In the imprecise age of social media, sometimes users go by a handle or simply their first name. In this interesting case, the TikTok user is a California woman named Samantha. Her recent post from last week detailed how a normal background check can reveal shocking discoveries on criminal records.
Samantha’s company had recently merged with a new organization, and post-employment checks were conducted on the entire workforce. Much to her shock, she learned the investigation found three felony charges against her.
The report stated a woman with Samantha’s same name and birthday had felony charges for burglary, identity theft and possession of a controlled substance.
“This is a warning to you guys,” Samantha posted on TikTok. “If you’re going to go apply for a job, especially at a financial firm, know what’s on your freaking background check!”
Luckily for Samantha, her company has exceptional post-employment background screenings, to include an FBI fingerprint check. Her HR team also conducted thorough due diligence, verifying details directly with her and cross-referencing with other sources to ensure accuracy.
Thankfully for Samantha, the felony charges turned out to be a “false positive” that can occur when two people share the same name or other identifying details. The felony charges were soon cleared from her record.
“Don’t be ‘stupid’ like me and be walking around with three counts of felony charges,” said Samantha on TikTok.
There’s a great lesson to be learned here. As we tell our clients at GroupOne Background Screening, before rejecting an applicant based on a background check, provide a copy of the background check; a copy of their rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA); and the name, address and phone number of the background screening company providing the report.
Once the candidate receives this information, keep the lines of communication open. All disputes should be treated in a calm, but serious matter. Eventually, all parties will benefit when employment background checks provide updated and ultimately accurate information.
In Samantha’s case, her record was cleared. TikTok friends commenting on her post stated, “I had a similar situation. We were purchasing a house and found out a family member used my identity to get a car. What a horrible experience.”
Another commenter posted, “For a long time I had two accidents on my record – at a time and in places I’ve never been.”
At GroupOne, every effort is made to ensure our reports are accurate. When a candidate disputes a background check, we are here to work with you and the candidate every step of the way.