So I have this cute young couple apply to move in, and I ran their background check. She’s 21 and they married last summer.Credit report came back for a 42 year old whose name matches the 21 year old’s maiden name. (First and last name)The most recent address for the 21 year old is XXX streetname, #11 which puts them in a park, let’s say it’s called Happy Acres.The most recent address for the 42 year old is 11 Happy Acres, in the next town over. I happen to know there is no Happy Acres street in that town. (Only 6 streets…) That address was reported 10 years ago. The previous address for both the 21 year old and the 42 year old are the same. I can’t find any record of the 42 year old… looked at obituaries (usually can find a family member), circuit clerk records in two counties… actually my background check service will go through this as well, but I was doing my checks because I’m now intensely curious about what’s going on. It will be a day or two before I get background check results. It’s never simple. Just wondering what your next steps would be…
did you positively id her? ive seen fake driver licenses that look almost real. did the husband check out ok?
take a photo of her license and search it on google image. sometimes when the real ones and the fake ones are next to each other you can spot the difference. also you may discover more info about her.
Your applicant is probably using her mothers SI# most likely because her own credit is trashed.If I were you I would sit down with her, tell her what you found, and ask if she can explain it. It’s always fun to watch them squirm. I would then tell them I am rejecting their application.
My father and I have the same first and last name. We, of course, have different SS #s. Even so many of his info showed up on my credit report sometime back before I cleaned it up. Just something to consider.
Her name is her name… I do know that. I know people that know her. It’s a small town.My theory is using a namesake aunt’s ss#… several bad debts on there from the last ~2 years and no previous activity. Would love to know what happened to the aunt. Usually I can find people but I can’t find this person.On the advice of the background checking company, I asked for images of both of their driver’s license and SS card… She says she does not have a current social because she’s waiting on the one with her married name. I said I’d take one with her maiden name. I’m guessing that is probably the last I will hear of that.
Good work on your part. She obviously had something to hide which would prevent her from being accepted.I know many landlords simply accept the fact that low income equates to bad credit and therefore do not bother with a credit check.The fact is that having poor credit usually equates to someone that does not respect others and has no regard for those they are in debt to.Low income does not go hand in hand with poor money management. Wise landlords recognise this fact regardless of the economic level of housing they provide.
Not an hour after I posted, she sent me images of his license and SS card, and her license. She says “they” (ss office) took and shredded her old SS card when she requested card in her new name and she should have her new one in a week. As it happens I am a woman who has never changed her name in her life, although I googled and asked some recently married friends to make sure–“they” do not confiscate your old card. Yes, I am looking for evidence of some respect in the credit report. Aside from using someone else’s social, there was no evidence of respecting others or their obligations to pay others on that report.I have found a few tenants that do not have sufficient activity to report on their credit. So far that has been a good sign–they chose to not use loans to consume beyond their means.
Lori,Quick Q - did all this come back when you ran a name first or an SSN First? I ask because the SSN is pretty obvious - it will report back DOB, etc so I’m trying to figure out where the double name came backThanksAri
Update: She sent me an image of a reasonable looking social security card with her name and the number that had a 42 year old birthdate with it. I sent it on to the background check company and they agreed it looked legitimate. I provided the background check company with the name and SSN, as well as driver’s license number, and date of birth. The SSN came back with a DOB that’s 20 years older than hers. It would appear that the credit reporting agency has a bad birthdate for her.
Lori-The background screening company isn’t going to know how to tell if an Social Security card is legit or not, especially via image.While I completely agree that the credit bureau may have screwed up, did you run her Driver’s License to see if it’s legit and real? There are a few other ways to determine debts etc but it quickly becomes a cost/benefit issue.ThanksAri
Lori is there any reason why you are still screening this applicant. What was the result of screening the husband. What did their previous landlord provide you with, what about their employers. Did you in fact do a proper screening initially or have you only done a credit check. Did you drop in at their present residence. The information you first provided in this thread clearly indicates your applicant is hiding information and providing false information. You do not know why she is being deceptive but it is obvious she is hiding something. My opinion is you are wasting your time “trying” to make this applicant acceptable.From my experience when you have to put this much time into screening any applicant you are wasting your time. When things do not appear right they usually are not and you need to quickly move on.