Validating identity documents is step one in a secure process
There are many reasons that businesses today need to confirm the identity of the people they employ or work with. This guest blog is from Darren Harding who is the on-boarding manager at our customer Boomerang Funding. Validating identity documents is part of a Right to Work check and to ensure that only legitimate applicants are given access to rail infrastructure projects through the Sentinel Card scheme…
“In our experience, most people that we deal with are genuine, but fraudsters are clever and can easily gain access to large amounts of data to help make what they are claiming appear genuine. They are prepared to fail and come back time and again until they understand exactly what information a company requires in order to beat the system. Validating the identity and accreditations of your employees and those that you chose to work with is an essential step that all businesses need to take. In our case, this extends to rail network workers who have to undergo a reasonable amount of screening in order to acquire a Sentinel Card to prove their competency, medical fitness and safety training standards before they can cross the threshold of our rail network.
Because the rules surrounding the application process for a Sentinel card are so stringent, it is becoming more common for dishonest individuals to attempt to falsify their details to obtain a card, or more significantly, attempt to falsify or copy the card and supporting documentation itself. The Sentinel scheme is very clear about the rules surrounding fraudulent or falsification of documentation or records relating to safe working: sponsors that fail to verify documentation which leads to a breach of these rules will be subject to a Formal Scheme investigation by the Network Rail Corporate Investigations Team who will determine the appropriate outcome. And the security risk of getting this wrong is obviously significant!
So, what can Sentinel Card Sponsorship companies do to verify documentation?
You can start by utilising an identity validation service that checks the eligibility of workers to work in the UK which can include checking passports, ID cards, Biometric Permits and Visas. With TrustID, these checks take us just five minutes, and their Service Level Agreement is just one business hour. Once you have established that the cardholder has a genuine right to work, you can then ensure that the Sentinel card they hold is their own and has been obtained honestly. Their supporting documents can be validated, and you can act as their sponsor, confident of the validity of their accreditations.
When it comes to the issue of safety and who has the right to work in a critical and precarious environment such as the rail network, ensuring the validity of your workers’ documents is essential. Using quick and up to date software systems not only gives you the information you need, when you need it but ensures accuracy and acts as an aid so that you know you are submitting the correct documentation for the essential checks that your specific business needs. Using Trust ID’s Validation App means that the Boomerang Funding team can upload documents for verification the instant we get them – regardless of where we are – and get definitive results in minutes. Protecting your sponsorship business from breaching stringent Sentinel card obligations is essential so simplifying this process by utilising TrustID not only takes the headache out of fraud prevention but also gives you reassurance. What’s more, the identity verification solutions are backed by a helpdesk team who are always on hand to offer advice and guidance on identity documents and Right to Work Regulations.”
Darren Harding, Guest Blogger
Darren is the Rail and On-boarding Manager at Boomerang Funding™.
He is a specialist in Risk-Free Recruitment Funding, Invoice Finance, Payroll, Start-Ups, and contract recruitment
Want to find out more?
Find out more about how our identity validation services could help you as the first step in your recruitment or compliance process.
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