Nationwide Screening Services is committed to abiding by the CFPB rule and helping and working with the victims of human trafficking.
Block Information in Your Background Report
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires the following information from any person requesting a block of information on their background check:
I. Proof of Identity
A consumer who is a victim of trafficking is required to include “appropriate proof of identity” as part of their submission to a consumer reporting agency to request a block of adverse items of information that resulted from trafficking.
1. Your full name and any other/alias names that you have utilized, social security number and/or date of birth
2. Provide copies of government issued documents, such as a utility bill and/or other methods of verifying your identity
II. Victim Determination
Trafficking Documentation
Provide a Victim Determination statement, which is a document that contains a determination of human trafficking which has been made by:
1. A State, Federal or Tribal governmental entity
2. A non-governmental member of a human trafficking task force, including victim service providers affiliated with these entities and authorized by a State, Federal or Tribal government entity
3. A self-attestation by a consumer who identifies as a victim of human trafficking that is signed or certified by a State, Federal, or Tribal government entity, court of competent jurisdiction or an authorized representative of these entities
III. Identified Adverse Items of Information
Generally, these are documents that identify items of adverse information that should not be furnished by a consumer reporting agency because the items resulted from a severe form of trafficking in persons or sex trafficking.
These items could include records containing derogatory information, such as payment delinquencies or defaults, records of coerced debt, records of criminal arrests and convictions, and records of evictions or non-payment of rent.
IV. Where to Send Information
By mail:
Nationwide Screening Services
324 South Service Road, Melville, New York 11747
Attn: Compliance – Trafficking
OR
Nationwide Screening Services
501 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022 (Fifth Floor) Attn: Compliance – Human Trafficking
By email:
Provide whether you would prefer an email or regular mail as the method of communication with Nationwide Screening Services upon completion of a determination.
If you have any questions regarding the process or to check on the status of your request, please contact our Client Services team at 877-696-5700 during our business hours on Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST.
V. Information Blocking Process
Once Nationwide Screening Services receives your information, we will block the information within four days of your request. We will notify you within five days if we need any additional information to comply with your request.
Nationwide Screening Services has 25 days to make a final determination on your request. You will be notified within five days of our final determination to either continue to block the information or to remove the block.
The notice will include the following:
• A statement that the review is complete
• A statement explaining the outcome
• A new consumer report provided at no cost to the consumer (if applicable)
• A description of the procedures used to make the determination • An appeal method
• A link to the CFPB’s consumer complaint portal
Nationwide Screening Services will maintain records of the outcome of consumer submissions and compliance with the Final Rule for a period of seven years after the submission is received.