With legislation and regulation driving hiring criteria increasing, the list of background checks is getting longer and longer. It's getting harder to understand what checks need to be conducted in your business to ensure you are protecting yourself and your company against reputational and financial risk.

Each industry requires its own check list but there are a few checks that should be a non-negotiable when vetting any candidate walking through your door;

• ID Verification � Is the person who they say they are? A simple ID verification will verify the ID has been issued by home affairs and that the algorithm found in that ID numbers I correct.
• Fraud listing � Ever been a victim or a culprit of fraudulent activity. A quick South African Fraud Prevention Services check will ensure the ID number of the person provided has never been involved in fraudulent activity.
• Criminal Checks � are you adding a fraudster or a thief to your candidate portfolio? Criminal checks conducted using fingerprints are the most accurate as they cannot be tampered with and are screened directly against the Automatic Fingerprint Identification System.
• Matric Verification � Is it a real matric? Matric qualifications are one of the highest fraudulent qualifications listed on a cv. Many candidates themselves don't understand what is on their certificates and claim to have a matric where only a subject certificate exists.

Credit Checks, while a vital part of the recruitment process, should only be used in certain circumstances. The National Credit Regulators defines the purpose for the use of credit reports clearly. Only a person applying for a position that involves trust and the handling of cash and finances should be vetted using a credit report. And you should fully understand what you are looking for on the credit report when using it for background screening purposes.

Additional generic searches also exist for enhanced vetting purposes such as professional driving permits for those with company vans and driving company trucks and professional membership searches for professional's registered to industry bodies like SAICA and Law Societies.

Background screening tools are becoming ever more accessible to the recruitment process, with searches being available online as and when they are needed. Don't let the list of screening options overwhelm you, speak to a background screening professional today and ensure you are meeting your legal obligations and protecting your business.

LexisNexis Risk Management is a leading background screening and due diligence solutions business with a passion for advancing the rule of law and driving South Africa forward. LexisNexis provides information for competitive edge.

For more information on background screening and other solutions offered by LexisNexis Risk Management contact us on 011�245 6500; [email protected] or www.lnrisk.co.za