How can Identity Checks assist my organisation?

Identity checking is a crucial part of the recruitment process. An identity background check can help protect your organisation from fraud and give you an extra level of confidence in the people who have access to sensitive information.

The Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) has outlined the four main reasons why prospective employees may lie about their identity:

• To avoid detection
• For dishonest financial gain
• To avoid financial liabilities
• To legally obtain genuine documents

Identity Checks can be useful for all employers, but are particularly suited to those who carry out a number of pre-employment checks (like DBS Checks) on their employees. With an Identity Check, you can verify the identity information your employees provide for the other checks to ensure you get the correct results.

An Identity Check is a comprehensive check that confirms attributed identity information as well as biographical identity information – but what do these terms mean?

• Attributed identity – this refers to a person’s identity details as established at birth, including their date of birth and full name.
• Biographical identity – this refers to the aspects of a person’s identity that have changed over time, including entries on the electoral roll and credit history data.

Biographical identity information is difficult to falsify, so carrying out Identity Checks is a great way for employers to gain an added layer of assurance about an employee.