You have summed up what a lot of us feel @Snowbird. Thank you!
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I had a similar thought @blackcatsrule
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Hello Franti. I have been tryinf to use the UPLOAD on all sorts of devices and friendās phones as well as my own. No luck at all. There is no other way of sending my information to evident to be checked so im about to give up after being a member for years. I am in Auas well.
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Franti itās all very disappointing. I cannot upload anything at all.
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On reading the link posted by @Angela_L , I see this applies to everyone. For some reason, even though I am set to receive emails and I receive many from THS, I never received any notification of the new background check requirement. I propose that US members be given the option to have FBI background checks instead of one through Evident ID. An emblem designating the member has been āFBI checkedā could appear on the sitterās profile. This is much more thorough and would certainly assure any homeowner that their sitter is safe. (It would catch a Kurt Zouma.) The FBI sends the history summary to the sitter who can then mail or fax it to THS, just as we were asked to send in a driverās license. Or THS can contract with one of the FBI-approved channelers below.
There is a link on this page to FBI-approved channelers - intermediaries that expedite processing. I would be more comfortable using one of these FBI-approved agencies than Evident ID, even though this is a much more thorough check as it includes fingerprinting.
Regardless, as I said before, I suggest everyone freeze their credit reports with the three credit reporting agencies. Look it up online, it can be done for free but requires contacting each of the three agencies individually. While you canāt prevent someone from stealing your information, you can prevent them from being able to open accounts in your name. You will have to manually unfreeze your accounts for a specified period of time in order to apply for loans, credit cards, etc.
Pandemic Proves to Be Fertile Ground for Identity Thieves
Hello @Deborah and @Franti Iām going to tag @Therese and she will do her best to help you when sheās next online, likely tomorrow morning UK time.
Francine,
Voluntary Forum Moderator
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Thanks Snowbird, my reading of the FAQās suggests that Evident may not be able to process/ verify Australian Driverās Licences. Cheers Fran
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Hi Deborah,
Yes very frustrating, I can get the photos to upload through the link but I canāt get them verified and unfortunately the response from the company is very generic, e.g. do on black background ( I did) etc and doesnāt clarify if they just canāt process International documents in the same way they canāt process City of New York documents( this is stated on their website)
So letās wait and see what THS comes back with. Their initial response to my queries was also very generic and non specific re system support for verification of international documents.
Cheers
Fran
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Hi @Franti and @Deborah, as far as I understand it, it canāt be done in Australia yet, only in USA and looks like the UK now as well.
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Thank you Fran
Sounds like even if i can upload there wont be success. Yes we will wait and see . Good.luck.
Oh really? So we may not be able to belong to THS if we are in Australia. Thank you temba
No, we should still be able to belong at present. It may mean THS have not been able to find a company like Evident to do the ID check yet.
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@CDunn , That would be an excellent alternative. That gets my vote, TSA or Global Entry. THS, please consider alternatives that are less of a risk for identity theft.
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Hi @CDunn and @mars As a Canadian with Nexus, it gives me a combined TSA Pre-Check, Trusted Traveller status, and background check with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. I had to pass an extensive in-person interview. My Nexus can be revoked at any time if I am non-compliant.
I have submitted the suggestion to THS previously, that this type of check should be recognized as at least on par with any identity checks currently being mandated. I suggest that THS first assess and give recognition to current government screening measures worldwide, which no doubt have stronger privacy and protection measures in place than any private enterprise. This is my personal opinion.
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@Amparo
Uberā¦yes to DRIVE, not to ride. And even though the drivers are checked, there are still some serious problems. Were there so many problems on THS that this change was necessary?
So the other companies that perform this house/pet sit service will wither and die because they havenāt required this? Doubt it. My HOs were not concerned about it.
Agree, the company has the right to do it. My point is that it should be optional. I would not have signed up if it was in place to start with, I think many people will feel the same. I will choose to go.
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Sorry to hear about that. So you can certainly understand why we donāt want to go through this and find it better to prevent the problem before it happens if at all possible. Again, doctor offices can no longer require this information.
āā¦ when the need arisesā And THAT is the issueā¦should THIS really be a need for a house sitting assignment? Iāve also had security clearancesā¦there was a NEED for the information at that time. I donāt feel like this is the same level of NEED.
āā¦security measures in place to protect our personal info.ā Excellent! But not everyone has this in place and a housesitting assignment shouldnāt be the impetus for these measures IMO.
āā¦I respect all sitters decisions on this matter.ā I agree BUT āTHSā is not giving us the option now. It is now mandatory if we want to continue and that is certainly their right to do that. So either we must do it or leave. The reward is not greater than the riskā¦so I will leave.
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The new policy (as far as for US citizens) is more than just an id check. For US citizens, they are requiring that we submit to a criminal background check, which requires that we give our social security number (SSN). And, here is why I am deeply concerned about giving my SSN. 5 Kinds of ID Theft Using a Social Security Number.
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@Snowbird thank you.
Hi @Franti - I see you are talking to Jenny in membership services. @Deborah - I will email you directly from membership services. Kind regards Therese
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Why are sitters being asked for their Social Security numbers when this is not needed for a US criminal check? US immigration conducts FBI checks on people every day with their fingerprints, not SS#s. Iām not proposing that THS get everyoneās prints, but SS#s are not required.
Other problems with this purported enhanced security:
I have recently undergone extensive background checks to be allowed work with children in the foster care system. Iām also on my 2nd (or maybe 3rd) Global Entry. If I provide that clearance, can I avoid giving Evident my personal information?
Iām a lawyer and could not keep my law license with a criminal conviction. However, I have many clients with arrest records for āyouthful indiscretionsā who would make excellent house sitters. I also know it is very easy to get a fake ID and SS#. Without fingerprints, a background check is unreliable.
If someone wants to use THS to commit a crime (and exactly what crimes is THS seeing?), they will do so. If they have a criminal record, they will create a fake ID to fool a criminal check. However, abusing THS seems like a very cumbersome way to get access to someoneās house when you could just go down the street and find an open door or window.
How is Evident and THS complying with the labyrinthine GDPR regs considering the number of borders that the data will cross?
Iām a HO as well as a sitter here. Having someoneās background check, especially if the check was done months or years ago, would not influence me in choosing a sitter.
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I assume itās related to the recent venture capital investment/US expansion.
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