Request a Criminal Check

PUT https://api.verifik.co/v2/information-validations/{id}/background-check

This endpoint performs comprehensive background checks by querying multiple international criminal databases and watchlists. It validates user information against global security databases to ensure compliance and security standards.

Headers

Name

Value

Content-Type

application/json

Authorization

Bearer {YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN}

Critical Prerequisites: The documentValidation must be completed and valid before running this endpoint. Users must complete both the signUpForm step and the document step.

Additional Feature: Background checks are an additional feature and are subject to charges. Each background check request will incur fees based on the databases queried.

Path Parameters

Name

Type

Required

Description

id

string

Yes

The unique identifier of the information validation record to perform background check on.

Body

Name

Type

Required

Description

force

boolean

Force re-validation even if already completed.

appRegistrationId

string

App registration ID (development environment only).

Supported APIs and Regional Availability

Background checks utilize the following international criminal databases and watchlists:

Global Databases (Worldwide Coverage)

Database

Code

Description

Coverage

INTERPOL

world_api_interpol

International Criminal Police Organization database

Global

FBI

world_api_fbi

Federal Bureau of Investigation wanted persons

Global

DEA

world_api_dea

Drug Enforcement Administration watchlist

Global

Europol

world_api_europol

European Union law enforcement database

European Union

OFAC

world_api_ofac

Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctions

Global

UN/ONU

world_api_onu

United Nations sanctions and watchlists

Global

Regional Availability

Region

Available APIs

Coverage Details

Global

All 6 databases

Full worldwide coverage for international criminal records

European Union

Enhanced Europol coverage

Additional European law enforcement data

United States

Enhanced FBI/DEA coverage

Comprehensive US criminal and drug enforcement data

International

INTERPOL, UN, OFAC

Global sanctions, international warrants, and watchlists

Note: The specific APIs available for your account may vary based on your subscription plan and regional licensing agreements. Contact your account manager for detailed availability information.

Request Examples

curl -X PUT "https://api.verifik.co/v2/information-validations/674de8df21c72be3cc42b8a8/background-check" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json"

curl -X PUT "https://api.verifik.co/v2/information-validations/674de8df21c72be3cc42b8a8/background-check" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "force": true
  }'

const axios = require('axios');

axios.put('https://api.verifik.co/v2/information-validations/674de8df21c72be3cc42b8a8/background-check', {}, {
  headers: {
    'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  }
})
.then(response => {
  console.log(response.data);
})
.catch(error => {
  console.error(error.response ? error.response.data : error.message);
});

Response

The response will contain comprehensive background check results from all queried databases.

{
  "data": {
    "_id": "674de8df21c72be3cc42b8a8",
    "firstName": "John",
    "lastName": "Doe",
    "fullName": "John Doe",
    "status": "ACTIVE",
    "criminalData": {
      "requestedAt": "2024-12-02T17:15:36.788Z",
      "foundKeys": [],
      "world_api_interpol": {
        "totalCards": 0,
        "status": "clear"
      },
      "world_api_fbi": {
        "foundInFBI": false,
        "status": "clear"
      },
      "world_api_europol": {
        "foundInEuropol": false,
        "status": "clear"
      },
      "world_api_onu": {
        "foundInONU": false,
        "status": "clear"
      },
      "world_api_ofac": {
        "foundInOFAC": false,
        "status": "clear"
      },
      "world_api_dea": {
        "foundInDEA": false,
        "status": "clear"
      }
    },
    "createdAt": "2024-12-02T17:05:36.788Z",
    "updatedAt": "2024-12-02T17:15:36.788Z"
  },
  "signature": "abc123def456",
  "id": "xyz789"
}

{
  "data": {
    "_id": "674de8df21c72be3cc42b8a8",
    "firstName": "John",
    "lastName": "Doe",
    "fullName": "John Doe",
    "status": "FAILED",
    "criminalData": {
      "requestedAt": "2024-12-02T17:15:36.788Z",
      "foundKeys": ["world_api_interpol", "world_api_fbi"],
      "world_api_interpol": {
        "totalCards": 2,
        "status": "found",
        "details": "International arrest warrant"
      },
      "world_api_fbi": {
        "foundInFBI": true,
        "status": "found",
        "details": "FBI wanted person"
      }
    }
  },
  "signature": "abc123def456",
  "id": "xyz789"
}

{
  "code": "Feature_not_available",
  "message": "409:Feature_not_available"
}

Response Fields

Field

Type

Description

_id

string

Unique identifier of the information validation record.

firstName

string

User's first name.

lastName

string

User's last name.

fullName

string

User's full name.

status

string

Background check status (ACTIVE, FAILED, ASSESSING).

criminalData

object

Comprehensive criminal background check results.

signature

string

Unique signature for the response.

id

string

Unique identifier for the response.

Criminal Data Fields

Field

Type

Description

requestedAt

string

When the background check was performed.

foundKeys

array

Array of databases where records were found.

world_api_interpol

object

INTERPOL database results.

world_api_fbi

object

FBI database results.

world_api_europol

object

Europol database results.

world_api_onu

object

UN sanctions database results.

world_api_ofac

object

OFAC sanctions database results.

world_api_dea

object

DEA watchlist results.

Database Result Fields

Field

Type

Description

totalCards

number

Number of matching records found (INTERPOL).

foundInFBI

boolean

Whether person was found in FBI database.

foundInEuropol

boolean

Whether person was found in Europol database.

foundInONU

boolean

Whether person was found in UN sanctions.

foundInOFAC

boolean

Whether person was found in OFAC sanctions.

foundInDEA

boolean

Whether person was found in DEA watchlist.

status

string

Status of the search (clear, found, error).

details

string

Additional details about findings (when available).

Prerequisites and Requirements

App Registration Steps

signUpForm: Must be completed to provide user information
document: Must be completed to upload and process identity documents
documentValidation: Must be completed and valid before background check

Project Flow Requirements

Project flow type must be onboarding
verifyCriminalHistory must be enabled in onboarding settings
Criminal endpoints must be configured in project flow settings

Feature Availability

Client must have background check features enabled
Account must have sufficient credits for all database queries
Regional licensing agreements must be in place

How Background Checks Work

Validation Check: Ensures document validation is completed and valid
Feature Validation: Verifies background check features are available
Database Queries: Queries all configured criminal databases simultaneously
Result Processing: Processes and categorizes findings from each database
Status Determination: Sets overall status based on findings
Webhook Events: Triggers background check completion webhooks

Status Determination Logic

ACTIVE: No criminal records found in any database
FAILED: Criminal records found in one or more databases
ASSESSING: Background check is in progress or incomplete

Cost and Billing

Per-Database Charge: Each database query incurs individual fees
Credit System: Uses your account's background check credits
Dynamic Pricing: Costs vary based on databases queried
Billing Cycle: Charges are applied immediately upon completion

Common Use Cases

Employee Screening: Comprehensive background checks for new hires
Compliance Requirements: Meet regulatory and industry standards
Risk Assessment: Evaluate potential risks in business relationships
Security Audits: Verify identity and background for security purposes
Regulatory Compliance: Meet KYC, AML, and other compliance requirements

Error Scenarios

Feature Not Available: Background check features not enabled
Document Validation Required: Document validation must be completed first
Insufficient Credits: Account does not have sufficient validation credits
API Unavailable: Criminal database APIs temporarily unavailable
Regional Restrictions: Background checks not available in your region

Integration Notes

Webhook Events: Triggers information_validation_background_check webhook events
Real-time Results: Provides immediate background check results
Data Persistence: All results are stored for audit and compliance purposes
Re-validation: Can be forced to re-validate previously completed checks

Security and Compliance

Data Protection: All background check data is encrypted and secure
Audit Trails: Comprehensive logging for compliance and audit purposes
Privacy Compliance: Adheres to international privacy and data protection laws
Access Control: Strict authentication and authorization requirements

This endpoint provides enterprise-grade background checking capabilities through integration with the world's most comprehensive criminal databases and watchlists, ensuring the highest level of security and compliance for your applications.

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Last updated 6 days ago

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