Some employers add identity verification to their background check order. It is off unless the employer adds it, and employers can add it for $2 per applicant (introductory price). If your employer added it, you verify your identity first, and then the background check form opens.
What applicants need
To verify your identity, you need a government-issued ID and a device with a camera (a phone works best).
Step-by-step
Step 1: Open the applicant link and select Verify my identity
Open the link from your employer and select Verify my identity. The page shows two steps: first verify your identity, then the background check form unlocks.
Step 2: Review the consent screen and select Begin verifying
Step 3: Take a photo of the front of your government ID
Select the camera button to take a photo of the front of your ID. For the best result:
Make sure the entire front of the ID is in the frame.
Use a plain, neutral background.
Make sure all the information is legible, in focus and without glare.
If the photo doesn't work, take a new one. Uploading the same photo again gives the same result.
Step 4 (optional): Continue on your phone
On a computer without a camera, scan the QR code or select Send Email to get a secure link. No app download is required.
Step 5: Wait while your ID is processed
Keep this page open until the next step appears.
Step 6: Take a selfie
Center your face in the frame, then turn left and right when prompted.
Step 7: Confirm the basics
Enter your legal name, birthdate, and SSN. Check each one against your ID before you continue. If your name or birthdate shows up wrong and you can't change it, stop here and see "If your details don't match" below.
Step 8: All done, continue to the background check form
Select Done to return to the application and continue to the background check form.
If your details don't match
Verification can stop when the details don't line up. For example, the birthdate or name on the background check form doesn't match the one from identity verification, or a name or birthdate fills in wrong and can't be edited. You may see a message like "The date of birth does not match the one provided during identity verification."
If this happens:
Don't submit the background check form with details you know are wrong. Once an application is submitted, the information on it cannot be modified.
Contact our support team at [email protected] or 1-800-942-1366. Tell us the name your employer used for the invitation and which detail is wrong. Don't send your full SSN by email or chat.
Our support team can review the verification and tell you the next step.
If wrong details end up on your finished background check report, you can dispute it. Only you can open a dispute on your own report: email [email protected] or call 1-800-942-1366. See My employer ran a background check on me. What if there is incorrect info on my report?
For employers: if your applicant is stuck
A mismatch stops or flags the order. It does not reject your applicant, and BackgroundChecks.com does not make hiring decisions or hiring recommendations.
If your applicant hasn't submitted the form yet, ask them to contact support before submitting, or contact support yourself at [email protected] or 1-800-942-1366.
If the application was already submitted with the wrong details, see How do I correct a name, spelling, or date of birth after I submitted an application?. Support will tell you the best path, including whether a new order is needed and whether it is billed.
Questions?
Contact our support team through chat, at support.backgroundchecks.com, by email at [email protected], or at 1-800-942-1366.