The Minnesota Department of Commerce has expanded its criminal background check requirements for debt collectors, effective Aug. 1. Under Minn. Stat. § 332.35, as amended by H.F. 2335, no registration or license will be issued for a collector if, within the past five years, the individual has:
Been convicted in any court of fraud or felony;
Been convicted of any misdemeanor involving identity theft or other financial crimes;
Been unable to certify whether a civil judgment has been entered against the individual; or
Had a license to practice law revoked or involuntarily suspended.
A licensed Minnesota collection agency must establish procedures to follow when screening an individual debt collector applicant for initial registration and at renewal.
W. Barry Nixon is the COO, PreemploymentDirectory.com the leading background screening information portal and online worldwide directory of professional background screening firms and Suppliers to the background screening industry. He co-authored the landmark book, Background Screening & Investigations: Managing Hiring Risk from the HR and Security Perspective. He also is the publisher of award winning newsletters, The Background Buzz and The Global Background Screener, and the author of the Background Checks column in PI Magazine.
In addition, Barry is a past recipient of the elite ‘Top 25 Influential People in Security’ by Security Magazine and past Co-Chair, International Committee for the National Association for Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS). He currently serves as a Global Ambassador for NAPBS.
You can contact Barry at 1-949-770-5264 or online at wbnixon@preemploymentdirectory.com