NAMFS Supported Background Checks Under Scrutiny

Security, Cost Savings, and Industry Integrity at Stake

The U.S. government requires all federal contractors to undergo a thorough, transparent, and free background check through SAM.gov. This process ensures that businesses and individuals meet legal and financial integrity requirements before receiving a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) to bid on government contracts.

In contrast, the Mortgage Field Services Industry relies on private, for-profit background check platforms such as ShieldHub, formerly Aspen Grove Solutions. These platforms charge Labor — not Management — over $100 per year for incomplete and unverified checks that fail to track bankruptcies, federal debarments, and financial integrity issues.

This discrepancy raises significant concerns, including:

• Unfair financial burden on Labor
• Lack of management oversight
• Major security vulnerabilities
• Potential fraud and data breaches

The Financial Impact: $10 Million Wasted Annually

Industry Labor are forced to pay in upwards of $100 per year for private background checks — for the inclusion of New York — that provide inferior screening compared to SAM.gov.

Annual Cost of ShieldHub Background Checks vs. SAM

If the Industry adopted SAM’s free background check process, recommended by both Foreclosurepedia and the International Association of Field Service Technicians (IAFST) over a decade ago, $10 million annually could be saved by laborers. This would eliminate an unnecessary financial barrier and reduce the risk of labor shortages due to high entry costs. A prime reason for the refusal to adopt is the fact that a NAICS — one’s primary labor code — is required. It is free, but also begins to track the monies in and out of the Industry being paid to Labor and creating profit for Management. The IAFST recently submitted a Petition for an Industry IAFST and is pending a hearing on the matter.

Private Background Checks Ignore Financial and Legal Risks

SAM’s Background Checks vs. Private Background Checks

ShieldHub and the Aspen Grove Solutions number fail to detect whether a contractor is federally barred, bankrupt, or on a government watchlist. This is a critical security gap that could allow individuals with a history of fraud or financial misconduct to continue working in sensitive financial and property-related roles.

Management is NOT Background Checked – A Major Problem

Even more concerning is that in our Industry, Labor — not management or executives — are required to undergo background checks.

This means:

• Company executives handling finances and client data have had and may continue to have a history of fraud or bankruptcy that remains undetected.
• Vendor Managers overseeing Labor are not held to the same standards despite having greater access to sensitive property and financial information.
• Labor bears an unfair financial burden while those at the top are exempt from scrutiny.

If the industry were truly serious about security and integrity, background checks should apply across all levels, not just to the lowest-paid workers.

In fact, for years Melissa Shankin, Vendor and Operations Manager (depending upon which emails you read) for Five Brothers, was a convicted drug offender. She has a felony record for possessing under 25 grams of cocaine. With a tax lien for nearly EIGHTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS and multiple judgments against her, including one from JARZEMBOWSKI FUNERAL HOME INC, one has to wonder precisely where Eric Miller, Executive Director of the National Association of Mortgage Field Services (NAMFS), stands. I mean are we saying that ShieldHub – Aspen Grove Background Checks for NAMFS Members are never to be conducted?

Miller’s full scale assault upon Labor, with mark ups at seventy times the market rate for identical background checks, stands as a testament that it is business as usual on HUD Contracts. In fact, the HUD Departmental Security Policy which is horrifically failing, has not been updated since 1973. In a scathing 62 page HUD OIG report released in March of this year, it was revealed that, HUD could not ensure that acquisitions staff effectively implemented personnel security processes for contractor employees — a term used to describe firms like Five Brothers and other Third Party Service Providers including Prime Vendor Awardees.

Data Breaches and Fraud Risks Are Higher in Private Systems

SAM.gov ensures secure data handling and has clear auditing mechanisms to prevent abuse. In contrast, ShieldHub and Aspen Grove Solutions have already suffered breaches, most notably with Mortgage Contracting Solutions (MCS), which resulted in a class-action lawsuit.

Additionally:

• ShieldHub credentials can be used by multiple people simultaneously across the country.
• There is no way to completely prevent fraudulent access.
• There is no transparent audit trail of who is using the credentials.

This means an unauthorized person could be completing mortgage field inspections under someone else’s background check, undetected.

The Solution: Move the Mortgage Field Services Industry to SAM.gov

By transitioning the MFSI to SAM-based background checks, the industry would:
✅ Save $10 million per year by eliminating unnecessary laborer fees.
✅ Ensure all financial and criminal risks are properly screened.
✅ Hold management and laborers to the same standards.
✅ Prevent fraud by eliminating credential sharing.
✅ Improve data security and reduce the risk of future breaches.

Conclusion: The Industry Must Act Now

The Mortgage Field Services Industry must stop using private, insecure, and costly background check platforms. The government has already demonstrated that a better system exists—one that is free, more secure, and more comprehensive.

By adopting SAM.gov’s background check process, the industry can improve transparency, security, and fairness while eliminating an unnecessary $10 million annual burden on Labor. The question isn’t whether the industry should transition to SAM — it’s why it hasn’t already.