February 2023

Social Security Number Traces

Most background checks in the United States begin with a Social Security Number Trace. This Newsletter will help you understand what that is and why it’s essential.

What is a Social Security Number Trace?

A Social Security Number (SSN) Trace returns aggregated public records and credit header data. Results can come from utility bills, voting records and other documents that provide an address history based on the subject’s activities.

The primary goal of an SSN Trace is to retrieve records that are associated with the subject of the background check and help verify their identity. Backgrounds Online uses the SSN, full name and Date of Birth to confirm the candidate's Personally Identifiable Information (PII) matches that of the SSN Trace’s results.

What Happens Next?

The records we review following the SSN Trace are sometimes known as pointer data, because they “point” us to the places a person has lived or worked which dictates where to conduct research.

Most Consumer Reporting Agencies (CRAs) are contractually obligated to check for criminal records in jurisdictions that are returned as a result of an SSN Trace. This offers a targeted search scope and high probability of finding records, if any exist.

All in a Name

One of the benefits an SSN Trace provides is helping CRAs find the right individual when a background check is ordered for someone with a common name. We analyze the results of an SSN Trace to confirm that everything matches the PII provided by you or your candidate. This essential step helps ensure the data we acquire is for the person who is being screened.

People sometimes change their names for marriage, religious or personal reasons. When this happens, an individual may have records under two surnames. Thankfully, an SSN Trace often yields different name variants and opting into alias research when placing your order will enable you to see a comprehensive overview of your candidate.

When You Order a Report

Once we have your order and the applicant’s information, we start the SSN Trace. Our proprietary technology flags your order if the SSN Trace results are different than the PII we’ve been provided, which could be the result of a typo or transposition error. If we determine something is incorrect or have questions, a member of our team will reach out to obtain the right details.

Our mission is to offer data that empowers you to make informed decisions and maintain safe workplaces. We take great pride in expediting your hiring process so you can identify and add highly qualified individuals to your team. Thank you for partnering with Backgrounds Online for all your screening needs.

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The team at Backgrounds Online is active and ready to assist you. We are available to create solutions for all your background screening needs Monday through Friday from 6am to 5pm PT.