What 'verified' means — and what it does not (not a background check)
Tags: verified, verification, badge, background check, criminal, consumer report, fcra, guarantee, liability, fraud, fake id, trust, meaning, disclaimer, stripe identity, reviewer
A verification badge is a report of an independent provider's result at the moment it was given — Stripe for the $1 card check and the $3 government-ID check, Google for a business listing, LinkedIn for a public profile, the SMS provider for a phone — or a PinchHitterPool reviewer's record of what they checked. It is not an independent finding of PinchHitterPool's own, and it is not a promise that the result stays true afterwards. PinchHitterPool keeps only the outcome, the date and a provider reference. It never receives the document, its images or numbers, the selfie, or a card number, and it cannot see, re-run or second-guess the provider's process. A badge is not a background check, criminal-record check, credit check, employment or tenant screen, licence check, or a "consumer report" under the U.S. Fair Credit Reporting Act or any similar law. It must never be used as one, or as a basis for an employment, credit, insurance or housing decision. An organization that wants a background check arranges it from a provider licensed to run one; PinchHitterPool does not run, repeat or vouch for it. A badge says nothing about anyone's intentions, character, honesty, skills, safety or future conduct. Both sides decide for themselves and do their own final checks. Anyone who obtains a badge by deception — a false, altered, stolen or borrowed document, card, account or number, or impersonation — is responsible for that and for its consequences to the people who relied on it; the account is suspended and the finding recorded. PinchHitterPool may withdraw any badge it believes was obtained improperly or has become inaccurate. A verification fee pays for the attempt and is not refunded whether or not the check passes; Stripe's page and the card statement show SoftTelRG LLC, the operator of PinchHitterPool. Full text: Terms of Service section 4 (/terms#certs) and Privacy Policy section 4 (/privacy#verification).