SentryLink

04/11/14 Dear [redacted],We received a call from [redacted] regarding her report and we explained how reports are processed online. Noted on her account were the remarks she stated to our customer service rep. We sent her an email explaining the same information. See below:We match...

on first name, last name, and date of birth even if a social security number is supplied, because only ~10% of criminal records have social security numbers associated with them. Due to identity theft reasons, courts usually will not send the SSN in the actual report. On rare occasions this means that someone else with the same name and birth date can appear on the report along with the person you are interested in. This is how the report is designed to operate.If you do not see the person you are looking for, they do not have a record with us and if you need to verify that the individual does not have a record, you may contact the county where the records were produced. They will most likely ask you to send a copy of the report you processed through SentryLink, and the authorization form the potential employee signed.Please contact our company if you have any further questions.Sincerely,SentryLink Customer Service www.sentrylink.comPlease contact me if you need further information.Sincerely,

04/28/2014Hello,[redacted] called regarding his report and we explained to him that all reports online are based on first name, 04/28/2014last name and date of birth. Criminal records are no longer sent over based on SSN because of identity theft. But since we still have some historic...

records in our database listed with an SSN, we will search it separately if entered. If the report has a hit from the SSN listed at the top the report, it will state it in the records showing in the report returned. No records in his report came back based on the SSN. To receive a report based solely on his SSN he would need to be finger printed.We do not refund in this case.Below is the email we sent before speaking to him:We match on first name, last name, and date of birth even if a social security number is supplied, because only ~10% of criminal records have social security numbers associated with them. Due to identity theft reasons, courts usually will not send the SSN in the actual report. On rare occasions this means that someone else with the same name and birth date can appear on the report along with the person you are interested in. This is how the report is designed to operate.If you do not see the person you are looking for, they do not have a record with us and if you need to verify that the individual does not have a record, you may contact the county where the records were produced. They will most likely ask you to send a copy of the report you processed through SentryLink, and the authorization form the potential employee signed.Please contact our company if you have any further questions.Sincerely,

From: Michelle P[redacted] Date: Wed, Dec 30, 2015 at 8:10 PMSubject: Fwd: Re: Letter for SentryTo: [redacted]@myRevdex.com.orgDear [redacted], This dispute was resolved with [redacted] on December 1, 2015. There was one pre-paid corporate account setup through [redacted]...

[redacted]. The new employee setup a personal individual account through SentryLink with her email address. We do not get notification for individual use setups. The are two totally different entities. If she would've sent over paperwork to properly setup an corporate account we then would be notified and could have avoided this issue. I did credit them the difference. Please see the email thread listed below. I can reached at [redacted] x[redacted] if you need any further information. Sincerely, Michelle P[redacted] SentryLink, LLC Customer Service Managerwww.sentrylink.com ###-###-#### Office ###-###-#### Fax -------- Forwarded Message --------Subject: Re: Letter for SentryDate: Tue, 1 Dec 2015 17:39:13 -0500From: Michelle P[redacted] <[redacted]@sentrylink.com>Reply-To: [redacted]@sentrylink.comOrganization: SentryLinkTo: [redacted].comCC: [redacted] <[redacted].com>Dear [redacted] and [redacted],Thank you for contacting SentryLink.We never received an email stating to add a new user. Our system allows for individual setups with an email address. The system will not automatically link/merge email domains. SentryLink is committed to the security of our customers and clients. To update or change any information listed on your company's account, we ask that all requests originate from the email address listed on the most current User Agreement Form/ Pre-pay form ([redacted]). This includes, but is not limited to: adding additional users, changing the email address listed on the account, billing updates, etc.There were 44 reports processed @ $19.95per search by user [redacted].com. We have issued a credit of ($5.00 x 44) $220.00 to your credit card #37[redacted]. Please contact our office Monday through Friday, 9am until 6pm EST at ###-###-#### / ###-###-#### if you need further assistance.Transaction ReceiptTransaction ID: [redacted] Result Code: 0[redacted] Transaction ID: [redacted] Timestamp: Dec 01, 2015 13:04:26 PM Response Message: ApprovedTransaction Type: CreditAuthorization Code: Tender Type: [redacted] AVS Street Match: Credit Card Number: [redacted] AVS Zip Match : Credit Card Expiration: 10 / 2019 International AVS Indicator: Amount: 220.00 USD Card Security Code Match: Tax Amount: 0.00 USD ABA #: Shipping/Freight Amount: 0.00 USD Cust Ref #: Duty Amount: 0.00 USD Recurring: NoOriginal Amount: 2,000.00 USD Payment Advice Code:What's this ? Original Transaction ID: [redacted] Supplier Reference #:   Comment 1: [redacted] Care (CREDIT) Per management - Michelle P[redacted] Comment 2: Reports processed by individual user [redacted].com/ Approved By [redacted] Sincerely, Michelle P[redacted] SentryLink, LLC Customer Service Managerwww.sentrylink.com ###-###-#### Office ###-###-#### Fax  On 12/1/2015 10:25 AM, [redacted] wrote:To Whom This May Concern: We are writing to inform you about an issue that we are having with your services. Our business, [redacted], uses Sentry Link to perform our background checks. Our previous employee created an account under the e-mail [redacted].com. On June 17, 2015 she created a prepayment plan for $2,000 in order to reduce our rate per background check from $19.95/check to $15/check. On September 8, 2015 there was a credit of $545 remaining on our account. On September 16, 2015, our previous employee suddenly terminated her employment with us and a new employee started. She created an account with her e-mail address [redacted].com under the impression that the accounts would be merged and our credit applied, as the accounts were created for the business, not a specific employee. It has recently come to our attention that this was not the case and Sentry Link inaccurately charged us the full $19.95 for every background check and did not apply our prepaid funds to the balance. Because of this, our agency has incurred charges of $7,466.30. We have contacted your company in an effort to resolve this efficiently, as this was clearly an error. We are seeking to have the two accounts merged so that there is one, accurate, up-to-date account for our business. We are then seeking the amount for all checks since we entered into the prepayment agreement on June 17, 2015 to be credited to our account so that we were only charged $15/check, as agreed upon in the prepayment contract. This amount should then be removed from our credit, rather than billed separately.  We look forward to hearing from you quickly, as we hope to continue our business relationship with you in an amicable manner. Please let us know if you have further questions or concerns.Best, [redacted]P: ###-###-#### Ext. [redacted]
[redacted]Brooklyn, NY [redacted] Bronx Office[redacted]Bronx, NY [redacted]Hudson Valley Office[redacted]Chestnut Ridge, NY [redacted]

From: Michelle P[redacted] Date: Wed, Dec 30, 2015 at 8:10 PMSubject: Fwd: Re: Letter for SentryTo: [redacted]@myRevdex.com.orgDear [redacted], This dispute was resolved with [redacted] on December 1, 2015. There was one pre-paid corporate account setup through [redacted]. The new employee setup a...

personal individual account through SentryLink with her email address. We do not get notification for individual use setups. The are two totally different entities. If she would've sent over paperwork to properly setup an corporate account we then would be notified and could have avoided this issue. I did credit them the difference. Please see the email thread listed below. I can reached at [redacted] if you need any further information. Sincerely, Michelle P[redacted] SentryLink, LLC Customer Service Managerwww.sentrylink.com ###-###-#### Office ###-###-#### Fax -------- Forwarded Message --------Subject: Re: Letter for SentryDate: Tue, 1 Dec 2015 17:39:13 -0500From: Michelle P[redacted] <[redacted]@sentrylink.com>Reply-To: [redacted]@sentrylink.comOrganization: SentryLinkTo: [redacted].comCC: [redacted] <[redacted].com>Dear [redacted] and [redacted],Thank you for contacting SentryLink.We never received an email stating to add a new user. Our system allows for individual setups with an email address. The system will not automatically link/merge email domains. SentryLink is committed to the security of our customers and clients. To update or change any information listed on your company's account, we ask that all requests originate from the email address listed on the most current User Agreement Form/ Pre-pay form ([redacted]). This includes, but is not limited to: adding additional users, changing the email address listed on the account, billing updates, etc.There were 44 reports processed @ $19.95per search by user [redacted].com. We have issued a credit of ($5.00 x 44) $220.00 to your credit card #37[redacted]. Please contact our office Monday through Friday, 9am until 6pm EST at ###-###-#### / ###-###-#### if you need further assistance.Transaction ReceiptTransaction ID: [redacted] Result Code: 0[redacted] Transaction ID: [redacted] Timestamp: Dec 01, 2015 13:04:26 PM Response Message: ApprovedTransaction Type: CreditAuthorization Code: Tender Type: [redacted] AVS Street Match: Credit Card Number: [redacted] AVS Zip Match : Credit Card Expiration: 10 / 2019 International AVS Indicator: Amount: 220.00 USD Card Security Code Match: Tax Amount: 0.00 USD ABA #: Shipping/Freight Amount: 0.00 USD Cust Ref #: Duty Amount: 0.00 USD Recurring: NoOriginal Amount: 2,000.00 USD Payment Advice Code:What's this ? Original Transaction ID: [redacted] Supplier Reference #:   Comment 1: [redacted] Care (CREDIT) Per management - Michelle P[redacted] Comment 2: Reports processed by individual user [redacted].com/ Approved By [redacted] Sincerely, Michelle P[redacted] SentryLink, LLC Customer Service Managerwww.sentrylink.com ###-###-#### Office ###-###-#### Fax  On 12/1/2015 10:25 AM, [redacted] wrote:To Whom This May Concern: We are writing to inform you about an issue that we are having with your services. Our business, [redacted], uses Sentry Link to perform our background checks. Our previous employee created an account under the e-mail [redacted].com. On June 17, 2015 she created a prepayment plan for $2,000 in order to reduce our rate per background check from $19.95/check to $15/check. On September 8, 2015 there was a credit of $545 remaining on our account. On September 16, 2015, our previous employee suddenly terminated her employment with us and a new employee started. She created an account with her e-mail address [redacted].com under the impression that the accounts would be merged and our credit applied, as the accounts were created for the business, not a specific employee. It has recently come to our attention that this was not the case and Sentry Link inaccurately charged us the full $19.95 for every background check and did not apply our prepaid funds to the balance. Because of this, our agency has incurred charges of $7,466.30. We have contacted your company in an effort to resolve this efficiently, as this was clearly an error. We are seeking to have the two accounts merged so that there is one, accurate, up-to-date account for our business. We are then seeking the amount for all checks since we entered into the prepayment agreement on June 17, 2015 to be credited to our account so that we were only charged $15/check, as agreed upon in the prepayment contract. This amount should then be removed from our credit, rather than billed separately.  We look forward to hearing from you quickly, as we hope to continue our business relationship with you in an amicable manner. Please let us know if you have further questions or concerns.Best, [redacted]P: ###-###-#### Ext. [redacted]Brooklyn, NY [redacted] Bronx Office[redacted]Bronx, NY [redacted]Hudson Valley Office[redacted]Chestnut Ridge, NY [redacted]

July 21, 2014Hello,We match on first name, last name, and date of birth even if a social security number is supplied, because only ~10% of criminal records have social security numbers associated with them. Due to identity theft reasons, courts usually will not send the SSN in the actual...

report. On rare occasions this means that someone else with the same name and birth date can appear on the report along with the person you are interested in. We are often asked how another person's data could appear on a report, even with a social security number. This can happen when a particular court system, due to privacy concerns, prevents social security numbers from being searched. Once we've been made aware of it we do have the ability to require an SSN match as well, and we will forward that request to our data furnisher so that future reports will not have an issue. Once the report has been update we will send David Nesbitt a copy of the new report. We do not give refunds in this case.Sincerely, Michelle P[redacted] SentryLink, LLCRefund PolicyFor criminal checks and other instant search products:For criminal checks or social security traces the result “No records found” is considered a successful result and no refund will apply -- in providing the report, we are certifying that this person has no criminal records in our database (for criminal reports), or cautioning at the lack of SSN records (for SSN traces). For property reports, if no records are found, you will not be charged.We will not refund fees for cases in which the user enters incorrect information, nor is SentryLink obligated to rerun a report with corrected information.Because our data comes from public records, we cannot guarantee that information will be complete or fully up-to-date. We urge our customers to review the Coverage section of our site for details on exactly what we cover and how often jurisdictions update their records. Criminal records in particular may have anomalies for any of the following reasons:• The person was not convicted -- arrest records alone do not generate a criminal record.• The record was expunged or sealed• The offense was under a different name or date of birth• The jurisdiction made an error in recording the name or date or birthIt is also possible to get criminal records that are not the same person that you were searching for, particularly with common names. The computer does not filter results based on race or sex. Because social security numbers are present in only 18% of criminal records, we do not require it to match. Identity verification is a complex area that is not covered by a search of this nature. This is a general problem and not specific to SentryLink. We provide as much defendant information as possible in order to help you decide if that particular record is relevant or not.For these reasons and the fact that we pay for every search submitted, we cannot guarantee full satisfaction for our instant search products.

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: You shouldn't be making claims that you can find out all kinds of information on an individual when you now admit you can't. This should be in bold lettering as soon as accessing the website if this is the case.
I not only had the proper name and birthdate, I also included the SSN.
Charging me the $19.95 for nothing is ridiculous.
Regards,
[redacted]

Good Morning,
Thank you for contacting customer service. I am sorry that [redacted] was disappointed in the results of his criminal report.
In this case we received the following email from [redacted] and requested for him to contact our...

office:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------...⇄ /> ------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject:     Re: [redacted], $19.95 [redacted] Approval: 8/20/15 1:01 AM EST
Date:     Thu, 20 Aug 2015 05:09:00 +0000
From:     [redacted].com
To:     [redacted]@sentrylink.com <[redacted]@sentrylink.com>
Greetings,
I would like a full refund for this service.  Your site claims
you use public records.  As well, your report said I have no criminal
history.  Please see the attached Court Docket proving otherwise.  This
information is not expunged and is still available (for free I may add)
on the County’s Prothonotary  website, where I obtained the attached
PDF.
    Thank you,
    [redacted]
    Transaction ID:    [redacted]
Sent from [redacted] Mail
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------...⇄ /> ------ Forwarded Message --------
Subject:     SentryLink
Date:     Thu, 20 Aug 2015 13:36:21 -0400
From:     [redacted] <[redacted]@sentrylink.com>
Reply-To:     [redacted]@sentrylink.com
Organization:     SentryLink Customer Service
To:     [redacted].com
Dear [redacted],
Please contact our customer service department Monday through Friday 9am until 6pm EST. Toll Free ###-###-####.
Sincerely,
Maria H[redacted]
SentryLink, LLC
Customer Service Dept.
###-###-#### Office
###-###-#### Fax
www.sentrylink.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------...⇄ /> [redacted] attached a copy of
the records he believed we were missing in our report. (please see attachment) Our report stands
correct. The Court of Common Pleas sends records date back to 2000.
Since each state is different as to how far back the records go and
which states/counties are covered, we ask customers to check
coverage on the search page, and the User Agreement before
purchasing. A full
description of our database can be found in the "COVERAGE" section of our site, at [redacted] You do not need an account to view that information.
Please contact me if you have any further questions or need further assistance.
Sincerely,
Michelle P[redacted]
SentryLink, LLC
Customer Service Manager
www.sentrylink.com
###-###-#### Office
###-###-#### Fax

Be very careful with this company. They do not know how to properly invoice or treat their customers. We constantly have to call for invoice copies, upon which they told us that we need to go to their website & retrieve ourselves. First we were told ALL invoices are emailed, when I asked for just one 'read receipt', they then told me that we are responsible to go to their website & get our own invoices. How unprofessional is this, I bet every business wishes they did not have to send invoices. So Sentry evidently feels customers now work for them. They hold customer responsible for slow payment when they cannot even send an invoice. I called to try & talk to upper management, got a woman named Michelle Parker, who was rude & told me she was recording our conversation (I will report them to the Federal Regulators later on). I asked to speak to the CFO or Controller, she indicated there was no one above her. Bottom line they do not understand simple accounting language & are abusive to customers. I am not sure where Michelle or Maria in sales, received their management customer service training. Probably from the drive up at McDonald's. Run away from this company!

Beware!!! YOU WILL NEVER A YOUR REFUND!!! Even if they have errors in their Report. I purchased Sentrylink to run a criminal background check for someone I know has a criminal history, it did not show up on the Sentrylink criminal background Report. They try to justify their claim in that told me that their database could be different from the one they are using in my state! What a RIP OFF!

Beware!!! YOU WILL NEVER A YOUR REFUND!!! Even if they are errors in their Report. I purchased Sentrylink to run a criminal background check for someone I know has a criminal history, it did not show up on the Sentrylink criminal background Report. They try to justify their claim in that told me that their database could be different from the one they are using in my state! What a RIP OFF!

Review: This company claims to offer "criminal background checks". I chose this company as a background check was required for my college.

Once I submitted my information, I was given a record of all the people that share my name who had ever been convicted. The company does not search by SSN. I contacted the company several times to try and get a criminal background check for MYSELF and something stating I had never been convicted of a crime. I was told that someone must be fingerprinted to receive a background check, and this was the only type of service available online. The company misrepresents their product. I was charged for a record of other peoples crimes. This will not suffice for my college and is a complete waste of money.Desired Settlement: I would like a refund, as the product offered to me is completely useless for what I need and was misrepresented services.

Business

Response:

04/28/2014Hello,[redacted] called regarding his report and we explained to him that all reports online are based on first name, 04/28/2014last name and date of birth. Criminal records are no longer sent over based on SSN because of identity theft. But since we still have some historic records in our database listed with an SSN, we will search it separately if entered. If the report has a hit from the SSN listed at the top the report, it will state it in the records showing in the report returned. No records in his report came back based on the SSN. To receive a report based solely on his SSN he would need to be finger printed.We do not refund in this case.Below is the email we sent before speaking to him:We match on first name, last name, and date of birth even if a social security number is supplied, because only ~10% of criminal records have social security numbers associated with them. Due to identity theft reasons, courts usually will not send the SSN in the actual report. On rare occasions this means that someone else with the same name and birth date can appear on the report along with the person you are interested in. This is how the report is designed to operate.If you do not see the person you are looking for, they do not have a record with us and if you need to verify that the individual does not have a record, you may contact the county where the records were produced. They will most likely ask you to send a copy of the report you processed through SentryLink, and the authorization form the potential employee signed.Please contact our company if you have any further questions.Sincerely,

Review: This company was paid to deliver a background check which they were incapable of providing. They take your money but then do not deliver the product they are selling.Desired Settlement: Pay back for the service I did not receive.

Business

Response:

Dear [redacted],Thank you for contacting customer service. I am sorry that you were disappointed in the results of your criminal search.In our experience, most problems are caused by searches for records that fall outside of our stated coverage. We do not cover arrests, only convictions, and the federal court system is not covered. States often restrict online records by date, seriousness of the crime, or whether time was served. Juvenile records are sealed. We ask customers to check coverage on the search page, and the User Agreement. A full description of our database can be found in the "COVERAGE" section of our site, at [redacted]In rare cases, there can be other difficulties in obtaining a criminal record. Some possible problems include:- Name entered was spelled incorrect- Most states will not include MVR- The record was expunged or sealed- The offense was under a different name or date of birth- The jurisdiction made an error in recording the name or date or birth- The county did not pass the records up to the state level, as they should (to minimize this we try to get county records as well as state whenever possible)I am sorry that we were unable to fulfill your request. If you have any proof of a criminal record that didn’t show up in our system, and would like a refund, please send ANY and ALL COURT DOCUMENTS pertaining to those records to SentryLink, also include the report processed through SentryLink. Fax or e-mail the requested information to: (Criminal Report No Records Found) ###-###-#### (Fax) or [redacted] (E-mail). You will be contacted by SentryLink’s disclosure department via email once your case is properly researched. This usually takes about 5 days. We will investigate the findings and if there's a glitch on our end we will fix the problem, and process a full refund.Sincerely,SentryLink, LLC www.sentrylink.com

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because: this is not what I received from the company. See the attached email I provided from them. If I were able to obtain court documents, I wouldn't have requested their services.

"I am sorry that we were unable to fulfill your request. If you have any proof of a criminal record that didn’t show up in our system, and would like a refund, please send ANY and ALL COURT DOCUMENTS pertaining to those records to SentryLink, also include the report processed through SentryLink."

Regards,

Business

Response:

Hello,

As stated in the previous response, she will need file a dispute in order for SentryLink to contact the courts and investigate. That is the protocol we must follow to request a refund.

Sincerely,

[redacted] Parker

SentryLink, LLC

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because: It does not matter whether I receive a refund or not. At this point, I don't care. The point is that this business is a hoax and this should be prevented from future buyers. They are unable to provide the service they sell and that is why they receive so many complaints, which they are all true. Agree to disagree.

Regards,

Review: The information I was presented with was incorrect and obsolete. When I called and requested to speak with a supervisor, I was told that there wasn't one on duty. As I continued to express my concern, I was interrupted and yelled at then hung up on. My request for a refund was denied. When I called back from the same number, I was sent to a voice mail. Upon calling from a different number immediately following, my call was answered by [redacted]. She gave me an email address to use but denied my request of a refund; my email was not responded to.Desired Settlement: I expect to receive a full refund of $19.95. I would also like my information erased from Sentry Link's systems.

Business

Response:

04/11/14 Dear [redacted],We received a call from [redacted] regarding her report and we explained how reports are processed online. Noted on her account were the remarks she stated to our customer service rep. We sent her an email explaining the same information. See below:We match on first name, last name, and date of birth even if a social security number is supplied, because only ~10% of criminal records have social security numbers associated with them. Due to identity theft reasons, courts usually will not send the SSN in the actual report. On rare occasions this means that someone else with the same name and birth date can appear on the report along with the person you are interested in. This is how the report is designed to operate.If you do not see the person you are looking for, they do not have a record with us and if you need to verify that the individual does not have a record, you may contact the county where the records were produced. They will most likely ask you to send a copy of the report you processed through SentryLink, and the authorization form the potential employee signed.Please contact our company if you have any further questions.Sincerely,SentryLink Customer Service www.sentrylink.comPlease contact me if you need further information.Sincerely,

Review: I purchased a National Criminal Records Report from Sentrylink to see the information in my background that I know exists. Sentrylink provide a false report showing no criminal information.Desired Settlement: I would like SentryLink to Provide me the criminal information in my background that I have paid For.

Business

Response:

June 9, 2014Hello [redacted],[redacted] entered and requested the following search:Report dated: 3/31/14 June 9, 2014First name = [redacted] Last name = [redacted]Alternate last name (maiden) = [redacted] Date of birth = 06/16/1972 SSN = [redacted] Jurisdiction = ALLBefore purchasing we show the following (sample):National Criminal Records ReportName Birth Date SSNJohn Doe 01/01/1970 123456789Please double-check the information above, as we cannot issue refunds due to user error! Need to change these values? Click here.Results will appear on screen approximately 60 seconds after you have submitted your search, and a copy will also be e-mailed to you.As resellers, we pay for every search submitted, therefore we do not give refunds for user error.However, we can offer you a $10 refund for a corrected search. If you are interested in this option, please run your new search and then send us the transaction id (XID) from your e-mail receipt and we will give you the $10 refund.Refund PolicyFor criminal checks and other instant search products:If we are unable to generate the requested report, we will give a 100% refund. For criminal checks or social security traces the result “No records found” is considered a successful result and the refund will not apply.We will not refund fees for cases in which the user enters incorrect information, nor is SentryLink obligated to rerun a report with corrected information.Because our data comes from public records, we cannot guarantee that information will be complete or fully up-to-date. We urge our customers to review the Our Data section of our site for details on exactly what we cover and how often jurisdictions update their records. Criminal records in particular may have anomalies for any of the following reasons:•The person was not convicted -- arrest records alone donot generate a criminal record.•The record was expunged or sealed•The offense was under a different name or date of birth•The jurisdiction made an error in recording the name or date or birthIt is also possible to get criminal records that are not the same person that you were searching for, particularly with common names. The computer does not filter results based on race or sex. Because social security numbers are present in only 18% of criminal records, we do not require it to match. Identity verification is a complex area that is not covered by a search of this nature.This is a general problem and not specific to SentryLink. We provide as much defendant information as possible in order to help you decide if that particular record is relevant or not.For these reasons and the fact that we pay for every search submitted, we cannot guarantee full satisfaction for our instant search products.

Review: I recently ordered a criminal background check for myself in order to use for an event I was covering for my website. The event required a background check and I found SentryLink among the first ads on a Google Search. Upon paying $19.95 for the service, they returned a faulty criminal background check with arrests belonging to another person. I contacted their customer service department to let them know of the error and I was told middle names and social security numbers are not used in their searches and that if I wanted the situation corrected I would have to call the courts in towns I have never been to and send them my personal information. They they made sure I knew there were no refunds.Desired Settlement: It does not matter to me that they have company policies of no refunds. The service paid for was not provided. Therefore a refund should be issued, or this business should not be allowed to continue giving false background checks that could possibly ruin or inconvenience potential customers.

Business

Response:

04/28/2014Hello,[redacted] called regarding his report and we explained to him that all reports online are based on first name, last name and date of birth. Criminal records are no longer sent over based on SSN because of identity theft. But since we still have some historic records in our database listed with an SSN, we will search it separately if entered. If the report has a hit from the SSN listed at the top the report, it will state it in the records showing in the report returned. No records in his report came back based on the SSN. To receive a report based solely on his SSN he would need to be finger printed.We do not refund in this case.Below is the email we sent before speaking to him:We match on first name, last name, and date of birth even if a social security number is supplied, because only ~10% of criminal records have social security numbers associated with them. Due to identity theft reasons, courts usually will not send the SSN in the actual report. On rare occasions this means that someone else with the same name and birth date can appear on the report along with the person you are interested in. This is how the report is designed to operate.If you do not see the person you are looking for, they do not have a record with us and if you need to verify that the individual does not have a record, you may contact the county where the records were produced. They will most likely ask you to send a copy of the report you processed through SentryLink, and the authorization form the potential employee signed.Please contact our company if you have any further questions.Sincerely,

Review: GAVE BACKGROUND CHECK RESULTS FOR A DIFFERENT INDIVIDUAL THAN MYSELF (FOR WHOM I REQUESTED ONLY MY OWN) THEREBY PROVIDED SENSITIVE PERSONAL INFORMATION TO ANYONE WHO TYPES IN A NAME! THIS IS A SEVERE IDENTIFY INSECURITY AS MY INFORMATION AND ANYONE ELSE'S IS ACCESSIBLE THROUGH THIS COMPANY!!! WHEN I CALLED TO COMPLAIN THEY TOLD ME ALTHOUGH THEY ASK FOR SOCIAL SECURITY FOR THE CHECK THEY ACTUALLY DO NOT USE IT TO FIND PERSONAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU INSTEAD THEY JUST GO BY YOUR NAME AND DOB?!?!?!? THEN WHY DID I PROVIDE SENSITIVE INFORMATION SUCH AS MY SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER!!! ABSOLUTE SCAM!!!

WHEN I CALLED ABOUT THIS THEY PROVIDED NO REFUND AND TOLD ME TO E-MAIL!! STILL AWAITING RESULTSDesired Settlement: TOTAL 100 PERCENT REFUND AND FOR THEM TO CHANGE THEIR SEARCH POLICY!!!!

Business

Response:

We provided [redacted] with a correct level 1 national criminal background report. This is how criminal reports are processed across the board online. States no longer provide instant criminal reports based on the social security number because of identity theft. SentryLink has historic records that list the social security number in our database, That's why we will check the social security number separately if the customer provides it. [redacted] will need to purchase a level 2 background search (finger printing)through a company that provides that service.

I have attached the email we sent to [redacted] below:

-------- Original Message --------

Subject: SentryLink Rearches

Date: Tue, 17 Dec 2013 17:58:13 -0500

From: SentryLink Customer Service <[email protected]>

To: '[redacted], [redacted]. (**-Student)' <[redacted]>

Dear [redacted],

We match on first name, last name, and date of birth even if a social

security number is supplied, because only ~10% of criminal records have

social security numbers associated with them. Due to identity theft

reasons, courts usually will not send the SSN in the actual report. On

rare occasions this means that someone else with the same name and birth

date can appear on the report along with the person you are interested in.

Sometimes the report will also pull records with the same first name, same

last name, same date of birth and different middle name or initial. This

is how the report is designed to operate.

If you do not see the person you are looking for, they do not have a

record with us or if you need to verify that the individual has or does

not have a record, you may contact the county where the records were

produced. They will most likely ask you to send a copy of the report you

processed through SentryLink, and a copy of your identification.

I regret that I must decline your request for a refund. Our refund policy

may be found at http://data.sentrylink.com/web/refundPolicy.jsp . You may

also find the link to it on the criminal search page or the payment page.

Please contact our company if you have any further questions at

###-###-####.

Thank you for using SentryLink.

Sincerely,

www.sentrylink.com

-----Original Message-----

From: [redacted], [redacted]. (**-Student) [mailto:[redacted]]

Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2013 5:36 PM

To: [redacted]

Subject: REFUND

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to request a FULL REFUND for FALSE background check results

(see below for order details). The absolutely false result enclosed

somebody else's PERSONAL INFORMATION to me. This is a severe

confidentiality breach both of my own sensitive personal identification

information and this other persons for whom I received. I will be

reporting this to the Revdex.com and have BCC'd this information to my lawyer.

Sincerely,

Please contact me if you need further information.

--

Sincerely,

SentryLink, LLC

Customer Service Manager

www.sentrylink.com

###-###-#### Office

###-###-#### Fax</[redacted]></[redacted]>

Review: Did a [redacted] search for a Co. to do a background search based on a SS #. Sentrylink came up so I logged on and put in the search name, DOB and SS #.

Got a report back that said search subject was incarcerated for 25 years. Called this person to tell them I was not interested in their services , told them a partial reason why, they disputed the info and sent me documentation substantiating his claim. So I called Sentrylink to discuss, Miss Diane J[redacted] was as rude as they come , and stated that the search was not based on a SS#, so I asked what information I was paying for. She said take it up with the Credit Card Company. So i'm filing this complaint first.Desired Settlement: Am asking that my $19.95 be returned to my credit card, as the search was incorrect, and not based on a SS# like the [redacted] search said

Business

Response:

July 21, 2014Hello,We match on first name, last name, and date of birth even if a social security number is supplied, because only ~10% of criminal records have social security numbers associated with them. Due to identity theft reasons, courts usually will not send the SSN in the actual report. On rare occasions this means that someone else with the same name and birth date can appear on the report along with the person you are interested in. We are often asked how another person's data could appear on a report, even with a social security number. This can happen when a particular court system, due to privacy concerns, prevents social security numbers from being searched. Once we've been made aware of it we do have the ability to require an SSN match as well, and we will forward that request to our data furnisher so that future reports will not have an issue. Once the report has been update we will send David Nesbitt a copy of the new report. We do not give refunds in this case.Sincerely, Michelle P[redacted] SentryLink, LLCRefund PolicyFor criminal checks and other instant search products:For criminal checks or social security traces the result “No records found” is considered a successful result and no refund will apply -- in providing the report, we are certifying that this person has no criminal records in our database (for criminal reports), or cautioning at the lack of SSN records (for SSN traces). For property reports, if no records are found, you will not be charged.We will not refund fees for cases in which the user enters incorrect information, nor is SentryLink obligated to rerun a report with corrected information.Because our data comes from public records, we cannot guarantee that information will be complete or fully up-to-date. We urge our customers to review the Coverage section of our site for details on exactly what we cover and how often jurisdictions update their records. Criminal records in particular may have anomalies for any of the following reasons:• The person was not convicted -- arrest records alone do not generate a criminal record.• The record was expunged or sealed• The offense was under a different name or date of birth• The jurisdiction made an error in recording the name or date or birthIt is also possible to get criminal records that are not the same person that you were searching for, particularly with common names. The computer does not filter results based on race or sex. Because social security numbers are present in only 18% of criminal records, we do not require it to match. Identity verification is a complex area that is not covered by a search of this nature. This is a general problem and not specific to SentryLink. We provide as much defendant information as possible in order to help you decide if that particular record is relevant or not.For these reasons and the fact that we pay for every search submitted, we cannot guarantee full satisfaction for our instant search products.

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

Sentrylink is not upfront about the use of SS #'s..I did a computer search based on criminal background checkwith SS # and Sentrylink was first in-line. When you agree to do a background check, it asks you for a SS'#.

I would just like to notify people that this company isn't that good based on a few problems I had with a background they ran on myself. Ask yourself this question have you ever had a police officer or a judge ask you for your social security number as a matter of a speeding ticket or a court case involving a speeding ticket? I bet, the answer your thinking of is no! But this company is using social security numbers for back ground checks and turning up people with the similar name but who don't have the same social security number meaning they confuse the potential employer by asking for the social security number like it has any bearing on the search which it does not! This site is not doing a thorough job. Legit background check companies go to point of origin where the record was completed to obtain a record. This company does not. This company offers their product at a far lessor price then other companies doing background checks but do far less work. All of their searches are generic and turn up any all background checks for everyone with a similar name and let you decide which records to believe or accept. Your company is risking litigation by using this company! This company does not certify or guarantee their information as accurate. I would tell you which companies in my experience are reputable and not just a money collector but this site doesn't allow that so you have to do the research on other companies for themselves. However, I will say that if its instant or a price you'll love it probably isn't accurate.