Direct Screening Review
Discreet Screening is a background check company that offers screening solutions for both individuals and businesses who wish to protect themselves against potential fraudulent behavior by using a user-friendly platform that provides instant high-quality reports.
Derived from one of the largest and most accurate databases in the US, which contains information gathered straight from the administration of the courts and county and criminal justice systems, the reports are accurate and easy to understand thanks to the expert technical team in charge of translating records into simple formats.
To learn more about how the company works and what services it offers, keep reading our honest Discreet Screening review.
How Does Discreet Screening Work?
The main purpose of Direct Screening is to help users perform criminal background checks. Over the last fifteen years, this company compiled a substantial database with over 600 million records from all 50 states.
According to Direct Screening, no other company can match its database, with information obtained directly from the source, that is, courts, state central repositories, and county and criminal justice systems. The data is regularly updated through the latest trend technology that ensures that new information is instantly available once collected from the source. The company’s team of experts then transforms the data into a user-friendly format, which customers can easily understand and navigate.
With Direct Screening, there are three types of searches to perform depending on your requirements. You can choose between performing a national background check, a state background check, and a social security number check. If you are searching nationally, there are two reports available: Enhanced National Criminal Search and National Criminal Search. With the statewide search, you can order Enhanced State Criminal Search and State Criminal Search. The company also features Regional Criminal Search and Social Security Number Search.
To use the company’s services, you do not need a monthly or annual subscription. You only pay for the reports you order. Since Direct Screening complies with the federal FCRA act, you will need to familiarize yourself with all the procedures and forms necessary when performing criminal background checks for employment purposes. The company provides short guides on how to complete FCRA compliant criminal background checks, including what you need to do before and after ordering a report, what you should do if criminal records are returned, and what you should do if you cannot hire the applicant due to their record. DirectScreening also provides its users with FCRA downloadable forms.
What is also important to mention is that the company features a transparent privacy policy that informs you about the use of information collected from the site. By using Direct Screening, you agree that your information may be stored indefinitely and used in accordance with certain jurisdictional laws, for the purpose of direct marketing, and shared with some third party content providers and payment processors.
The data Direct Screening collects from you can include your IP and email address, navigational and purchase information like your user name, password, city of birth, full name, telephone number, email address, postal address, and credit card number, and other personally-identifying information. In addition to using your information for processing your transactions, customer service, product, and service development, direct marketing, and marketing analysis, Direct Screening reserves the right to disclose your personal data if required by law to comply with legal processes, respond to claims or protect the rights, property or safety of its company, employees, customers or the public.
For any questions related to the company’s privacy policy, services or products, you can contact Direct Screening customer support at [email protected] or fill out the form in the contact section of the website.
Direct Screening Screening Services
Like we already mentioned in this Direct Screening review, there are several types of background checks you can opt for. These include
National criminal background check includes public database records from all 50 states, counting more than 480 million records and growing. With a national criminal record search, you get instant results and the best value for money deal for searching through all available criminal public record databases including national, state, and tribal sex offender registries. The two types of National criminal background check reports available are:
- The instant Enhanced National Criminal Search report is a combination of the National Criminal Search and SSN search. The way it works is that Discreet Screening first runs an SSN search confirming the SSN, which is then compared to the Social Security Death Index (SSDI), providing a list of names related to the SSN. Each name is checked through the National Criminal Search, generating results found under a maiden name, former married name or alias. The report includes the following search categories:
- Sex Offender Search
- SSN Validation & Trace
- SSN Check against Death Master Index
- Full Name and Alias History
- All Names and Aliases Searched
- Current & Previous Address History
- Terrorist Watch List (OFAC)
- FBI Most Wanted & Terrorist Watch List
- Federal, State & Local Wanted Fugitives
- FCRA Compliant
- The Instant National Criminal Search obtains data from all Direct Screening criminal record sources. This is the most cost-effective option that searches through more than 650 million criminal records from over 1,000 sources. It includes:
- Sex Offender Search
- Terrorist Watch List (OFAC)
- Records from all 50 states
- FBI Most Wanted & Terrorist Watch List
- Federal, State, & Local Wanted Fugitives
- FCRA Compliant
State criminal background check is the most common type of search using the subject’s name and date of birth to search through all available public criminal records in your state of choice.
The two types of reports available with the State criminal background check include:
- The instant Enhanced State Criminal Search is a combination of the State Criminal Search and the SSN search. The same principle applies as for the instant Enhanced National Criminal Search, except that it is state-based. The available search categories include:
- State Sex Offender Search
- SSN Validation & Trace
- SSN Check against Death Master Index
- State & Year Range SSN Issued
- Full Name and Alias History
- All Names and Aliases Searched
- Current & Previous Address History
- FCRA Compliant
- The instant State Criminal Search provides data for criminal records available for the selected state and is the most cost-effective solution for searching smaller areas. The report includes:
- State Sex Offender Search
- FCRA Compliant
- The instant Regional Criminal Search covers four regions of the country; the Eastern region, the Midwest region, the Southern Region, and the Western Region. The report includes:
- Regional Sex Offender Search
- FCRA Compliant
Social Security Number Search report contains information regarding a person’s name, aliases, current and former addresses, and zip codes. With the instant Social Security Number Search report, besides the mentioned information, you will have access to data including date of birth, age, and current and prior phone numbers. This report is extremely useful when it comes to validating a social security number, obtaining an address history or locating people. The data provided can be traced back for twenty years.
Direct Screening Plans & Pricing
At the beginning of our Discreet Screening review, we mentioned that there are no monthly, annual or any kind of additional fees. You only pay for the report you order.
The price list goes as follows:
- The instant Enhanced National Criminal Search report – $38.95
- The instant National Criminal Search report – $16.95 (great value for money)
- The instant Enhanced State Criminal Search report – $23.95
- The instant State Criminal Search report – $12.95 (most cost-effective)
- The instant Regional Criminal Search report – $14.95
- The instant Social Security Number Search report – $4.95
To find out if you qualify for a discount based on your search volume, contact Direct Screening customer support at support[email protected]
There are no refunds or money-back guarantees.
Direct Screening Pros & Cons
Bottom Line
To conclude our Direct Screening review, this company delivers instant, accurate, and up-to-date criminal background check reports to individuals and businesses all over the US. Derived from over 600 million public records, the reports are easy to read and affordable, with no additional costs or monthly or annual subscriptions. And with information obtained straight from the source, along with regular data updates, Direct Screening justifies its reputation as the leader in the field of criminal background checks, providing consistency in both service quality and reliability.
The company states it doesn’t have a subscription instead you can order a report only when you need it but I was charged for five months even though I only ordered one report once. The charge was in the amount of 20 and some dollars and I didn’t even know it until my bookkeeper flagged it as an unknown expense. I’ve reported it and waiting for a response from their end, hopefully it will come soon.
I used DirectScreening to check on an employee of mine who submitted a great resume but hasn’t performed in accordance with it. Turned out the name was an alias, his ssn belonged to a deceased person and the entire work and education history were fabricated. Thank God for websites like these, I wish I known about it sooner!
I decided on Direct Screening because I managed to find everything I needed in one place. Before I bought the reports I read about fcra compliance and what I needed to do in order to fulfill the requirements. After that it was smooth sailing!
I regularly use Direct Screening to check for my applicant’s criminal records. I own a small landscaping company and can’t risk my employers finding out that my worker have criminal records and for me it is extremely important not to hire any sex offenders since I work around families and their children. It’s better to be safe than sorry, I learned it the hard way!
I wasn’t entirely clear on some of the aspects of my report so I sent an email but haven’t heard from them for a couple of days. I would really prefer that there is a phone number I could use and get a hold of someone the minute I need them.
As a manager one of my responsibilities is to hire new employees and I often use Direct Screening when something doesn’t feel right with the candidate. I like the reports are instant and I can go about my business without having to wait for a report to arrive.
I was really surprised at how easy I was able to order a report. It literally took a couple of minutes and I already looked at the sample report so I knew what to expect and find my way around.
The quality you get for the money you pay is truly amazing, I was really surprised at how detailed the reports are plus everything is like it says it is, no fine printing or additional conditions.