| I've been doing international background checks | | | | they want you to see. |
| along with all of our domestic business since 1995 | | | | I once called the Egyptian Embassy in Washington |
| when we were asked to background check 5500 | | | | and asked how to get official criminal records. The |
| aircraft engineers for the Boeing buyout of | | | | man on the other end of the phone told me to |
| McDonnell Douglass. I vividly remember calling a | | | | send him $200 and he would send me the |
| large international security company and asking | | | | records. I said that I wanted to know the normal |
| about what kinds of criminal history info was | | | | procedure for obtaining records so that I could do |
| available from Italy. After much dodging and | | | | it now and in the future. He said, "OK, send me |
| hesitating by the salesman on the other end of | | | | $150 and I get you the records." I quickly realized |
| the phone (this was before I was on the internet) | | | | that this conversation was going nowhere. Since |
| told me that their criminal history checks | | | | talking to him didn't work I called the US Embassy |
| consisted of a MEDIA check in the area where | | | | in Cairo and asked them how to get the records. |
| the person is from. I was flabbergasted to say | | | | SURPRISING FACT # 4. In many countries the |
| the least. I remember saying, "Are you trying to | | | | only way to get a REAL criminal history report is |
| tell me that if a person's crime made it into the | | | | to have the "applicant" get it himself or herself. |
| newspaper that that is the only source of your | | | | The Philippines is a good example of this. But |
| info?" He was ashamed to admit it, but it was | | | | beware there are vendors in Manila that make |
| true. | | | | fake documents for employment purposes. |
| SURPRISING FACT # 1. Many companies sell | | | | Always get the original document, not a copy, and |
| media look-ups as a criminal history report. I know | | | | verify it with the person who signed it. |
| this sounds insane, but I'm not kidding. The crime | | | | In some countries an "applicant" can only get the |
| has to make it into the newspaper or they have | | | | criminal history report if he/she is applying for a |
| nothing to report. And what about a person's trial | | | | visa to work in the US. Since most countries |
| results? That has to make it into the newspaper | | | | want their workers to work in the US they |
| too for you to get a disposition. Unfortunately | | | | supply them with the documentation. Singapore |
| that exact kind of thing is still very common | | | | and the Republic of China (Taiwan) are two |
| today. These companies that sell these reports | | | | examples. |
| always have a made up name for that kind of | | | | CANADA: We can get records from Canada. In |
| service to make it sound like you are really buying | | | | fact we can get what is the equivalent of our FBI |
| something useful. They usually package it with a | | | | records, but it requires fingerprints and can take |
| check of the International Terrorist Watch List | | | | 90+ days. I always ask my clients, "If you would |
| and the OFAC watch list, both of which you can | | | | like me to order the records, your "applicant" has |
| do for free in minutes. | | | | to get fingerprinted, send the fingerprint card to |
| Despite what you may have heard, or thought | | | | me in California whereupon I mail it to the RCMP |
| you knew, international criminal checks are still | | | | in Ottawa, wait 90 days get it back and I charge |
| very much a crap shoot. In some countries they | | | | you $100, or would you rather have it today for |
| are inexpensive, contain what we Americans | | | | free?" How, you may ask? Answer: Have the |
| know as both misdemeanor and felony crimes - | | | | applicant go get the record himself. Every police |
| arrests and convictions, are timely and accurate, | | | | station, be it city, provincial or RCMP can process |
| such as Australia. Other countries just don't | | | | your records request while they wait. Again, ask |
| consider criminal records to be public information, | | | | to see the original document and you can |
| therefore accessible by the public, like France. | | | | reimburse the applicant for the report if you like. |
| SURPRISING FACT # 2. Many countries don't | | | | NOTE: If a Canadian or person living in Canada has |
| make their criminal records available to anyone. | | | | a criminal record, one of two things usually |
| France doesn't think that anyone has the right to | | | | happens. Either he/she will make an excuse as to |
| know if their citizens and residents are criminals. | | | | why they can't get the record from the police, or |
| Don't believe me? Call the French Embassy in | | | | you will never see them again. They are not going |
| Washington. That's what I did. | | | | to bother getting a record if they know that you |
| The internet is full of companies that say that | | | | thus will not hire them. Oh, and if you want me to |
| they can get criminal history records from many | | | | order the records for you from Ottawa, the |
| countries that I know for a fact don't provide | | | | applicant still has to go to the police station to get |
| criminal records to anyone. In Great Britain you | | | | fingerprinted, so he might as well get the record |
| can get what is called a Clearance Certificate | | | | while he is there. |
| from Scotland Yard. It tells you that the person | | | | I could go on and on, but the bottom line is: READ |
| has, or doesn't have a criminal record, but it | | | | THE FINE PRINT. Do not buy from a service that |
| doesn't tell you what the criminal record is! | | | | will not tell you the source of the records. Ask |
| SURPRISING FACT # 3. Many countries criminal | | | | how current the info is and ask if it contains what |
| history reports are not worth the paper they are | | | | we in the US consider misdemeanor and felony |
| written on. One good example of this is Mexico. | | | | arrests and convictions or dispositions. |
| As in many third world countries their record | | | | If you have any doubts about the accuracy of |
| keeping system is like it was here before | | | | the info in this article or what you've been told by |
| computers. They couldn't find the records if they | | | | another international background check company, |
| wanted to. India has antiquated records keeping, | | | | call the Embassy in Washington for the respective |
| but they at least make an effort to help. | | | | country you are concerned about. Ask to speak |
| Another example is China, but for a different | | | | to the legal attaché. Ask them how one |
| reason. With everything controlled by the state it | | | | obtains REAL criminal history records from that |
| make sense that you will get what the state | | | | country. That's what I did, and that's how I |
| wants you to get. If you were hiring a software | | | | started doing REAL international background |
| engineer from China for example, and you want | | | | checks. That's why I am an expert that other |
| to assure yourself that he/she is not a commie | | | | people call. |
| spy, good luck. You are going to get just what | | | | |