Background Checkers Soliciting Neighbors?

[Rack]

Didn't know how to title this thread.

I had a lady show up at my door and ask me about a neighbor. Said she was a background check person with some government agency, flashed some badge and asked questions about the guy that lives next to me. I don't know the guy, see him walking his dog and that's about it and after telling her this she started asking stuff like, "any unusual activity.....drugs, terrorist behavior, etc".

What in the hell is "terrorist behavior" anyway? Odds are if I could spot something terroristic about the guy, you people would probably already know......hopefully.

Anyone else had this happen? I didn't know background checks went this in depth. Knocking on the doors of neighbors and stuff?

Is this pretty standard if you are applying for a position within the government?

Furthermore, should I tell this guy about it? I mean, if he's shooting for a job he might like to know but what if he's a suspected nut job? I probably won't tell him because I don't know the guy at all as I've only lived in my current place for like 6 months but part of me wants to let him know.

Is the guy they were doing a background check on in the military? Work for the government? That's pretty standard procedure for someone trying to get a TS (Top Secret clearance).

And "Control" doesn't have a dang thing to do about. It's called being smart. Think they should just hand out TSC's to anyone that wants it? (this isn't addressed to anyone in particular).

 

[Rack]

When I was going through the procedures to get a top secret security clearance the government was very exhaustive in doing a background check on me. I had people I hadn't talked to in years call me up and tell me they were interviewed by the government. The people interviewed were current and former neighbors, so I wouldn't be surprised if the interviewer was legitimate.

That's nothing. You should see what they do for people trying to get a TS.

 

[Faerluna]

Kil just went through this for the new job he just took with a government agency. We had to provide names/info of 2 neighbors at every place we've lived in the last 7 years. The questions our neighbors were asked were exactly what was mentioned above.

A friend of ours that works for the court system in Washington state had them doing the same type of check, except his went back about 10 years and they spoke to his teachers/classmates from high school.

 

[Hoofbite]

Is the guy they were doing a background check on in the military? Work for the government? That's pretty standard procedure for someone trying to get a TS (Top Secret clearance).

And "Control" doesn't have a dang thing to do about. It's called being smart. Think they should just hand out TSC's to anyone that wants it? (this isn't addressed to anyone in particular).

I doubt he's military but could be. Never seen him uniform.

 

[BoysFan4ever]

I had a neighbor who applied for a job with the FBI.

They did come by & ask me questions about him.

 

[Idgit]

Elaborate? I hope you aren't suggesting that I could be fabricating it.

Not at all.

I believe he meant that it's unlikely she was fabricating it. Although it does happen.

I was suggesting it's unlikely she'd use such an elaborate cover story, because it'd be a lot easier to go with something simpler that wouldn't raise any eyebrows.

 

[CliffnDallas]

I actually thought it was a package.

Couldn't see anyone through the peep hole and when I opened it she was sort of standing off to the side of my door.

If she was standing to the side of the door. She was some type of Cop.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

I doubt he's military but could be. Never seen him uniform.

He doesn't have to be military. Many civilians get clearances. You can't work in certain jobs unless you get a clearance. And if you lose the clearance (say for foreclosure or arrest) you almost automatically lose your job.

 

[Jammer]

That's nothing. You should see what they do for people trying to get a TS.

That's what I said. I was getting a Top Secret Security Clearance.

 

[03EBZ06]

Well I have a TS clearance, along with proprietary clearance and I know it requires a very thorough and extensive background investigations, which by the way is very costly for my company. Yes, neighbors, friends, family members are asked about my behaviors, associations, activities...etc

 

[Idgit]

If she was standing to the side of the door. She was some type of Cop.

Good point.

 

[Rack]

That's what I said. I was getting a Top Secret Security Clearance.

Ah I missed the "Top". My bad.

 

[baj1dallas]

It sounds to me like a regular security check. When a person is hired into a position that requires security clearance, neighbors, former employers, school principles, preachers, anyone who may have some information is interviewed.

That's not really true. For Top Secret yeah they will interview neighbors but they also get their names from the applicant ahead of time, as well as call. They don't just show up on your doorstep all creepy like and then start asking questions like that.

For regular security clearance, they will call your 3 personal references and anybody you live with, but this sounds either odd, or like he's applied for a higher level security clearance.

 

[baj1dallas]

Is the guy they were doing a background check on in the military? Work for the government? That's pretty standard procedure for someone trying to get a TS (Top Secret clearance).

I think they tend to call first before they start knocking on random people's doors. I guess it depends whether it's an apartment building or houses though. They will definitely ask people if they know the person.

Hoof do you remember if she had a DoD badge?

 

[Hoofbite]

I think they tend to call first before they start knocking on random people's doors. I guess it depends whether it's an apartment building or houses though. They will definitely ask people if they know the person.

Hoof do you remember if she had a DoD badge?

I didn't really look at the badge all that much. I wouldn't know how to tell the difference between a Chuck E Cheese badge or DoD badge without reading any inscriptions and I didn't really look at it for all that long.

 

[Phoenix]

Been offline for a few days, just seeing this...as others have already said, this is pretty typical for what is actually called an "SBI", security background investigation, in order to get the official okey-dokey for a Top Secret or higher clearance approved. I had the "or higher" part for about a decade and underwent several of these SBI checks, and yes, they are pretty thorough to the point of in-person or telephone interviews like this.

 

[DFWJC]

I doubt this was someone in the government. I would call the police and verify who this person may be. Sounds like she could be an imposter. I have never heard of this in my life.

A couple of questions. Have you checked the sex offender registry for the guy?

Is your neighbor middle eastern?

Do you know your neighbor at all?

If someone did that to me, I would have asked 100 questions before answering one of hers.

I'd also ask the neighbor why this may be occurring.

This.....

 

[sacase]

This is nothing more than a SSBI investigation for someone who you either know or lived near you. Typically they do knock on neighbors doors unannounced because they are looking for other sources of information. People who the applicant provide are not good sources because they are the applicants friends. They tend to ask them for people that know the applicant and talk to neighbors to see if they can turn anything up. You really can't hurt the applicant by not saying anything because it is about the applicants background, not people who refuse to talk. Nothing can be hurt by telling him someone talked to you. He knows already. I am 100% this is not a criminal investigation.

FYI there is nothing above Top Secret, only compartmented information.

Some of yall are some nuts. LOL but then again I have had a clearance my whole adult life so this stuff is pretty normal to me.

 

[Phoenix]

This is nothing more than a SSBI investigation for someone who you either know or lived near you. Typically they do knock on neighbors doors unannounced because they are looking for other sources of information. People who the applicant provide are not good sources because they are the applicants friends. They tend to ask them for people that know the applicant and talk to neighbors to see if they can turn anything up. You really can't hurt the applicant by not saying anything because it is about the applicants background, not people who refuse to talk. Nothing can be hurt by telling him someone talked to you. He knows already. I am 100% this is not a criminal investigation.

FYI there is nothing above Top Secret, only compartmented information.

Some of yall are some nuts. LOL but then again I have had a clearance my whole adult life so this stuff is pretty normal to me.

SCI is above TS. Yes, it is Compartmented as is other access above TS, such as Gamma. And the list goes on. You can have a TS only, but the additional compartments based on need to know and access granted are all "above" TS. Or so it used to be, I thought.