Take a look at this article from Bruce Schneier. It’s a report on the accuracy of data from data brokers, as well as a report on how easy (or not easy, as the case may be) to fix errors in the data. From the actual report itself:
100% of the eleven participants in the study discovered errors in background check reports provided by ChoicePoint. The majority of participants found errors in even the most basic biographical information: name, social security number, address and phone number (in 67% of Acxiom reports, 73% of ChoicePoint reports). Moreover, over 40% of participants did not receive their reports from Acxiom — and the ones who did had to wait an average of three months from the time they requested their information until they received it.
This is not encouraging. I don’t think most people realize what is being done with their personal information these days.
My name is Susan. Quite some time ago I got involved with drugs and had my first and only run in with the law. Since then I have had my crime expunged. All the Utah State agencies have cleared my record as well. The problem is when I run a background check on myself, it still remains. I know that the record keepers, (AKA the courts, etc.), have updated their records. What I am learning is that most of the background checks companies purchase their information from suppliers and that the suppliers have not updated their records. The information is old, wrong and outdated. Can you tell me how often they are required to update their databases? Do you know anyone that I should be talking to resolve this situation? I have copies of the expungement order available to anyone who asks, although if someone checked the court records for themselves they would see that my record no longer exists. I am desperate for this shameful episode in my life to stop haunting me. I am a wife and a mother. I work for the State of Utah. I’m a productive citizen. The records in these databases are wrong.
Susan
Unfortunately Susan, I by myself can do nothing to help you. I suggest you petition your state representatives to require any background information companies to update their information on some sort of regular schedule. Either that, or write to the companies themselves – I’m not familiar with Utah state law, so there may already be legislation to that effect.
Furthermore, don’t most companies say something to the effect of “having been convicted of a crime is not an absolute bar to an offer of employment?” As long as you don’t lie about it on your application, I would think you’d be OK. Perhaps you can get copies of the relevant documentation from the courts themselves, and present these to anyone who is going to do a background check on you?
You may want to read the entire article I’ve linked to in the post above – it may contain information that would be helpful to you.
Unfortunately, your case is almost certainly not unique. This is the problem with keeping highly sensitive data in multiple, disconnected databases without any means for updating & cross-referencing records. As a programmer, it makes my skin crawl – it’s the sort of inefficiency that drives us geek-type people nuts.