or even previous education and employment verification.
Often, SSN trace results will return information that does not match the applicant exactly. Since the source of this database relies primarily on credit bureau data, it’s not uncommon to see spouses or family members in the results. Although an SSN trace provides us insight into which counties the applicant has resided, it’s possible that your candidate may have committed a crime outside of these areas. We recommend supplementing the report with a nationwide Criminal Background Check to uncover potential crimes beyond the counties of residence. Because this information is primarily based on credit bureau data, we may be unable to verify younger applicants without a credit history.
