Comply
Built inEmployers never see an SSN. We don't keep one.
The candidate types their Social Security number into an encrypted field on their own screen. It is decrypted only for the screening call, then wiped. Only the last four digits can remain.
- Employers can't enter an SSN anywhere
- Encrypted before storage, wiped after the search
- Redacted from logs, email, and AI prompts
Candidate types it
Masked field, candidate's own device
Encrypted at rest
Before it is stored
Used once
Decrypted only for the search call
Wiped
Only the last four can remain
Employer view: no SSN field exists.
Illustrative example with sample data.
How it works
4 steps, start to finish
- 1
Employer sends an invite
Name and email or phone. No identifier fields exist.
- 2
Candidate enters the SSN
In a masked field on their own device, after disclosure and signature.
- 3
Encrypted, used once
Stored encrypted, decrypted only for the ScreenForge Labs search call.
- 4
Wiped
The full number is removed after the search. Reports never display it.
Why it matters
What you get with ssn protection
No employer collection
Every order is an invite. The employer sends a name and contact; the candidate supplies identifiers.
Encrypted at rest
The SSN is encrypted before storage and decrypted only for the screening call.
Wiped after the search
Once the search runs, the full number is removed. The last four digits can remain.
Redacted everywhere else
Logs, notices, receipts, support email, and AI prompts are all kept free of the number.
The best SSN breach is the one that can't happen
Most background check workflows pass the SSN through several hands: an HR form, an email, a spreadsheet, a vendor portal. Every copy is a liability. PreHireBadge removes the employer from the path entirely. There is no SSN field on the order form, the CSV template, the API, or the MCP tools — the API rejects a body containing ssn or dob even when the value is empty.
The candidate enters the number in their browser on the invite. It is encrypted before it is stored, decrypted only for the screening call to ScreenForge Labs, and then wiped. The last four digits can remain for matching.
Around that core, the product removes the number wherever it might leak: error logs redact anything that looks like an SSN, notices and receipts don't include it, support won't take it by email, and a number pasted into an AI order sentence is stripped before the model sees the text.
FAQ
Questions employers ask about ssn protection
Still unsure? Ask Peter, our assistant, in the bottom-right corner, or browse the help center.
Does the employer ever see the candidate's SSN?
No. The employer never enters or sees the number. The candidate enters it on the invite.
How long does PreHireBadge keep the SSN?
Only until the screening call. It is encrypted before storage, decrypted for the search, then wiped. The last four digits can remain.
What if someone pastes an SSN into the AI assistant?
A number pasted into the order sentence is stripped before the assistant sees the text. Error logs also redact anything that looks like an SSN.
Can I send an SSN to support?
Please don't — support cannot take it by email. A privacy question never needs the number.
Your next candidate is one $5 report away.
No credit card to sign up, no expiration on what you buy. Run one report for $5, or stock up with the 10-pack for $45 and use them whenever hiring picks up.
- No monthly fees
- FCRA compliant
- Most clear reports same day. Records verified within 72 hours.
- No contracts