Screen Smarter.
Stay Compliant.
Financial services firms face the most stringent screening requirements of any industry. FINRA, FDIC, and state regulators demand documented, thorough background investigations. Our SMART Search® technology delivers results in 3–24 hours — without compromising accuracy.
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The Compliance Risks Financial Firms Can't Ignore
The four biggest background screening challenges in financial services — and how SMART Search® addresses each one.
Regulatory Penalties for Non-Compliance
FINRA, FDIC, and state banking regulators require documented background screening for financial professionals. Non-compliance can result in fines, license revocations, and reputational damage. Our FCRA-compliant reports provide the documentation regulators require.
Financial Distress Creates Embezzlement Risk
Employees with significant personal financial problems are statistically more likely to commit financial crimes. Our credit report screening identifies undisclosed financial distress before a candidate gains access to client funds or accounts.
Slow Screening Delays Licensing and Onboarding
Financial professionals often cannot begin work until screening is complete. On average, our SMART Search® technology returns criminal and identity results in 3–24 hours — minimizing the gap between offer and productive first day.
Credential Fraud is a Serious Risk in Finance
Falsified FINRA registrations, CFA credentials, and CPA certifications are more common than most firms realize. Our professional license verification checks directly against FINRA BrokerCheck, state licensing boards, and credentialing bodies.
Screening Services for Financial Firms
Comprehensive background checks for banks, investment advisors, insurance companies, mortgage firms, and fintech companies.
Criminal Background Check
Multi-jurisdictional criminal history search — mandatory for financial services roles under FINRA, FDIC, and state banking regulations. We search at the court of record for maximum accuracy.
Fiduciary RolesCredit Report
Financial background check for advisors, bankers, and anyone with access to client funds or fiduciary responsibilities. Identifies undisclosed financial distress that creates embezzlement risk.
Employment Verification
Confirm past employment at financial institutions, titles, and tenure. Catch falsified experience claims before a candidate gains access to client accounts or trading systems.
Education Verification
Verify degrees, certifications, and academic credentials for financial professionals — particularly important for CFA, CFP, CPA, and other credential-dependent roles.
FINRA / SeriesProfessional License Verification
Verify active FINRA registrations, Series licenses, insurance licenses, CPA certifications, and other financial professional credentials across all 50 states.
Civil Records Search
Identify civil litigation history including fraud claims, breach of fiduciary duty, securities violations, and financial disputes that may not appear in criminal records.
High PriorityFederal Criminal Records
Search federal district court records for securities fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, and other federally prosecuted financial crimes — critical for regulated financial roles.
SSN Trace & Identity Verification
Confirm candidate identity and uncover all names and addresses used — essential for financial roles where identity fraud and synthetic identity theft are elevated risks.
Built for Financial Regulatory Compliance
From FINRA registration verification to FDIC Section 19 compliance — we keep your firm on the right side of regulators.
FINRA Section 19(a) Compliant
Screening supports FINRA requirements for background investigation of registered representatives and associated persons.
FDIC Section 19 Compliant
Supports FDIC Section 19 requirements for screening individuals with criminal convictions seeking employment at FDIC-insured institutions.
FCRA Compliant
All screening processes follow Fair Credit Reporting Act requirements, including proper disclosure and adverse action procedures.
SOX Compliance Support
Screening documentation supports Sarbanes-Oxley compliance requirements for publicly traded companies and their financial staff.
State Banking Regulations
Screening packages designed to meet state banking commission requirements across all 50 states.
EEOC Guidelines
Individualized assessment process aligned with EEOC best practices — critical for financial institutions subject to CRA and fair lending scrutiny.
Trusted by Financial Firms Nationwide
"We screen every advisor and support staff before they have access to client accounts. ABS consistently delivers results within 24 hours and their compliance documentation is exactly what our regulators require."
"After a bad hire that had undisclosed financial fraud history, we completely overhauled our screening program. ABS now handles all of our background checks — their credit and civil records searches are thorough and the reports are easy to interpret."
Frequently Asked Questions
Stay Compliant. Hire Confidently.
Join financial firms across the country who trust ABS to meet their regulatory screening requirements quickly, accurately, and in full compliance.
FCRA Compliant · FINRA BrokerCheck Verification · Searches Performed at Court of Record