Completing secure background checks requires more than accurate searches. It also requires protecting sensitive applicant information when order entry mistakes or corrections occur.
When that happens, the obvious question is:
How do I correct the information without putting my personal information at risk?
At CoreScreening, we believe fixing a simple mistake shouldn’t require an applicant to unnecessarily expose sensitive information through ordinary email. Secure background checks should protect applicant information throughout the entire screening process—not just when the original order is placed.
That is why we use secure processes for handling information such as Social Security numbers and driver’s license photo IDs when additional documentation is required.
Why We Don’t Want Applicants Emailing Sensitive Documents
Social Security numbers and government-issued identification documents contain information that deserves additional protection.
The Federal Trade Commission specifically identifies Social Security numbers and other personally identifying information as sensitive data that businesses should safeguard. The FTC recommends limiting access to sensitive information to employees who have a legitimate need for it.
A driver’s license can contain several pieces of identifying information in one place, including a person’s:
- Full legal name
- Date of birth
- Home address
- Driver’s license number
- Photograph
- Signature
That’s why CoreScreening’s approach is simple:
If we need sensitive identifying information to correct or complete a secure background check, we don’t want an applicant simply replying to an email with it attached.
A Real-Life Example: One Wrong Digit in a Social Security Number
Imagine Sarah is completing a background check for a new job.
She enters:
123-45-6789
But while typing quickly, she accidentally transposes two numbers.
The discrepancy is identified while her background check is being processed.
The easy solution would be to email Sarah:
“Please reply with your correct Social Security number.”
But that would put her SSN into an ordinary email conversation and potentially create additional copies through replies and forwarded messages.
Instead, CoreScreening can direct Sarah to a secure method for providing the information needed to resolve the discrepancy.
The difference may seem small to the applicant, but from a privacy standpoint, it matters.
NIST specifically recommends limiting the proliferation and exposure of Social Security numbers during identity-proofing processes whenever possible.
Another Example: We Need to Verify a Driver’s License
Now consider Michael.
Michael is applying for a position that requires a motor vehicle record search. He accidentally enters the wrong driver’s license number during the background check process.
CoreScreening needs a copy of his license to verify the correct information.
Rather than asking Michael to attach a photograph of his driver’s license to an ordinary email, our team can provide a secure document-upload link.
Michael clicks the link, uploads his driver’s license and submits it.
The document goes into a controlled location accessible to authorized personnel rather than traveling back and forth as a standard email attachment.
For example, Microsoft’s secure File Request technology allows a recipient to upload a requested document without giving that person access to the underlying SharePoint folder. The uploader cannot see, download, edit or delete other files in the folder—or even see who else has uploaded documents.
Why This Matters for Employers, Too
Applicant data security isn’t only an applicant concern.
Employers entrust their Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA) with highly sensitive information about candidates and employees. A background screening provider’s security practices therefore become part of the employer’s overall risk environment.
The FTC advises businesses to understand what sensitive information they collect, where it goes, who has access to it and whether those people actually need access.
Consider this scenario:
An HR manager discovers that an applicant entered an incorrect SSN and contacts the background screening company.
CRA A:
The representative asks HR to email the applicant’s Social Security card to a general customer-service inbox.
CRA B:
The representative sends instructions for the information to be submitted through a controlled, secure process with access limited to personnel who need it.
Both companies may ultimately correct the background check.
But the path the sensitive information takes to get there can be very different.
That’s an important distinction when evaluating a background screening provider.
Not Every CRA Handles Corrections the Same Way
Background screening companies may use different technologies, security controls and internal procedures.
That doesn’t mean another CRA is necessarily handling information improperly. It does mean employers should understand how their screening provider handles sensitive information when something falls outside the normal automated process.
Some useful questions to ask your background screening provider include:
“If an applicant enters the wrong Social Security number, how do you collect the corrected information?”
“If you need a driver’s license or Social Security card, do you ask the applicant to email it?”
“Who within your organization can access applicant identification documents?”
“How long are those documents retained?”
“How are sensitive documents disposed of when they’re no longer needed?”
The answers can tell you a great deal about how seriously a provider approaches applicant privacy.
Security Doesn’t Have to Make the Applicant Experience Difficult
There can be a misconception that stronger security means creating more hoops for applicants.
It shouldn’t.
If Jane accidentally enters the wrong driver’s license information, she shouldn’t need to create another complicated account, call several departments or wonder whether sending her license by email is safe.
A good process can be as simple as:
Receive request → Click secure link → Upload document → Done.
Microsoft’s SharePoint File Request feature, for example, is specifically designed so an external person can upload a requested document without needing access to the organization’s document library or seeing other uploaded files.
That gives the applicant a simple experience while allowing the organization to maintain greater control over where sensitive documents are stored.
The CoreScreening Difference: Paying Attention to the Exceptions
Most background checks move through the system without a problem.
It’s the exceptions that often reveal the quality of a screening provider.
An incorrect Social Security number.
A driver’s license typo.
A name discrepancy.
A document that needs verification.
These situations require a human response—and they are precisely when sensitive information can start moving outside the normal background screening workflow if appropriate procedures aren’t in place.
At CoreScreening, our approach is to combine responsive, U.S.-based account support with processes designed to protect sensitive applicant information.
When something needs to be corrected, our goal isn’t simply to get the missing information.
It’s to get the right information, through the right channel, while minimizing unnecessary exposure of an applicant’s secure personal data to provide secure background checks.
Because protecting applicants shouldn’t stop when they click Submit.
Looking at Your Current Background Screening Process?
Ask your current provider what happens when an applicant makes a mistake and needs to submit sensitive information.
If the answer is “just email it to us,” it may be worth asking a few more questions.
Contact CoreScreening to learn more about our secure background screening services, applicant support and approach to protecting sensitive information.
