How One Contractor Can Ruin Your Company's Reputation Instantly

At a time when personal security, financial fraud, identity theft, and other crimes are bigger concerns than ever, Crimshield CEO David Pickron says it's unfortunate that so many businesses take a very relaxed approach to verifying potential employees – especially contracting companies who send installers and other personnel into customers’ private homes.

At best, most businesses require instant background checks for new hires, or ask the contracting companies they work with to do the same. If nothing shows up and the person "seems" to be normal enough, then things move forward.

Unfortunately, instant background checks are notoriously unreliable. They frequently miss important data and incidents, and convicted criminals are well aware of the best ways to beat the system and produce false or incomplete results. In other words, the systems most companies are using to screen out thieves, drug addicts, and convicted violent offenders aren't working… and that represents a ticking time bomb for a lot of companies.

Why Instant Background Checks Aren't Worth the Risk

Is the convenience and cost savings of an instant background check really worth the risk? It obviously isn't, especially when you consider that it only takes one person to ruin your company's reputation.

Think about it this way: If your business is hiring criminals, thieves, and addicts – or letting a contractor send them to customers’ homes on your behalf – then what are the odds that you'll never have an incident or problem? And, what could the resulting damage or liability to your business be when the inevitable happens?

It only takes one incident, or one person using your company's name to harm another person, for your organization to end up as front page news. From simple thefts to violent crimes, your business could be held liable for any losses, and will certainly suffer in the court of public opinion.

These risks are especially severe when you consider that the worst offenders are the ones with the most to hide. In other words, the more terrible someone's criminal history is, the greater the lengths they are likely to go to in order to "clean" a standard instant background check.

It Only Takes A Single Bad Hiring Decision to Destroy Your Company

Once a dangerous person does something they shouldn't while "on the clock," it doesn't matter how long you spent building up your company, or your career. It won't matter what sorts of good things you've done, or how the public used to think of you. Do you really want to let one person ruin your business because you aren't concerned enough to keep them out of it?

Call or email Crimshield today to learn about our convenient and affordable programs for contractors, corporations, and organizations of all sizes.

Effective Background Screening Begins With You…

What happens before you run the background check is often the most important element of the screening process. The computer system you are using cannot validate an ID or visually check to see if the individual in question is in fact, who they say they are. For example, when accepting an application for rent, it is so important to authenticate the information provided. Following are some good ideas on how to increase the accuracy of your screening results.

You should always require at least 2 forms of ID.  

Social Security Cards  When Social Security was first implemented in 1936 only those with jobs were issued numbers.  There were 30,000,000 issued the first 2 years.  When credit bureaus started in the mid 1960s  there were still only 250,000,000 people who had cards (at that time you were only issued a card when you were hired at your first job).  In the 1980s people were issued cards with-in a year of their birth.  Now we are at over 500,000,000 cards issued.  Remember that when a person dies the number is not retired (survivor benefits may be attached to a card).  So when credit bureaus were started there were half as many numbers issued as there are now.  Therefore the credit bureaus identify people by name and Social Security number ONLY.  Remember this: if you don’t see and touch the card you could create “identity theft” by entering miss-information.  Make certain the name you enter is spelled exactly like the name on the other ID material and on the application.  Down the sides of a real Social Security card there are pillars which are raised so you can feel them with your finger nails.  This is a security measure provided for you.  Never put an unverified number into a credit reporting system.  Your applicant could be using stolen ID, ID belonging to their child or ID belonging to someone who is deceased. Only you can verify if the Social Security number presented is real.

State issued photo ID (drivers’ license) Once again, take time to verify… is this the person standing in front of you?  Hair color, height, weight etc.  And is the name spelled the same as one the Social Security card and on the application?  Is the address consistent with where they say they are living?  Most important is date of birth.  This must match the application information and MUST be exactly what you give your screening company.  This is extremely vital in order to provide accurate criminal history research.  Municipalities, counties, states and even the federal government keep criminal records by name and date of birth ONLY.  If you get the wrong date of birth the criminal record can be missed.  Note that the state of Arizona requires sex offenders to have 1 year drivers’ license.  This is how they keep track of their residence information which is update yearly.

If you use a screening company that gives you a list of criminals that MAY be your applicant you need to change screening companies immediately! Find a background check company that actually employs licensed private investigators who conduct hands-on, eyes-on criminal history investigations. Only a PI can tell you for sure if your applicant has a criminal history.

Remember… Don’t enter miss information.  ONLY you can verify before you enter information.  Lack of correct data can never get you correct results. Should a crime occur as a result of neglect during the background screening process, you or your company may be liable.

Property Owners Need Good Managers!

Property management is more than a job… it is a philosophy. A unique juxtaposition between the financial duty to the property owner and the safety and well-being of the residents.  Competent managers walk a fine line in their efforts to serve both the owner and the residents.

In the beginning, it is essential to create a clear understanding and define mutual.  The owners’ knowledge, needs and expectations should dictate if the prospective manager of the community is in agreement as to how the community will be run. In essence, their philosophies need to align.
A good owner needs to be concerned about more than the NOI.  A well-managed property is an asset, and conversely, a poorly managed property will decrease in value and become a liability to the owner as well as the entire neighborhood.  Poorly managed properties create an unsafe environment for good residents and become a haven for undesirable residents.

A good rule of thumb in the industry is; “two months of bad management will create two years of bad reputation.”  In other words, if you let a community slip (ie; obvious deferred external maintenance or escalated need of police presence) good potential residents learn to stay away and they let all their friends know too.  This downward spiral is almost impossible to recover from and need never have happen with proper management practices.

An owner needs to know a lot about the manager too.  A good manager is first and foremost a “people person”.  However, not a friend or “buddy” to the residents.  A good manager can be compared to a good nurse.  A very caring person who knows that following the basic rules always benefits everyone concerned in the long run.  The relationship between an owner and manager must be open and honest.  Hidden agendas on the part of either party are a recipe for disaster.  There is always a balancing act between the expense to the owner and the needs at the community.  A manager who is hesitant to tell an owner about an expensive problem may defer a repair to the detriment of the value of the property or resident safety.  The establishment of a “partnership” between an owner and a manager is essential to a safely run profitable property.

A great example of poor decisions costing owners dearly can be seen in the resident screening process. In most situations, the property managers incur the expense of screening potential residents. Many of them tend to use the cheapest online instant screening company they can find and view the screening process as a “necessary evil” of their required due diligence process. Poor screening is the primary reason for sliding profits and declining reputations in most troubled communities. Property managers who are more concerned with saving a few dollars on the screening of rental applicants seem to have no problem passing on massive eviction processing expenses to the owners. On average, owners cover a total expense of approximately $3,000 for each instance of eviction. I wonder what managers would do differently if eviction expenses came out of their pocket?

Leasing, Maintenance, Bookkeeping, Record keeping can all be taught, however, personality and honesty cannot.  Look for the quality and integrity in your choice of a manager or management firm. Everything else can be learned.

Renting to criminals is risky business...

RECIDIVIST - RECIDIVISM

Dictionary definition: A convicted criminal who reoffends
Property Management definition: Mr. Trouble who is looking for a place to rent.

No one would knowingly rent a space to a registered sex offender... right? All of the following notification(s) to your residents by law enforcement would be difficult to explain.  It may be noble for  people to feel that once a “debt to society” has been paid, the offending criminal deserves a second chance. While this may be true in many cases, here are some startling facts...

According to the U.S. Department of Justice a criminal who has done time has the following recidivism rate within the first 3 years.

• Overall - 2/3rds of these convicts will reoffend
• Some examples of the likely offenses
• Auto theft 79%
• Sale of stolen goods 77%
• Burglary/Robbery 74%
• Drugs 67%

Discovering a person’s criminal history and making the decision to deny their rental application should be easy.  However, if you use a database screening program you may receive a report that gives you a list of people with names like your applicant (even the exact name).  The report will state “one of these MAY be your applicant”.  There simply is not enough information in these reports to make the right decision. If you are uncertain if one of those listed in the report is your applicant and you rent to a person who does have a record you may be moving a great deal of trouble into your community. Choosing whether or not to rent to the applicant is like playing Russian Roulette and will likely expose your company to a future lawsuit.

When you use an investigative company like ISC Screening & Consulting you will know for certain that the person you let move into your community does not have a criminal history.  ISC uses licensed private investigators to conduct background checks and will tell you straight up if your applicant has a criminal history.

Some things to consider:

• Criminals don’t buy they rent.
• The safety of your residents and staff should be your primary concern.
• Just as good people bring their friends, bad people bring their friends.
• Once a community starts renting to less-desirables, your bad reputation follows and your brand declines. 
• Your community represents sizable financial investment let us help you protect this investment.

Do You Know the Difference Between a Background Check and a Real Investigation?

Instant background check companies often talk about their services as if they were foolproof ways of spotting criminals, drug addicts, and those with troubled pasts. CrimShield's CEO David Pickron says that the reality, however, is completely different... and industry professionals know it.

The fact of the matter is that there is an enormous gap between what you can get from a traditional instant background check and a true verification from a company like CrimShield. Unfortunately, most people – including business owners, executives, and HR managers – fail to understand the difference.

Here are a few things you should know about what separates one from the other, as highlighted by Pickron and the CrimShield team:

1. A true background investigation has a human element. Normal instant background checks simply look for data stored in a large database. If nothing comes up, or it doesn't match exactly to the search entered, then important information can get lost in the process, and criminals can slip through the cracks.


2. It's the difference between information and analysis. Of course, relying on computerized searches isn't a great strategy when actual criminals are actively working to beat them and you. That's why CrimShield employs trained, licensed private investigators to verify what they see, look for missing information or discrepancies, and ensure that you're getting a real picture of someone's personal and criminal histories.


3. A good background verification system is ongoing. One problem with instant checks is that the information tends to be static. In other words, if a person is convicted of a crime after they start working for you, or with you, you might not ever know. At CrimShield, we encourage our clients to sign up for regular updates, so they can be informed and protected now, as well as in the future.

In other words, the big difference between an instant background check and a CrimShield investigation is common sense. We have access to the same information that other companies do, but we also go deeper and make sure that what we are seeing makes sense. That way, convicted criminals and dangerous individuals can't change a few details (like digits in a Social Security number, or a middle initial on their application) and use the discrepancies or missing data to fool you into thinking they have a clean history.

Do you want to "check a box" on background investigation, or have a true system for keeping thieves and criminals out of your company, home, or school? If you're serious about protecting yourself and those around you, call 1-888-422-2547 or email the CrimShield team today.

Introducing The Crime Free Circle from CrimShield

CrimShield President David Pickron explains the dangers of hiring vendors and contractors to come onto your property. This simple video explains how keep your family safe from would-be criminals coming into your home or business. Honest service companies and contractors are joining Crime Free Circle and making the crime-free commitment in their companies. Other directories are just that, "directories." Who they are is usually more important than what they do.


Before you hire another contractor to come onto your property go to: www.crimefreecircle.com for crime-free certified contractors.

Is Your Background Check System a Ticking Time Bomb?

Every business owner and executive should be paying attention to the changes taking place in the background check industry, because the "instant checks" that most organizations rely on simply aren't good enough anymore.

Crimshield's thorough

background investigation

Internet quick online background checks vs. CrimShield's investigative research

Instant online

background check

Why Instant Background Checks Aren't Working

The reason is shockingly simple: instant background checks rely on computerized data that matches names, address, and Social Security numbers to one another, comparing them to public records and other verifiable data. Unfortunately, even small variations or errors in the records (or in the input of the information) can lead to important details being left out, or for one person to be mistaken for another.

Something as basic as a missing middle initial, or an incorrect spelling on a street name, for example,
can render the background check useless.

The Bigger Problem With Instant Background Checks

Having an incomplete background check is bad enough, but there is actually a bigger issue at hand: because the entire process is automated, criminals can easily find and exploit the holes in the system. In other words, they know how to get around instant background checks, and frequently use simple techniques to hide past convictions and other important details.

That means that, at any given time, there are tens of thousands of convicted felons and dangerous individuals who can quickly and easily pass instant background checks… and apply for work at your company without fear of being discovered.

A Ticking Time Bomb

When companies stop paying attention to who they are hiring – especially for positions that involve direct contact with customers or sensitive financial records – bad things are bound to happen. The problems with instant background checks have been known and documented for some time, but most organizations are playing with fire and hoping for the best.

In fact, it's only a matter of time before something unfortunate happens and the less-than-strenuous checks applied to potential new hires are brought to light. Once that happens, the companies involved could be subjected to lawsuits and negative publicity on a massive scale, since they failed to show the necessary due diligence in their recruiting practices. From there, it's only a matter of time before the public starts to look at other companies, and industries, to see who they can consider "safe" to work with.

A Smarter Way to Handle New Employee Background Checks

At CrimShield, we combine traditional background check technology with personal follow-ups from trained investigators, to ensure that the information you have about potential employees is valid and current. It only takes a moment to speak with one of our representatives and get the details, but it could be a small step that helps you protect your business from enormous legal and public relations problems in the future.

Contractor Background Checks...

Who is coming into our homes and business when we hire service companies to perform work on our property? Don't people have the right to know what kind of person is coming to service their plumbing or air conditioning? What about the landscaper, the pool guy, etc, etc?

There is a solution for businesses... they can have a "real" criminal history investigation performed on every employee and contractor representing their brand. CrimShield Certified contractors and employees are the answer. Watch this short video to learn more about crime-free background credentials.