DBS checks for potential winner?

Bizzie_Lizzie

I'm not a comper but I'm posting on behalf of my friend who is a comper but not through MSE. She's smelling something fishy and I said I'd ask on here as there are lots of knowledgeable compers.

She was telephoned yesterday and told she was one of 3 potential winners for a competition she knows she entered and the person calling knew her specific entry.

(She doesn't want me to name the company in case it's not some kind of scam but it's a well known big company and indeed I found the competition linked to on this site.)

She was taken through basic questions to confirm it was her - full name, DOB, address, and then told she would have to sign a document and go through DBS (Disclosure Barring Service - what used to be the Criminal Records Service check). When she asked why DBS she was told that the firm running the competition wanted to ensure that the eventual winner was a good ambassador for the firm and not someone with a criminal record.

She was then emailed a document which she was asked to print out and sign then scan and return together with other documentation required for this DBS check. The document stressed the need to keep things confidential and to return the documentation within 24 hours. A telephone number was provided and she googled it and it seems to check out but when she rang it was an answering machine saying office hours were Monday to Friday 9 to 5.

It also contained a link to the Ts and Cs which actually led to another competition run by the same firm but not the one she had entered. She emailed them back to point this out and at this stage decided not to do anything until she had re-read the Ts and Cs because she didn't want to necessarily go any further if the winner had to be part of some big publicity drive as she's quite shy and modest.

However, in putting together the information required she began to think that the information they asked for went beyond what would be required for a DBS check - why ask for her mother's maiden name?

She emailed the big company running the competition to ask if they could verify that the contacts made were bona fide and is waiting for a response.

Any thoughts from you knowlegeable people?

brownhandbag

I am CRB now DRB checked for my job and they do need any previous names you have held, so maiden/married surnames. If this is all legit then I would ask for a copy of the DRB as it is a useful thing to have. I have never heard of it being asked for by a comp but can see why a company may want to check. It will be costing them to do this, they aren't free... Hope this helps and please keep us posted If I was asked then I could send a copy of my current one, but it does sound worth investigating.

lilias

Well this is from UTV's Sunday Night at the London Palladium's T&Cs

" You understand that by submitting your Application and as part of the selection process that should you be selected to take part in the next stage of the selection process that we will be asking you to make full disclosure to us of any criminal conviction(s) you may have, any on-going criminal proceedings or investigations which you are the subject of and any County Court Judgments made against you (if any) and reserve the right to carry out background checks to verify this information (including but not limited to, Disclosure and Barring Service checks (previously CRB checks) carried out by third party organisations. Disclosure of criminal convictions, current criminal proceedings and/or county court judgments may not automatically exclude you from participating but we shall be entitled to exercise our sole discretion in this regard and certain convictions (spent or otherwise), pending criminal proceedings and/or investigations may invalidate your Application and/or allow us to withhold or reclaim any prize or other benefit awarded or due to be awarded to you as a result of your participation in the Game. In all cases our decision shall be final. If we later discover that you have criminal convictions you have not informed us about previously when asked, and as a result your participation in the Game is terminated or any prize or benefit reclaimed or withheld, you accept that reference may be made to these convictions and/or judgments publicly."

http://www.u.tv/competitions/itvcomp.aspx?oid=1180&type=tcs&origin_type=campaign&origin_oid=1216

Does the prize require an appearance on TV?

Rahven

Hi Lizzie,

No experience of DBS checks in relation to comping here I'm afraid - just in relation to work. You have probably already seen this but in the event that you haven't and it is helpful - https://www.gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check/overview

Is your friend in the running to be in the employ of this company in some way should she win?

I think she's doing the right thing by asking for a copy of the T&Cs. I presume they are not listed on the thread for that competition in this forum?

JessicAhh

The phrase "potential winner" always sets alarm bells ringing for me... Unless they mean "winner subject to the following checks," and there are three winners in total. If only one of the three is going to win, that would definitely set alarm bells ringing.

I think it's good she has tracked down contact details for the big company, and is in touch directly with them. That's the best course of action.

I am surprised she needs a DBS check... I guess it would partly depend on the prize as well. That said, if she has a criminal record or whatever (speaking hypothetically), unless they mentioned this being a barrier to entry in their Ts and Cs, there would be no way in which they could take the prize from her.

I can't see what that check would throw up that would allow them to decide whether she can be awarded the prize, as the Ts and Cs should state what things would bar her from winning.

Very odd - am happy to look in confidence at the comp / Ts and Cs, if you / her want to PM me.

Bizzie_Lizzie

Brownhandbag - it's not just any other names by which she herself has been known, but also her mother's maiden name. And if you look at the link so helpfully provided by Rahven that is outwith the DBS requirements.

Lilias - very interesting, thank you; no as far as she knows there is no requirement for a tv appearance and that is exactly the kind of thing she wouldn't have gone in for.
And, Rahven, there was no indication that she would be in the employ of the company.

As the competition end date was a couple of weeks ago the link from this site leads to a 'page not found' message on the site the competition was on so no way of finding the Ts and Cs that way.

Thanks for your kind offer JessicAhh - at the moment won't take you up on it as other avenues are being pursued.

lynwestie

sorry, can't help with the comp but can confirm that CRB check does require parents full name and date and place of birth.. possibly even mothers maiden name.. my son just had one last week and text me for those details.

Bizzie_Lizzie

Thanks for your input lynwestie but the only parental information being requested was the mother's maiden name, no other information about the father or any other of the mother's details. That was what had spooked my friend.

In other news conversations have been had with the main organisation running the contest and it has been confirmed as bona fide.

Thanks all for the contributions and please understand that commercial confidentiality means that I can't give any further information at this stage.

becca_wecca

In the past 6 months I've had to do 3 different DBS for different jobs and not one did I need my Mothers maiden name, in fact I don't recall having to put in any details of my parents.

It was the usual details: DOB, place of birth, passport number, address for past 5 years, previous names etc etc.

Also, it's a tad strange that she was emailed a document to print off sign, scan and send back. Why not just send her the DBS form, or if they do it online you can give the person log in details to "sign" it that way.

On a side note as well, DBS certificates get sent back to the person not the company as it is yours not theirs.

elsien

So out of interest, are the company paying for this DBS check?

lynwestie

Strictly speaking if they ask for a passport number surely all that information is available to them from that source.. both the checks my son has had have been for the ministry of defence. It could be that their checks are more detailed and this form is asking for all possible details that COULD be requested ... I'd be very wary about sending that info off and if this is legit they surely won't mind you taking all the necessary precautions.