What is an SSN Background Check? An Overview

Employers have many solutions available to them when engaging in the hiring process. These tools provide essential information about applicants during the pre-employment background check process. While some provide a route for accessing criminal records, others function differently. For example, what is an SSN background check? You may have heard about using Social Security numbers, but you may not know the purpose.

An SSN background check is a unique reporting tool for verifying an individual’s identity. These checks are quite different from your typical criminal record check and are not public records. These reports seldom form the basis for an employment decision. Instead, they help strengthen other elements of due diligence. An SSN trace is a similar and related tool. Determining that someone has a valid Social Security number can be necessary in some sectors.

A so-called “Social Security background check” typically returns a list of names and addresses related to the number. It consists of requesting information from the government on the SSN provided by the applicant. Consider why this tool is useful and how employers may use it.

Why Employers Conduct a Background Check Using an SSN

Checking and verifying Social Security numbers is helpful for several reasons. They contribute to more robust, safer, and detailed vetting processes. The main reasons employers select these tools include:

• Convenient verification of an applicant’s identity. Identity theft is a risk, and unscrupulous individuals may sometimes pose as other individuals when job hunting.
• You can spot mismatches between someone’s claimed SSN and official records.
• You can verify identities or aliases associated with an SSN to better target criminal record checks.
• You can understand when someone has changed their name and screen accordingly. Don’t let married names, legal name changes, and other alterations confuse your process.
• You can obtain an address history via Social Security number trace. Discover where a job applicant may have lived and had criminal records in the past.

Social Security number verification helps you validate someone’s identity and structure your criminal screening optimally.

What Appears on SSN Background Checks?

What will you learn when you order a background check using a Social Security number? Expect to see some or all the following information:

• The date the Social Security Administration issued the number.
• The assignee’s state of residence at issuance.
• Any known aliases associated with the SSN, including maiden or changed names.
• Any recent addresses or addresses known as associated with that SSN.

SSNs do not show employment history or other professional facts. However, with this information, you can verify more about a candidate and use other background checks for employment. Some important aspects to examine at this stage could include:

• Does the issued date match the applicant’s birthday?
• Do the listed names and aliases seem connected to your subject? Do they seem unrelated or unusual?
• Is the state of issuance correct?
• Does the applicant have an address history that may impact how you order criminal background checks?

Let’s explore the connection to other background checks.

The Relationship Between a Criminal Records Search and an SSN

Does every employer need to run an SSN trace? Not necessarily. Social Security numbers could be essential in improving your process. However, there are some caveats to keep in mind.

• You do not need an SSN to run a background check. Criminal records do not contain subject SSNs.
• You can still obtain detailed, informative criminal background checks with a subject’s full name and birthday.
• SSNs primarily help provide additional context.

Here’s how you can use that context.

Using an SSN Trace as an Alias Search

Annually, tens of thousands of people legally change their names. Some do so after marriage, while others do so for personal reasons. Applicants who have old aliases and different names aren’t uncommon. A changed name does not automatically imply malicious intent. However, the threat of identity theft and other risks mean people aren’t always who they say they are. A Social Security number trace helps you verify fundamental facts.

For instance, consider a tool such as our US AliasSEARCH. Ordering this check differs from a basic criminal history search, which uses only a name and date of birth. This solution also collects SSN information to identify records possibly associated with an applicant’s aliases.

We check the Social Security Administration database and the Death Master Index. A match on the DMI could flag an SSN in a background check as potentially fraudulent. If the index indicates the number belongs to a deceased individual, you may have a case of identity fraud.

The alias search produces criminal history reports based on alias data and our proprietary database of more than 650 million records. This information lets you find and focus on the most relevant information.

Using SSNs to Zero in on Other Addresses to Search

Remember, applicants might have criminal records beyond their current residence. If you only search local records, you may never know someone has a significant record elsewhere. The US OneTRACE service helps you verify additional address information for added thoroughness.

Employers who perform address history checks can expand the scope of the records they review with an SSN trace. As a best practice, check county-level criminal records in the locations where an applicant has lived for the most recent seven years.

The Importance of Social Security Number Verification

Not every employer uses SSNs in their hiring process. However, the additional confidence is valuable. Consider one illustrative example.

In one state, a man shared the same name as his father, a registered sex offender. The man ran into trouble trying to find work because of disarrayed records. Companies faced costly litigation for violating federal law, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Although courts ultimately ruled that the law wasn’t broken, the issue could have been avoided. Verifying individual identities via SSN can reduce the likelihood of such problems.

Ultimately, the SSN background check is an excellent tool to support more vigorous background checks. Use the US AliasSEARCH or US OneTRACE to verify SSNs and find aliases or address histories. Add this information to your other screening processes. With SSN verification as the foundation of your process, you can combat fraud and increase confidence in each hiring decision.