What's In a Name?

What's In a Name?

How important is it really to look at an applicant's past addresses? Does it give any useful insight? How is the information used? Is my applicant a victim of identity theft?

These are questions we get asked every day by human resource personnel and others involved in the hiring process. Great questions, all of them! And we certainly understand the confusion. So let's break it down a little and see if we can make some sense of it all.

First, know that the address history – or what others may commonly refer to as a Social Trace – is a search of database information largely compiled by the three credit bureaus: TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. The top portion of a credit report, called the credit header, is what is pulled into the database. So whenever a person applies for some type of credit, be it a loan, a credit card, rental application, etc. The credit bureaus gather the address information listed on the application and dump it into their database. This is why sometimes you'll see duplicate and triplicate information on your reports. Also keep in mind sometimes because of a co-signature on a loan or family relationship, social security numbers become intertwined, causing address information to also become intertwined.

At the bottom of an Address History is verification directly from the Social Security Administration telling you if the number the applicant reported is a valid number. It does NOT verify that the number was assigned to your applicant, only that the number itself is valid. You will also see when the number was issued and in what state.

It is very important to review each applicant's address history for a number of reasons. First, you want to verify that the social security number given by your applicant is associated with him and only him. Next you'll want to see if your applicant has had previous names. Thirdly, you'll want to see where your applicant has been in the last 7 years so you'll know where to begin doing research.

So here's where the confusion happens. What if a different name than your applicant's name shows up on their address history. Does that mean they've been victims of identity theft? Not necessarily. Remember how easily social security numbers can become entwined. Most often another name on an address history is recognized by your applicant as a roommate or a relative. Feel free to ask them about other names. If they do not know the name(s) reporting on their history, look first to see the dates a particular name was/is associated with your applicant. If it does not include the current year, then it's likely that whatever the issue was, it has since been corrected. Often it's a case where the unknown person's social security number is very similar to your applicant's and a data entry error caused the name to appear. If an unknown name is currently reporting, then the concern for identity theft is a bit higher. Click below for applicant instructions for handling this situation.

And don't forget, that reviewing the address history will also give you insight as to what names an applicant has used in the past. Considering that courts file records by name and not by SSN, knowing previous names and searching all of them can be crucial to completing a thorough background check. For example, your applicant Jane Jones might have a criminal history under the name Jane Smith. If we only search the name of "Jones" then it's likely that we won't find the records and you now have a false sense of security. Previous names are also important for verifying past employment and education records. If we're looking for the wrong name, we may not be able to verify the information, which could make it appear as though your applicant has lied about credentials. So pay close attention to all names listed when reviewing an applicant's address history.

Address history information might be a little tough to dissect at first, but understanding how to use its powerful information can be an invaluable screening tool.