Background Checks-5 WC blog 105
Background Check Company-5
A Background Check Could Have Prevented Stolen Checks
When I worked as a Loss Prevention Manager for a big box retailer I had a number of cases I investigated that involved credit card and check fraud. Our store was located in a resort area with many hotels and tourist attractions. Several of the cases of financial transaction fraud involved theft from hotel patrons. So who did I often find were the guilty parties involved in these cases? Hotel room attendants who were party to the crimes in several cases, either using the stolen cards or check information themselves or providing it to a third party who, in turn, used the items. I would suspect that had I been able to investigate, I would learn that in these cases there were no background checks conducted. Often, especially in the summer months, hotels ramp up their hiring to meet the needs of the peak tourist season. Mass hiring tends to mean there are few if any background checks conducted because the need is so great.
Why would background checks make a difference in the cases I dealt with? A Background check company can dig into the history of potential new employees. They can check multiple state or local criminal histories, driving records, even education background if the employer requests it. A Background check company can help an employer know more about an applicant than just the questions on an application or what a personality screening supposedly scores a candidate. Had the hotels that employed the housekeepers made the effort to have thorough background checks completed, they may have learned that the people stealing from their guests had prior convictions for crimes.
I recall one specific case I worked in which our store had a customer report that a check had been written at our location from his account, but he insisted he had not been the person who wrote it. He said he had not written any checks at our store when he was visiting our town. I reviewed purchase information and was able to verify we had closed circuit television video recording available. Video review confirmed that the customer making the complaint was not the subject I had on camera. I asked the customer to contact our local police department to file a report, while I made contact with some investigators I knew on the department. After showing detectives the video we had and after they did some investigation at the hotel where the guest had stayed, police arrested a hotel housekeeper. It turned out that while the guest and family were at the beach, the housekeeper rifled through the complainant’s belongings, found the checkbook and removed several checks from the middle of the checkbook.
There is no guarantee that this particular employee had a criminal record and that was not information I sought or was offered. If she did have a record and a background check company had been hired to conduct a screening there is a strong probability it would have been discovered and she may not have been hired. I would also like to add a point here. I understand people need a second chance, and it can be difficult for those with criminal histories to obtain that second chance. That second chance may require the applicant to accept a job that does not place them in a position that may jeopardize the safety and security of others, especially in a job that may leave them alone with little oversight. An employer can use the results received from a background check company to still hire someone, but they may be placed in a different position.
Background checks protect the employer and can protect the clientele of a business. Hiring the wrong people can ruin a company’s brand and reputation. Let a background check company help you know who you are hiring and place people in the right job, it makes good business sense.
For more information on Background Checks, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
When I worked as a Loss Prevention Manager for a big box retailer I had a number of cases I investigated that involved credit card and check fraud. Our store was located in a resort area with many hotels and tourist attractions. Several of the cases of financial transaction fraud involved theft from hotel patrons. So who did I often find were the guilty parties involved in these cases? Hotel room attendants who were party to the crimes in several cases, either using the stolen cards or check information themselves or providing it to a third party who, in turn, used the items. I would suspect that had I been able to investigate, I would learn that in these cases there were no background checks conducted. Often, especially in the summer months, hotels ramp up their hiring to meet the needs of the peak tourist season. Mass hiring tends to mean there are few if any background checks conducted because the need is so great.
Why would background checks make a difference in the cases I dealt with? A Background check company can dig into the history of potential new employees. They can check multiple state or local criminal histories, driving records, even education background if the employer requests it. A Background check company can help an employer know more about an applicant than just the questions on an application or what a personality screening supposedly scores a candidate. Had the hotels that employed the housekeepers made the effort to have thorough background checks completed, they may have learned that the people stealing from their guests had prior convictions for crimes.
I recall one specific case I worked in which our store had a customer report that a check had been written at our location from his account, but he insisted he had not been the person who wrote it. He said he had not written any checks at our store when he was visiting our town. I reviewed purchase information and was able to verify we had closed circuit television video recording available. Video review confirmed that the customer making the complaint was not the subject I had on camera. I asked the customer to contact our local police department to file a report, while I made contact with some investigators I knew on the department. After showing detectives the video we had and after they did some investigation at the hotel where the guest had stayed, police arrested a hotel housekeeper. It turned out that while the guest and family were at the beach, the housekeeper rifled through the complainant’s belongings, found the checkbook and removed several checks from the middle of the checkbook.
There is no guarantee that this particular employee had a criminal record and that was not information I sought or was offered. If she did have a record and a background check company had been hired to conduct a screening there is a strong probability it would have been discovered and she may not have been hired. I would also like to add a point here. I understand people need a second chance, and it can be difficult for those with criminal histories to obtain that second chance. That second chance may require the applicant to accept a job that does not place them in a position that may jeopardize the safety and security of others, especially in a job that may leave them alone with little oversight. An employer can use the results received from a background check company to still hire someone, but they may be placed in a different position.
Background checks protect the employer and can protect the clientele of a business. Hiring the wrong people can ruin a company’s brand and reputation. Let a background check company help you know who you are hiring and place people in the right job, it makes good business sense.
For more information on Background Checks, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
