Reasons You Should Conduct an SSN Trace When Running Background Checks

Conducting a social security number trace is a lot more in-depth than simply running a search in a database. However, it is often used as a gateway to get more information on people that you are running background checks on. Here are a few of the best reasons you should conduct one of these traces when checking someone’s background.

Reveal Name Changes

The best part about an SSN verification is that it gives you all the names that a person has used. Since close to 50,000 people change their name in the US alone each year, this is essential information. In addition, you can use a trace to discover maiden names or if someone changed their name to hide their past. Aside from knowing more about someone’s past, this is great because it can make it easier to verify someone’s credentials.

Generate Complete Address History and Any Gaps

Sometimes, people may intentionally or unintentionally leave out addresses. Conducting a trace can help you get a complete address history for someone. That means you have more information than if you were to rely on what someone tells you. Knowing this information is essential for searching through the proper databases. Without it, you could have gaps in someone’s background.

Determine Criminal Record Searches

The information you get from an SSN trace can help decide which criminal record searches you should run. After all, it can serve as an indicator of where you should start your search for more information. Additionally, these traces can generate a lot more information about candidates than you have. You can use this information to comb through relevant criminal records databases and get a complete history of someone.

Help Analysts Decide on Complete Background Investigations

Likewise, knowing this information can help your analysts create a complete picture because they see what background investigations they need to conduct. When they know all of someone’s names and addresses, they know what databases to search to get the most accurate results. Therefore, it is easier for your analysts to find discrepancies between stated information and records so that you can figure out more about someone’s past.

Conducting a trace is an essential tool when you are running a background check on someone. It can help you create a roadmap of names and addresses. While this may not seem significant, it can be helpful in many ways. For starters, it can give you a clearer picture of someone’s criminal past. Therefore, you should consider adding this task to your background screening process as soon as possible.