FBI Investigating Former Employee

anna2004

We received a phone call requesting verification of social security number for a previous employee for investigatory purposes. The caller identified himself as being affiliated with the FBI.

How should we handle and what documentation can we require from caller before issuing such information?

POPEYE

You need to follow your policy in giving out employee information. I never give out or verify a SS#, even with our EEs written approval. If it is truly the FBI or any other governmental agency, they would not be calling, they would be flooding you with so many court orders you would need an empty file cabinet to put them in. I'd recommend ignoring the call and if you get a return call, tell them you need something more "legal" than a phone call.

marc

I am with Popeye - this sounds fishy. One way to respond is to get a badge number or whatever other I.D. he/she can supply, then call the FBI and verify.

Crout

Tell him you will need a court order before you can comply with the request. BUT be wary. I just had this backfire on me not too long ago when I got a call from the Dept of Homeland Security inquring about a former employee. I told the agent that I needed a court order and he brought one right over. However, it was only after I signed it that I realized it also named ME as a potential witness, which I did not want. Now I'm screwed, and I never even knew the employee...she was WAY before my time.

Don D

Hmmm. I've never had the FBI call. I've had numerous visits from agents over the years. What's it mean to be 'affiliated with the FBI?'

As I have said before on the Forum many times, you are under no more obligation to provide information to the FBI than you are to the sanitation engineer on the big blue truck.

And I do not think the FBI would investigate someone's social security number in person OR over the phone. They could do that through the IRS records easy enough.

TN HR

I'd tell him to go affiliate himself in the men's room. Oh wait, that's alleviate. Anyway, he's full of pi** so maybe that's right.

I have had several FBI agents in to do backgrounds on people over time. They have NEVER done it on the phone.

I'm concerned with the affiliation part, what does that mean? I guess an ex-con could potentially claim affiliation with the FBI. Particularly if he's ever been in their custody

Gene

Don D

Why would you let FBI Agents come in and do backgrounds on employees or ex-employees? Do you also allow others seeking employee information that luxury? Or do they perhaps have a subpoena.

Rockie

No government investigator would call on the phone for this type of information. I have had federal investigators conduct background checks and they always present themselves in person with ID badge in hand, along with a release signed by the employee. We do not give out any information over the telephone to anyone!

Ethel

We also had FBI agents present themselves at our door (with Badges). They had questions and wanted to interview an employee. Although we gave out no information, we did give them an interview room and notified the employee they were here and wanting to speak with her. She consented to see them. Don't know what transpired, but the agents were very appreciative of our cooperation and the employee was also grateful to be given the option. The Agents did not return.


PS - Read or heard that "affliated" with the FBI can be genuine as due to the increased activity in security after 911, the FBI does third party out some background checks.

Don D

You are correct Ethel. The last two men who have come to our place with FBI ID were actually old retired guys who were contracted with the agency to check backgrounds. Both were arrogant and insisted that their badges gave them some special degree of passage, which was not the case. I don't advocate stonewalling the right of the constabulary to advance justice; but, at the same time, people with federal ID have absolutely no degree of special privelege, none. Now if they have some privelege under Homeland Security, I'm sure I'll respect that. But, the typical FBI background check does not rise to that level. It's equal to any other.