What Background Checks Do Banks Use? (2024)

Banks and financial institutions owe it to their customers, members, stockholders, and insurers to vet their employees thoroughly. Most bank jobs involve access to both money and sensitive personal information. These factors make working at a bank attractive for someone who might be looking to steal money, commit identity theft, or both. Because of these threats, banks tend to be very vigilant inconducting background checkson all new hires.

When it comes to discussing the types of background checks that banks use, the first considerations should be the FDIC and Section 19.

The FDIC, or Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, is the organization that insures most banks in the United States. Section 19 is a measure of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act that limits who the FDIC can hire. Section 19 bars FDIC banks from hiring “any person who has been convicted of any criminal offense involving dishonesty, breach of trust, or money laundering.” Candidates or employees who have “entered into a pretrial diversion or similar program in connection with such an offense” must also be disqualified or terminated.

Banks will usecriminal history checksto look for convictions that apply to Section 19. While crimes like identity theft, embezzlement, or fraud are top-line red flags for financial institutions, they are not the only convictions that a bank is looking for on a background check. Most banks are also looking for past issues with violence or sex-related crimes as a means of ensuring a safe workplace for employees.

Bank background checks will typically go beyond criminal history. Verification checks are common to make sure that candidates are being honest on their resumes abouteducation,professional credentials, andpast employment. Some banks also usecredit history checksto learn more about their candidates’ financial habits—though credit checks for jobs are not legal in all parts of the country.

In designing their background checks, all banks must observe the same compliance guidelines as other employers,including following the Fair Credit Reporting Act(FCRA). Banks should also aim to followEqual Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidancewherever possible. However, because banks are bound to follow Section 19, their hiring policies and handling of criminal history may sometimes have a disparate impact on minorities.

In 2018,a judge ruled for Wells Fargoin an EEOC lawsuit that alleged the company’s hiring practices were discriminatory. Despite the presence of disparate impact, Wells Fargo’s responsibility to follow Section 19 ultimately took precedent.

What Background Checks Do Banks Use? (1)

AboutMichael KlazemaThe author

Michael Klazema is the lead author and editor for Dallas-based backgroundchecks.com with a focus on human resource and employment screening developments

What Background Checks Do Banks Use? (2024)

FAQs

What do banks use to check background? ›

What Do Banks Look for in a Background Check? Because of the access that employees have to consumers' sensitive information and the financial institution's money, most banks request the following types of searches: Criminal background search. Employment history.

What disqualifies you from a bank job? ›

If your background check shows any charges for financial-related crimes, you are automatically disqualified from working at a bank or any financial institution. This is because the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) regulates who banks can hire and has this as an automatic denial for anyone.

How do banks check employment history? ›

Mortgage lenders verify employment by contacting employers directly and requesting income information and related documentation. Most lenders only require verbal confirmation, but some will seek email or fax verification. Lenders can verify self-employment income by obtaining tax return transcripts from the IRS.

What are FDIC background check requirements? ›

The FDIC requires an FBI Name Check background investigation for all individuals subject to background investigations in connection with applications for federal deposit insurance, notices of change in control, applications subject to Section 19 of the FDI Act, and notices subject to Section 32 of the FDI Act.

What background check does Bank of America use? ›

Bank of America does a very thorough and investigative report. They use the BIG Report, a credible company that validates in a timely manner. They do a thorough backround and drug screening check.

What is the most used background check? ›

County criminal history searches are the most common form of criminal background check. These searches allow employers to pull reports from court records of specific counties.

Do banks blacklist you? ›

To be “blacklisted” by ChexSystems effectively means that you have a very poor ChexSystems score. Due to a history of overdrafts, bounced checks, etc., your score is low enough that any bank considering you for a standard checking account will deny you based on your risk profile.

Can you be denied a bank? ›

A bank may refuse to open a personal bank account for you if: they have reasonable grounds to believe you plan to use the account for illegal or fraudulent purposes. you've had a history of illegal or fraudulent activity with financial service providers in the last 7 years.

Does bank of America hire people with misdemeanors? ›

Being that they are in the highly regulated finance industry they also will not hire anyone with misdemeanor convictions that are related to violence, theft, or fraud.

Do banks verify employment history? ›

Income verification of employed borrowers

If you're a W-2 employee, banks will generally ask to see your last three months' worth of paystubs. Some banks will bypass the paystubs by using an e-verify system to contact your employer and verify both income and employment.

Do banks check employment status? ›

While it might seem like just another box to check in the lending process, lenders are required to check your employment and income information to confirm your ability to make your monthly mortgage payment and reduce their risk for lending to you.

Do banks call your previous employer? ›

7 answers. Yes 5hey did. Everything is checked and you are drug tested and fingerprinted for FBI check. All backgrounds are checked and previous employers are called.

What background check company does Wells Fargo use? ›

During the background check, Wells Fargo checks federal, state, and local databases and runs a fingerprint check through the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation). They only use the background check for employment purposes to help them make the final hiring decision.

What does the FDIC bank examiner look at? ›

Bank Examiner

Bank examiners assess financial institutions large and small to ensure they are operating in a safe and sound manner, to identify violations of law and regulation, and to assess the adequacy of internal procedures and the general character of management.

Does bank of America verify education? ›

Yes, When I started most background checks went back 7 years, but depending on the position it could be 10 years on both education and credit.

Does JP Morgan do a background check? ›

JPM runs background check before or after the written offer letter? Background and Fingerprints are done.

Does Bank of America hire people with bad credit? ›

It is not a requirement to have good credit to work at Bank of America.

What is a red flag in a background check? ›

Employers should keep an eye out for potential red flags during the background check process, such as criminal convictions relevant to the job, fabricated employment or education history, discrepancies in personal information, or negative professional references.

What is the lowest level background check? ›

The minimum investigation required for a Low-Risk position is the National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI), which entails a National Agency Check, law enforcement check, records search, credit check, and written inquiries of pervious/current employers, education, residence, and references.

How far back do most background checks go? ›

Generally, most background checks cover the past seven years. This is because of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which puts a restriction on how much of the past can be searched for most data.

Do all banks use ChexSystems? ›

While most banks and credit unions use ChexSystems or another consumer reporting agency, there are several that offer what's called second-chance banking. These financial institutions either don't check your ChexSystems report at all, or they're willing to look past some negative items.

Does Wells Fargo use ChexSystems? ›

Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo currently operates some 7,200 branches and 13,000 ATMs. While the bank runs customers through ChexSystems for some of its accounts, some accounts bypass this check. These special accounts give those customers who have a bad credit history an opportunity to open an account with them.

How long do you stay in ChexSystems? ›

Our current practice is to retain record of reported information for a period of five years from the report date unless the source of the information requests its removal or ChexSystems becomes obligated to remove it under applicable law or policy.

Why are all banks denying me? ›

Such negative activities that show up on your report and hurt your approval chances include bouncing checks, leaving an overdraft balance unpaid, abusing a debit card or applying for too many accounts in a short period of time, according to credit bureau Experian.

Why won't banks accept me? ›

You can be denied a bank account for suspected fraud, a closed account with a negative balance, too many returned checks, excessive overdrafts, or too many inquiries. If you're denied, you can review your reports and look into second-chance accounts.

Why did Chase bank deny me? ›

There can be many reasons why your Chase credit card application was denied. In most cases, it's one of the following: Your credit score is too low. You don't have enough income.

Does Citibank hire felons? ›

No, Citigroup does not hire felons. Being that they are in the highly regulated finance industry they also will not hire anyone with misdemeanor convictions that are related to violence, theft, or fraud.

Does Huntington bank hire felons? ›

As a federally regulated financial institution, Huntington is prohibited from employing anyone who has been convicted of (or agreed to a pre-trial diversion program for) a criminal offense involving dishonesty, breach of trust, money laundering or drug trafficking.

Does Truist hire felons? ›

No they will not hire you with a criminal record.

Why do banks ask for employment status? ›

Verifying employment and salary: In some cases, such as in the mortgage approval process, the lender will contact your employer to confirm the employment history and income information you provided. This helps the lender ensure that you meet their borrower qualification requirements.

Can employers see if you were fired? ›

You are right to be aware that your prospective employer may check on the reasons you left your job. Most employers conduct background or reference checks during the interview process. If you've been terminated for cause, it may well come up during their investigation.

Do banks check credit score for employment? ›

The Likelihood of a Credit Check

As a bank teller, you're dealing with financial instruments and sensitive information all day long. There's no getting around it; banks perform background checks on job candidates, and a credit check is part of that process.

Do banks verify employment after closing? ›

Sometimes lenders do a third VOE after closing. There may be a variety of reasons for this. First, it could be that the mortgage institution is undergoing an audit. Perhaps a third party is checking that the mortgage company employees took all the proper steps to verify the information on your loan application.

What is a full verification of employment? ›

Employment verification is the process of confirming a job candidate's past work history. Doing so ensures the candidate has the experience necessary to perform the intended job well. Employment verification can also reveal false employment claims, gaps in employment, or fabrication of job titles.

How do underwriters verify income? ›

Your underwriter needs to know that you have enough income to cover your mortgage payments every month. To prove this, you need to provide three types of documents to verify your income: W-2s from the last 2 years, your two most recent bank statements and your two most recent pay stubs.

Do banks actually call references? ›

Clark says the loan companies don't usually contact the references. “They may not ask anything, they're just going to check them out,” he says. So, the next time you apply for a loan and are asked for personal references, you may want to be a bit judicious when selecting your contacts.

Can I say I quit if I was fired? ›

You can say whatever you want when you apply for a new job. I don't want you filling out automated applications, so you don't have to worry about that, but you may get the question “Were you fired or did you quit?” from a recruiter or a hiring manager, and you can say “I decided it was time to go.”

Do companies really call your old employer and ask about your employment there? ›

Most times, they will speak with the human resources department or your previous supervisor. However, employers most often contact previous employers to verify you are accurately representing your experience with them, rather than get a review of your time with them.

What type of background check does Morgan Stanley do? ›

Keep in mind that Morgan Stanley will perform a background check prior to an offer of employment. This background check will look for misdemeanor and felony convictions at both the state and federal levels.

How thorough is cisive? ›

Cisive reviews applicant-identifying information up to five times. Our attention to detail in every criminal history check has yielded an impressive 99.9993% accuracy rate — adding to the confidence and assurance that you have screened the right candidate and minimizing your exposure to liability.

Are background checks outsourced? ›

In many cases, the responsibility of running background checks on new applicants relies on staffing agencies to complete and manage the process. There are several reasons a company might choose to have its staffing agencies run background checks on potential employees.

What are two things that bank examiners look for when assessing banks? ›

What is a bank examination?
  • Competence of bank management.
  • Quality of bank assets, principally loans ("safety and soundness")
  • Compliance with federal banking regulations.

How often are banks examined? ›

More specifically, institutions with aggregate assets of $250 million or less and a CRA rating of “Outstanding” are subject to a CRA examination no more than once every 60 months.

What company does Bank of America use for background checks? ›

They use the BIG Report, a credible company that validates in a timely manner. They do a thorough backround and drug screening check.

Does Chase Bank check education? ›

Yes they verify your resume. Education claims are verified.

Do employers actually verify education? ›

Education credentials employers most often verify

Over time, employers may value the experience and skills you bring over where you went to school and what kind of degree you have, but those things are key when starting out.”

Will Bank of America hire you with a misdemeanor? ›

Being that they are in the highly regulated finance industry they also will not hire anyone with misdemeanor convictions that are related to violence, theft, or fraud.

Do background checks look at bank transactions? ›

No. Information regarding debt will show up but not your savings, checking, or investment accounts.

How do you get around a background check? ›

Your best bet to beat that background check isn't to lie, but to tell the truth. If ban the box policies are enforced where you live, know that this kind of law restricts employers from asking about criminal history on the job application. It also often delays the background check until late in the screening process.

What is a soft background check? ›

A soft inquiry is when a lender pulls your credit score or accesses limited information rather than your entire credit report. When a soft inquiry is made, it is shown as an inquiry rather than a pulling of your credit report.

Do security clearance look at bank statements? ›

If you've never been subjected to this line of questioning during a security clearance background investigation, you may be surprised to learn that, yes, the government does review your finances as part of the process, albeit not in the way you may think.

Do banks look at your accounts? ›

The lender will review these bank statements to verify your income and expense history as stated on your loan application. They will also review your account balance information to make sure that you have sufficient liquid assets to pay for your down payment and closing costs.

How do I get a job with a bad background? ›

Even if you have a bad background check, having impressive references can help you to still obtain the position you are applying for. A good reference can vouch for your character and argue why you are a good fit for the position despite any issues regarding your background check.

What if I don't get a response after background check? ›

If you still do not get any response, it means your employer is still engaged in the background check of applicants. Hence, you must wait for at least a week to follow up next time for the required details.

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