How far back does profile advantage background check go

How secure is the First Advantage system?
Ohio State Cybersecurity requires completion of a Third Party Risk Assessment for service providers who may transmit and/or store institutional data. First Advantage has a complete and satisfactory assessment.  You can also view the vendors’ privacy policy for more information regarding security and data protections.


Why does the Background Check Disclosure and Authorization form state “some or all records related to my consumer report may be subject to release as a public record pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 149.43 or related statutes?”
Ohio State is a public institution and, therefore, most of our records are subject to public records requests. However, personal identifying information such as social security number, home address and date of birth will be redacted when responding to these requests. In addition, specifically with the background check reports, a specific report would need to be explicitly requested. If such background check results were requested through a public records request, we would inform the consumer before releasing his/her information.


What do I do if I am locked out of my First Advantage application?
Please reach out to for assistance.


I started the First Advantage application but I cannot change the country of residence I selected, what should I do?
The country of residence cannot be altered once it has been selected. Please reach out to and request a new application.


What information should be included within the criminal history section of the application?
The background check application requires self-disclosure of felony and misdemeanor convictions, regardless of age. Misdemeanors include DUI/OVI. Traffic infractions such as speeding, stop sign and turn signals do not need to be reported. Providing any false or omitting any information on the application may be sufficient grounds for rejection or termination of employment.


How do I get a copy of my First Advantage report?
You may request a free copy of your report during the application process. If it was not requested during the time of completion, please send a written request to .


I received an additional email requesting the removal of a credit freeze in order to complete my SSN Validation. Why is that?
Completion of a SSN Validation with address history is a required search in order to complete a background check.  The vendor utilizes credit header info to pull name and address information reported from one of the major credit bureaus. The search cannot be conducted if there is a freeze on the account. The vendor is unable to utilize a temporary pin number to access the information.

By Sergei Lemberg | Updated on October 1st, 2022

First Advantage Corporation is one of numerous employment background check agencies you’re likely to face during your job search. Find out who they are, what they do, and what rights you have under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)

What is First Advantage Background Services Corp?

First Advantage Background Services Corp., which also does business under First Advantage Corporation (“First Advantage”), is a Symphony Technology Group Company that was founded in 1990, and is based in Georgia. The company offers employment background screening services in the United States and internationally. It boasts that it has “26 locations, with 4,000+ employees completing background checks in 200+ countries and territories.” Due to its “robust combination of searches and services” that help clients from small business to global companies reduce risk and “dramatically” improve the quality of their talent, First Advantage has become “a trusted partner to over 35,000 organizations worldwide.”

The company provides virtually every type of screening and background check by using the applicant’s name, birth date and social security number including:

  • Sex offender registry
  • County, state, national, and federal criminal checks
  • County and federal civil checks
  • Global Watchlist Search
  • Driving records
  • National and international employment and education checks
  • Personal and professional references
  • Drug checks
  • Credit checks
  • Social Security number tracing

They also offer post-employment screening, including drug testing. The company is accredited by the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS).

Have questions? Call us now at 844-685-8100 for a Free Case Evaluation.

Our services are absolutely FREE to you.

The harassing company pays our fees.

Were You Harmed By False Information or Errors In Your First Advantage Corporation Report?

Whether you get hired or promoted often depends on the information learned from an employment background check. A background check can come in many shapes and sizes. It may be as simple as verifying your social security number. Or it may include a detailed report of your credit and criminal history, or even information gathered from interviews of your friends and neighbors about your character and reputation.

Whatever the scope of the background check, the FCRA sets strict standards for how employers and background check companies get consent for and conduct background checks, and what they can do with the information they find.

If a background check company like First Advantage fails to meet those standards, the FCRA gives you rights.

You may have a claim if a background check error cost you a job

Common Mistakes On Employee Background Checks:

Background checks are susceptible to errors. Individuals who handle public and private data about you can make mistakes and computer systems can also fail to to be accurate. Here are some of the most common causes for inaccurate info showing on your report:

  1. Wrong or incomplete data in original documents
  2. Typos such as number transposition
  3. Copying, filing, and search mistakes
  4. File corruption in computer system
  5. Duplicate information
  6. Outdated negative information
  7. Mistaken identity
  8. Identity theft

A Summary of Your Rights Under the FCRA

You have a right to know if an employer will use information from a background check against you and an employer cannot obtain background check information without your express written consent.

A background check company cannot hand over your information to an employer unless the employer certifies that: (1) it has “clearly and conspicuously” disclosed to you in a separate document that it may obtain a background check; (2) you have authorized it to get the background check; and (3) it will provide you with advance notice of any adverse action based in any part on the background check report, a copy of the report, and a summary of your rights under the FCRA.

What if I get an adverse action notice from an employer after a background check?

If an employer takes “adverse action” against you by denying you a job based partly or completely on information in a background check report, the employer must give you notice of that fact. The adverse action notice must include the contact information for the background check company and an explanation of your rights to dispute the report.

Can criminal convictions appear on my background check after 7 years?

Yes, but a background check company must take reasonable steps to ensure its report is as accurate as possible. The FCRA also puts limits on the negative information a tenant screening report can include. A report cannot list civil suits, judgments, arrest records, paid tax liens, accounts in collection or most other negative information after 7 years, or bankruptcies after 10 years. It also cannot list expunged convictions. However misdemeanor or felony criminal convictions that go on record and are accurate can stay on your background check indefinitely.

Can I dispute a false disposition on my background check report?

If you don’t get a job because of information in a background check report, you are entitled to a copy of the report. You also have the right to dispute the report if it has errors or includes information it shouldn’t. If you dispute a report, the background check company must investigate and correct any errors within 30 days.

Background Check Error Cost you A Job?

We'll clean the errors and get you the compensation you deserve

Did they tell you about the check? Were there errors?

Don't let this happen again. No cost to you.

Can I Sue First Advantage Corporation if my background report includes errors?

If you lost out on a job or promotion because a First Advantage background check report included inaccurate or illegal information, you may be able to sue in federal court. If you sue and win, you may be entitled to your actual damages or statutory damages up to $1,000, plus punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, and costs.

Actual Complaints

Hardworking people just like you who lost job opportunities due to an inaccurate or unfair First Advantage employment background check report have already sued the company for FCRA violations. Justia and Pacerlists at least 82 federal civil lawsuits against them, including cases that allege violations of the FCRA due to improper employment screening reports.

For example, on December 11, 2017, a consumer sued the agency in California in a case pending in the federal district court for the Northern District of California for violating the FCRA in connection with an employment background check and that he lost employment opportunities and suffered emotional distress, reputational harm and other damages. The complainant alleged that she applied for a job with Marmaxx Group DC, which required a background check as part of the application process. First Advantage prepared the background check but failed to use reasonable procedures to ensure the maximum accuracy possible of the report as the FCRA requires. According to the complainant, the company falsely listed two misdemeanor convictions on the complainant’s report when, in fact, the complainant was not the defendant charged with the misdemeanors and was never convicted of such misdemeanors. As a result of the inaccurate background check, Marmaxx declined to hire the complainant.

This is just one of dozens of federal civil FCRA lawsuits filed against First Advantage. Many of those lawsuits allege that the agency did not take reasonable steps to verify criminal background information and, as a result, falsely branded the complainants as convicted felons and caused them to lose job opportunities. Several complainants filed their lawsuits as class action complaints, on behalf of themselves and similarly situated people.

The BBB and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) have also received complaints alleging First Advantage violated the FCRA in connection with employment background checks. The BBB has received 73 complaints about First Advantage in the last three years, with 25 closed in the last 12 months. The CFPB has received 265 complaints about this CRA since December 2012. Most of the complaints to the BBB and CFPB allege that this agency reports falsely listed felony convictions, included expunged, outdated, or incorrect information, or misidentified the subject of the report. Some complaints also allege that FA was not responsive or did not properly handle disputes about inaccurate information.

Contact Information

First Advantage
1 Concourse Parkway NE, Suite 200,
Atlanta, GA, 30328.
Phone: 800-888-5773
Website: https://fadv.com/

Ready to Assert Your FCRA Rights?

Fired or Not Hired Because of a First Advantage error? If so, you’re in the right place.

● Our 12-year track record of helping hardworking, regular people just like you speaks for itself. We have the experience, knowledge, and dedication to get you the best results possible.
● We’ve helped more than 25,000 consumers recover more than $50 million.
● We work to restore your reputation and get you the compensation you deserve. You focus on living your life.
● We care because we know what it’s like to lose out on a job because a faceless company didn’t follow the law.
● We will fight hard for you and won’t stop. We are not afraid to stand up to big, powerful companies. That’s what we do.
● It won’t cost you a penny out of pocket – you pay nothing until we win money for you.

Our mission is to fight for your rights. ✊

If you’re ready to assert your rights and fight incorrect information in your background check, we can help you get justice. Complete our form for a FREE case evaluation, or call 844-685-9200 NOW

What Our Clients are Saying

“Thank you so very much! God bless you all. I am still so thankful for the blessing of finding you online. I know it’s early, but I want to wish EVERYONE at Lemberg Law a WONDERFUL holiday season!”

“I have had experiences before with legal teams and I can say without a doubt that Lemberg Law has certainly earned their reputation the old fashioned way…being relentless in representing their client’s best interest.”

How far back does profile advantage background check go

About the Author:

Sergei Lemberg is a lawyer whose practice focuses on consumer law, class actions and personal injury litigation. He has been repeatedly recognized as the “most active consumer attorney” in the country. In 2020, Mr. Lemberg represented Noah Duguid in the United States Supreme Court in the case entitled Duguid v. Facebook. He is the author of Defanging Debt Collectors, a book that teaches consumers how to battle debt collectors and win.

See more posts from Sergei Lemberg

How far back do most background checks go for employment?

In general, background checks for employment typically cover seven years of criminal and court records, but may go back further depending on federal and state laws and what is being searched.

Does First Advantage Call previous employers?

They will contact the source, such as university for education, former employer for employment and courthouse for criminal. As soon as the source provides the information the background check with be completed.

How long does it take Profile advantage to do a background check?

It really depends on the applicant, as everyone's background is different. The typical response we give our hiring managers is 7–10 days is average. However, as stated before since each applicant is different depending on where they might have resided sometimes the background checks in certain areas many take longer.

What's the longest time a background check can take to come back?

Under perfect conditions, a background check takes one to three business days. However, one can take up to 14 days or longer, depending on the scope of the searches. There are steps built into the process that take time, such as: Reviewing the list of job applicants.