Why is there a different name on my background check?
There are many reasons why the name you use daily and your legal name might not match up: You may have changed your name after getting married or after a divorce. You may use a “stage name” or “pen name” if you are in the arts, or just prefer to use a different professional name from you legal name.
Be aware that if your employment is contingent on a background check, your deadname or former name might have to be disclosed. It depends on the level of background check, but generally those who work with children and vulnerable communities can expect to be asked to list previous aliases and former names.
An alias name or AKA (also known as) is any name that has been used by the candidate in the past. Life events such as marriage and divorce result in many candidates with records associated with more than one name. It is possible that criminal records could exist under any prior name.
Your background screening provider can conduct the SSN trace by performing a reverse index search on a candidate's social security number. This search yields the names and addresses associated with the SSN, allowing for a complete background check on the valid names associated with the person.
Your name can have a huge influence on your prospects in life. Much of this is due to bias, stereotyping and other rules of thumb that people employ when making judgements about others. In hiring this can be a huge problem.
noun, plural a·li·as·es. a false name used to conceal one's identity; an assumed name: The police files indicate that “Smith” is an alias for Simpson. at another time; in another place; in other circumstances; otherwise. “Simpson alias Smith” means that Simpson in other circumstances has called himself Smith.
A: If a person is known by any other name in addition to his real/ official name then the other name falls in the category of alias name. For example, if a person named Sreejit Kumar is known as Sree in his neighborhood then Sree can be termed as his alias.
Preferred name/s
A pseudonym or preferred name may be based on any number of individual preferences, including a derivative of a name (eg 'Liz' rather than 'Elizabeth'), use of initials, a middle name, alias, or pseudonym.
The way that some people do this is by listing the first initial of their legal name, followed by their preferred name (e.g. M. Andrew Smith). Some may identify their preferred name in quotes or parentheses after their legal first name (e.g. Melanie “Andrew” Smith).
The background screening process relies on accurate identifiers, which include name and date of birth, to produce accurate and comprehensive reports. Aliases and maiden names are an essential component to locating records that some employers don't consider.
Do background checks show maiden name?
Maiden names should be checked for married individuals who took their spouse's surname. If you only check the married surname, you will generally NOT uncover crimes committed under the maiden name (unless you also check the maiden name).
Incorrect Criminal History on Background Checks
Mixed files are one of the most common causes of incorrect criminal history on a background check. All it takes is having a name that is similar to another individual and a background check company not doing their due diligence to verify that the information is correct.
If you discover that background information is incorrect, you should file a dispute, in writing, with the company that prepared the background report. You'll also need to find out the source of the error. This could be a court or credit issuer.
A discrepancy in a background check is anything reported by official sources that does not align with what an applicant told you. For example, in a state that does not "ban the box", an applicant may report that they have never been convicted of a felony—but when you run a background check, you see a felony record.
If you're disputing a criminal error, you should contact your state's Bureau of Identification and file a challenge to the criminal record. If a mistake appears on your background check, it could potentially cost you the job you're currently applying for, since it can take weeks for a mistake to be fixed.
