Tracing social security numbers to confirm applicants’ identities and making sure the number matches other identifying information is one of the core aspects of a background check. Here are four facts about social security number (SSN) traces.
1. What They’re For
An SSN Trace is an online search conducted for that SSN number and all information associated with it, such as addresses and names. You can also use this type of trace in conjunction with criminal background checks to ensure any existing criminal charges related to the SSN are accurate in their association with the applicant’s other identifying information.
2. How They Work
You can perform a social security number trace yourself or go through a company that specializes in conducting background checks. The vast majority of background checks, and therefore of social security number traces, are conducted via the internet. You’ll either need to input the information your applicant has given you yourself or provide it to the third-party company conducting the background check to input. Then, the system will compare that information to information parsed from around the internet and see whether or not the data sets match.
3. Why They’re Necessary
People aren’t always honest when they apply for job openings. Sometimes, omissions and lies are done on purpose, while other times, an applicant may have accidentally omitted details or mistakenly used an old address on his or her application, for example. Either way, you need to perform background checks and SSN traces to ensure all information you’ve been given is factually correct. In the event someone has made a mistake, you can check in with them and correct the error. If someone has purposely given you the wrong SSN or didn’t provide you with all of his or her aliases, you can decline to hire him or her.
4. Where the Information Is Located
In the modern world, social security numbers and many other pieces of identifying information are available on the internet. This information is necessary to open and create various accounts and most of those account providers store their information online, with varying levels of security. Background check applications will parse this information to conduct the check.
You should always perform a social security number trace as part of any background check you conduct for a new applicant. You can easily conduct this part of the background check on the internet and compare the social security number you’ve been provided with to the rest of the available applicant information.
