You may not think about what shows up on a background check until you’re applying for a job, renting an apartment or securing a volunteer role. But if you don’t know what’s there, you can’t fix wrong information.
Here’s what a background check actually reveals, and why knowing what’s in yours matters.
What a ‘background check’ really means
A background check shows basic information like your full name and age, along with details about your employment history, education and more. These checks vary depending on what type someone has requested.
- Employment checks: Criminal records, identity verification, past addresses, education or employment verification and driving records for certain roles may appear.
- Tenant screening reports: Eviction filings, rental history, address history and credit-related information may show up.
- Other specialty reports: These vary but can include professional licenses, check-writing history or other records tied to a specific purpose.
Anyone running a background check must have a permissible purpose under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The Federal Trade Commission has guides on your rights during tenant background checks and employer background checks.
Why you should run one on yourself
Employers, landlords and others may request your background check when you apply. They see all your history and data points, but they won’t know if those checks are accurate.
Mixed-up records, outdated information and resolved issues still appearing can impact your applications. You can dispute these errors.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has a guide on disputing credit report errors. You can also dispute tenant background check errors using steps on the FTC’s website.
Reviewing your credit and specialty consumer reports shows what an employer will see. Some jobs check driving, licensing or credentials if needed for the role. You should also request and review tenant-screening information when hunting for an apartment.
Once you obtain these documents, review them for inaccurate information like missing addresses, inaccurate personal details and duplicate records. Dispute any errors in writing and gather documents to back your claims. The CFPB has sample dispute letters you can use.