Sterling, A First Advantage CompanyReviews of sterlingcheck.com

Why do they need the same information time after time after time. Incompetent at best. I truly hope, I never have to deal with them again.

Horrible company!

They require you to spoon-feed them your data the entire process. Might as well make the candidates do their own background review ATP.

All of the 1 star reviews are accurate. I have experienced every single issue mentioned. Repeated requests for the same information, semi-coherent communications, requests for the wrong information, delays, you name it. Genuinely one of the most inept companies I've encountered, oh and processing EU data in India has some interesting GDPR/DP implications.

Have had to deal with them twice now. They are paid to perform the employment verification but each time they relied on me, the applicant, to provide information they could have obtained directly from the employer via a phone call. Both times it has taken them WEEKS to verify employment. The first time I dealt with them it was literally ONE job they had to verify and it still took them WEEKS. With the recent check they requested more information from me to verify my own employment. To officially verify the employment time they need to contact the actual employers whose numbers are PUBLICLY AVAILABLE. Sterling's employment verification turnaround time has cost many people good jobs.

I wish I could give 0 stars. It's almost unbelievable how awful it is to work with Sterling. I have worked with a few different background companies and have never seen anything this bad. The process usually takes weeks and it takes 3-4 days for them to solve even a quick issue like updating a status. Then they back date the completion date to make it look like they verified a file quickly

i apply background verification for… i apply background verification for right to work, i am British citizen, only thing i dont have passport yet, i submit my nationality certificate, p45, payslip, original national insurance letter from job center, driving licence, resident permit card still this company decline my right to work status. what els you need to proof i have right to work? useless company for background check

This is a nightmare. Started process on April 8, 2026. They cannot check or verify anything! They have requested paystubs for current job, paystubs from previous jobs, W-2 from 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 20215. Then requested TAX RETURNS for 2020 through 2025! Later asked for copies of my degrees, followed by names, email addresses, physical addresses, and phone numbers of contact person at each school that I attended back to high school - I graduated in 1986, I have no idea who to contact at this point. They asked for copies of my driver's license - twice, front and back, social security card, birth certificate - then marriage certificate 'because my name didn't match my driver's license.' On May 5, 2026, they announce that there is an error with my date of birth and are unable to complete a background check! I then had to reapply on their website. Their website would not allow me to access the application claiming that I already had an application in process. After talking with a person who claimed to be customer service, who hardly understood the English language, and arguments that I would not download specific browsers that I refuse to use, as they are not trustworthy, they finally said to close my current browser, clear cache, and reopen. (I did not). Amazingly, I was able to reapply on their website. Again, they have requested me to give them my driver's license, birth certificate, marriage license, and social security card again! Now they are stating that they will not be able to complete the request until on or about MAY 26, 2026! Best part, they are waiting on a return of background checks on aliases - one I have not had since I was 2 MONTHS old, another that I have not had since I was 4 YEARS, and another that I have not used since I divorced over 30 YEARS ago! What could I have done as a 2 MONTH old infant that would affect my background check??? I went and paid for a background check on my own on April 29 with another company, just out of curiosity. I got my background report yesterday, complete with criminal history, education, and work history. Best part, they only wanted a copy of my driver's license and my signed consent! no tax returns, paystubs, etc. Sterling and First Advantage are concerningly incompetent, have reprehensible communication skills, ignominious research teams - if any; and a lack of concern of care for those that are forced to use their services. At this point, I am considering looking for other employment options as anyone who uses these services are obviously not capable of seeing the ineffectiveness of Sterling and First Advantage. If you are ever asked to use this company for employment - LOOK FOR ANOTHER EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY and RUN!