With employee fraud on the increase and continuing business threats from within the workplace, a reliable background checking system is essential for checking all potential employees, not just at the point of entry to an organisation, including the shortlisting stage, but throughout the period of employment.

The onus is now on recruitment consultancies, who are typically not equipped to do background checks themselves, to undertake effective background checking before placing people in posts.

Steve Bailey, managing director of BackgroundChecking.com, said: "There is an increasing requirement for recruitment consultancies and suppliers of contractors and temporary staff to act responsibly and ensure their candidates have been thoroughly checked out."

BackgroundChecking.com (part of Experian) offers a complete candidate pre- and post-employment screening service, including rigorous verification of employment details, Criminal Records Bureau checks, screening of educational, technical and professional qualifications, through to a complete financial and fraud check.

The company was acquired by Experian in May 2006.

As a leading pre- and postemployment background screening company, it undertakes background checking of permanent, contractor and temporary staff and provides an international capability for employers to check potential candidates.

This makes workplaces safer, protects existing staff and ensures greater safety of corporate information.