BACKGROUND CHECKS
THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY
When the company president was a young Army officer, he bought the book The Investigator’s Handbook. A New York City police captain named Carl Vollmer was one of the authors. He was working when Brooklyn still had the Dodgers and Jackie Gleason and Audrey Meadows were filming “The Honeymooners” before a live audience. A condensed version of Captain Vollmer’s advice on what a real background check should look like is here.
1. Full name, verified by birth certificate, driver’s license, and Social Security card.
2. Residence, and whether person owns, rents, or boards. Is it the same as the legal residence?
(Sex offenders, aided by mothers or girlfriends, violate registered residence laws routinely.
Captain Vollmer was ahead of his time. That’s why he was a captain in the biggest city police force in the country.)
3. Nicknames, aliases, legal name changes?
4. Date and place of birth verified by record or affidavit.
5. Present citizenship: by birth, marriage, naturalization, military service? Court where naturalized? Any previous citizenships?
6. Data on passports held from U.S. or any other country.
7. If naturalized, when and how entered, any trips out of U.S. after coming here?
8. Personal description: age, sex, height, weight, hair and eye colors, complexion, build, scars or tattoos or other marks.
9. Marital status. If divorced or separated, the other party in each case, court divorce took place in, any alimony or child support arrangements.
10. Name of each spouse, place of each marriage, his or her address before marriage. If a widow or widower, date, place, and cause of death of spouse. Check death certificate if available.
11. Where was each spouse born, citizenship status, occupation, employer, any military service for U.S. or other country?
12. For each child or any other dependent, name, age, relationship, citizenship, residence, occupation.
13. Similar info on parents, step-parents, or guardians, if applicable. Info must be complete for two parents and/or any guardian.
14. Similar info on any brothers and sisters.
15. Similar info on any father-in-law and mother-in-law.
16. Similar data on any relative who lives abroad, or is married to a foreigner.
17. Similar data on any relative in the military.
18. Education and training of subject, to be verified by each school or institution named. Check school yearbooks. Interview students who knew subject if possible.
19. Subject’s military record. Service dates, rank, date of discharge (if not in military now), places of service, name of commanding officer, any court-martials or disciplinary actions, type of discharge.
20. Employment: Companies worked for, periods of unemployment, proof of any self-employment. Duties at each company, reason for leaving. See a tax return for any claim of self-employment.
(If someone is an attorney or doctor in private practice, or as a consultant, or a business owner, then check the appropriate professional licensing bureau, or the state business name and corporate records bureau – usually part of the Secretary of State office in your state – for confirmation.)
(Companies shouldn’t give out info on employees, past or present. But some do. Also, the subject’s Facebook or LinkedIn page might give companies and “friends” who are or were co-workers. Most of us leave plenty of clues about ourselves on the Net if we use social media.)
21. Obtain five character references.
22. Do a neighborhood check. Ask neighbors about subject.
23. Check on subject for excessive use of alcohol or drug use, criminal record, traffic record, nature and result of any criminal or civil case involving subject. Advise subject minor offenses will not be held against him, but any attempt at concealment will reflect poorly on him.
(Now employers can only ask about convictions. But that doesn’t stop you from checking.)
24. Does subject depend entirely on wages for income? Does he/she have a sideline business, stocks, savings, real estate investments? Who has he/she taken life insurance policies out on?
25. Any bankruptcies (available by checking federal bankruptcy courts where subject has lived)? Any other civil judgments against subject? Did he/she pay them? Does he/she still owe?
26. All domestic or foreign clubs and associations subject is or has been a member of.
(Vollmer alerted employment vetters against asking questions about subject’s religion or political party or labor union ties. It was illegal to do so in his era. However that doesn’t stop you from finding these things out.)
27, Can subject speak or read in any foreign languages?
28. Does subject have any special skills or knowledge that are relevant to why you are checking him/her?
29. Subject’s favorite hobbies and sports.
30. Subject’s attorney, doctor, and clergyman.
Your creativity can lead you to find the information you need on people that can get you close to a real background check that would satisfy the demands of a real pro like Captain Vollmer.
If you’re pressed for time, or need help for other reasons, contact us.
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