ESS Keeps
Data Secure,
Screens New Clients

Recently an identity theft ring jeopardized the personal information of at least 35,000 Californians and possibly many more.  By posing as legitimate businesses, the thieves became customers of one of the country’s largest brokers of consumer information.  Once accepted as customers (under some 50 different bogus accounts), the thieves electronically hacked into files that included names, social security numbers, credit information, and other consumer information.

The news of the large-scale incident has naturally caused much activity within state and federal legislatures, professional security associations, and consumer protection and privacy advocacy.  We at Employment Screening Services, Inc. want to reassure our clients that securing our data has long been a top priority.  Furthermore, a key part of our security program involves screening new clients.

One thing that sets ESS a part from companies like the one that fell victim to identity thieves is that we do not maintain and sell information from on-line proprietary databases.  Based on personal data supplied to ESS by a client, we build an individual background report that is physically and electronically protected from everyone except the specific client who requested the report.  Contact ESS for a detailed description of our extensive, certified security assurance program.

Although we strive to build a strong client base, we have always known the importance of first getting to know a new client prior to providing employment screening services.  We do this by first limiting the scope of our services.  Our clients are employers who have certified to us they will only request consumer reports for employment purposes as defined by the Fair Credit Report Act. Beyond FCRA requirements, we require each client requestor to individually certify the same.

As part of the certification process, each new client provides detailed company information, including the federal employer identification number or business license information.  ESS uses this information to establish not only the legitimacy of the business, but also the legitimacy of the names, addresses, phone numbers, and fax numbers through which ESS reports will be returned.   In other words, ESS guards against those who would set-up fake businesses, and those who would fraudulently use legitimate business information to set-up accounts.

Some of the resources we use to confirm the legitimacy of a new client are SEC listings, state corporate listings, EIN verifications, business license verifications, ownership verifications, address and phone verifications, advertising histories, business advisory reports, and other miscellaneous private investigations. 

We will keep you apprised of any changes to consumer laws as a result of the recent incident. The National Association of Professional Background Screeners, of which ESS is a founding member, stands ready to advise lawmakers with Best Practice policies and standards for the employment screening industry.