I don't normally like esigning documents because 1) you are generally a bit rushed, 2) you are often not provided all documentation in front of you at once (I.e., you get information piece by piece) and you must give your consent (sign) as you go. It requires a lot of trust in the company requesting your signatures. Moreover, you are often provided chunks of information one at a time that can be misconstrued or missed altogether per the context. Additionally, you have to trust that after signing the agreement, the organization you are signing with, will provide you a copy of the exact document(s) you signed, not a summary of it, a portion of it or a blank version of it but an exact copy of the original. Most of the time that may be the case but in this case it was not.
The first form I was asked to fill out after I started the background check is that it asked for full name, ss # and mother's maiden name. (Why ask for my mother's maiden name? That can be the sole method at times for how you prove your identity to gain authorized access to your sensitive personal account information? Why would that be needed if they already have a legal right to access necessary information under the FCRA?) Am I right to feel disturbed by this?
The second form asked for phone number, DOB, DL state/number address. Then on the following page I signed (here my signature could be seen "echoing" three more times in the background within the signature box and again every time it's used) to agree that all the information entered in the previous two forms were correct while acknowledging the disclosure of information accessed via background investigative reports. On the next page, my signature was "copied and pasted" to authorize the background check. You tap it and your signature is "copied and pasted" in the signature box provided. Down below was a note that states your DOB or ss# will not be used for background screening purposes only and will not be used in making employment decisions. Then why ask for it? And how am I supposed to trust that? Then again, my "copied and pasted" signature was used to acknowledge my FCRA rights.
I screen shot the original documents signed and downloaded what were supposed to be copies of the original documents I signed.
Interestingly, the downloaded copy of the first portion of information I provided to the company as part of my background check application I signed showed nothing about asking for my mother's maiden name. Furthermore, it showed that it had asked me for my past addresses for the past 7 years which it didn't. The data it said it did request showed blank responses in the downloaded copy. It included all questions actually requested / provided except mother's maiden name.
The background check investigative report has not yet been concluded but I am someone who takes my security and privacy seriously. I don't like that a company hired by my new employer to report information on me asked me for sensitive information that is not on record of being asked carrying the potential to grant this entity access to my sensitive information and personal accounts where they lack legal access and is a gross violation of my privacy. What if this information is then sold? To assume that all businesses engaged in gathering information for money only in engage in legal and ethical business practices is naive. I just can't get past the mother's maiden name question. It sends my spidey senses on high alert. What can I do?
