Covid-19 & Address Verification
Address verification is an essential check among all the mandatory background checks opted by employers. It is critical for employers to verify the present and permanent address to act immediately in case of emergency and other critical situations.
Address Checks is counted in a few of the important checks like Education verification, Criminal verification, Identity verification, and Employee background verification. Prufens Advisory put them in the hygiene and must do checks category. All companies irrespective of the skillsets or management level must perform address verification.
Address Verification Before Covid-19:
The best practice for address varication is a physical visit to the furnished address by employees to verify the information shared. Prufens Advisory mandatorily collects other information related to the given address during the visit in our standard form which covers: Ownership status, Period of stay, Candidate staying with family/friends, any other relevant remarks made by the verifier who can be neighbour, Parents, and family member.
Address verification information is used in performing other checks like criminal records hence we suggest verifying Present and Permanent both the addresses.
We mentioned the best practices to be followed for address verification but during the pandemic following the best practice has almost become impossible. Since address varication is considered to be a mandatory check, Prufens Advisory partnered with an RLTS service provider and explored solutions to perform address verification digitally. Virtual verification is an alternative until things become normal.
Virtual Address Verification During Covid-19:
Virtual Address Verification is a technology-driven address verification adhering to the standards of RBI in V-CIP. It is a consent-based platform powered by Realtime-Location-Tracking-System (RLTS). A Virtual Field Executive guides the candidate with the process and checks the quality of the documents and time stamps using the RLTS.
Realtime-Location-Tracking-System (RLTS)
Realtime Location Tracking System is a technology enabling triangulation of commonality from multiple addresses in real-time. It goes beyond geotagging by looking at multiple sources of addresses. It takes input addresses from sources such as GPS, Google, MapMIndia, Pin codes, documents (OCR), HTML, and checks for Realtime time stamps. If it fits the time stamp criterion, calculates the overlap between the address sources and if the percentage overlap calculated exceeds the pre-set threshold then returns that the same address claim is true. It also displays the address pointers on a graph with a configurable radius and multi-colors to enable the quality control person to examine for the veracity of the address claims.
General Process followed :
- Candidates details are provided
- Quality check is performed
- Candidates consent to do the necessary tasks
- Gathering ID, Address documents, selfie, signature
- QC of the details using RLTS
- TAT Check
- Generate Report
- Store the process for audit /police purposes
Limitations of Virtual Address Verification:
- Availability of the candidate or his relative
- Internet at the given address