5 Things CrimShield CEO David Pickron Wants Every Business Owner and Executive to Know About Instant Background Checks

Do you think your business and customers are protected from violent offenders and problem employees because you use routine "instant" background checks for employees and contractors? Think again. Here are five things CrimShield CEO David Pickron wants you to know about the system you are using:


1. They aren't comprehensive enough. When you submit an instant background check, all you're doing is comparing the information the applicant gave against a set of outdated databases. If everything doesn't match exactly, you might not get the full picture of their personal history. Think of it this way: If you search for a file on your computer without knowing the exact name you saved it under, or the date it was created, your results won’t be perfect. Instant background checks work the same way.

2. Even the FBI doesn't trust them. Although lots of instant background check companies point to the FBI's database as the "gold standard" that they use, the reality is that even federal agents don't trust them. The FBI publicly admits that many records are missing data, and that lots of dangerous criminals and mentally ill individuals are missing from its database altogether.

3. Criminals know how to get around them. Even in cases where public data is available on those with criminal histories, standard background checks are shockingly easy to fool or get around. Because of the "close-match" system that we've already outlined, all an applicant has to do is change a few small details to ensure that their report comes back as "clean."

4. A human element is needed to verify data and fill in gaps. Closing these loopholes isn't something you can do with a simple piece of software and a few dollars. That's why CrimShield uses real-life agents and investigators to look into each applicant and ensure that they are who they say they are. Additionally, we check into gaps in residency, to ensure that potential employees aren't hiding things you should know about.

5. With privacy and safety being front-page news, the stakes couldn't be higher. We feel sure that it's only a matter of time before a high-profile lawsuit will bring the shortcomings of instant background checks to light. Do you really want your customers to find out that you've been employing dangerous criminals, possibly even in their homes, because you didn't go far enough to verify identities and public records?

David Pickron says the facts are clear – "if you are relying on instant background checks to keep criminals and dangerous individuals out of your company, then you are living with a false sense of security." Talk to a member of the CrimShield team today and see how easy it is to start using a common-sense approach to effectively screen applicants who want to work for your business.