When a criminal or eviction background check is requested, all searches are performed by doing a name-based search with the applicant’s last name and the first few characters of the applicant’s first name. If your applicant has a common name like James Brown or John Anderson, you will receive “false hits.” Sometimes the assailant’s middle name or middle initial is provided. You can also use this information to determine if the “false hit” belongs to your applicant. If your applicant’s name is John R. Anderson but the “false hit” says John Thomas Anderson, you can make the determination that these are not the same individuals. To eliminate your applicant from these “false hits,” you can contact your Realtor Relations Manager or do the following:
Criminal background “false hits”
When a person is arrested for a crime, the booking officer never asks for the assailant’s Social Security number. What the booking officer does record are physical characteristics like height, weight, hair color, eye color, skin color, nationality and identifying marks (tattoos, birthmarks, etc.). Compare the information provided in the background check with known information about your applicant. If the assailant’s height is 6’4 and your applicant is 5’8, you can safely eliminate your applicant from that criminal infraction. In some cases, a photocopy of the assailant is provided via a URL within the report. You may also use that photo to eliminate your applicant.
Eviction background “false hits”
The eviction search is also done by name only. To eliminate your applicant from all the hits in the eviction database, you want to confirm the names are identical. In addition, most of the reports we provide will list all of the applicant’s previous addresses. If any of these addresses appear in the eviction section of the report, then the eviction belongs to your applicant.
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