Frequently Asked Questions
Introduction to J-Cred
Crim Checks
This means you have no case waiting trial or previous criminal convictions.
Candidates are only required to capture their fingerprints and that’s the information they should share with the person assisting them, KTO is responsible for the payment.
This means you have a possible case waiting trial or previous criminal conviction. The check will be further processed by the SAPS. A second report will be sent to you within 10 to 15 working days. In some cases, it may take longer.
Criminal reports are password protected, to open the PDF is the candidates Date Of Birth (DOB), password format YYYY/MM/DD
Qualifications
Short courses are generally not aligned to a specific NQF level, unless they are accredited by an approved body such as SAQA or a SETA. Verification results will indicate whether the short course is accredited and, if applicable, the associated NQF level.
Email notifications are automatically sent to the registered email address used as the username on the portal. Notifications cannot be redirected to an alternative email address. If a different email is required, a new user account must be registered.
Please ensure that:
- Your registered email address is correct
- Emails from the system are not going to your spam or junk folder
- Your mailbox is not full
If the issue persists, please contact support@kto.co.za for assistance.
Verifications / General
No, a signed consent form with all the questions is completed and signed by the candidate should be provided and uploaded on the J-Cred portal, an incomplete consent form will be rejected. You will need to create a new request on the portal.
Please check your network connectivity first, thereafter, refresh your page. If the error message persists, please contact our support desk at support@kto.co.za
We understand that applications are urgent and make every effort to expedite processes as quickly as we can. Continue to check the online platform for updates on your verifications every 24 hours to track its progress. Please note some institutions may take longer than others, but rest assured that our verifications agents are working aggressively to complete your verification.
Depending on your request, there are requests that are real-time for example – ID verifications, Credit Checks, Fraud Check and dome institutions KTO is affiliated with. Kindly contact sales@ kto.co.za and our friendly consultants will walk you through our service offering and turn around time.
We only verify reports, we do not advise service providers on which candidate is a “good hire”, we can though recommend the different psychometric assessments we provide at a cost to better evaluate if the candidate is hireable.
Yes, you should, however if you did not notification a, please contact our support staff at support@kto.co.za
Fraud checks in South Africa can only be done with a valid identity number (ID) number. We are looking into using passport numbers for fraud checks in the near future.
You can reset passwords by selecting “forgot your password?” on the login page. Alternatively, if you strongly believe the password and username are both correct, please contact support@kto.co.za for assistance.
If you cannot reset the password, please contact support@kto.co.za for assistance.
All portal active users are register with an email address, which is used as the username. All verifications submissions per user, are linked to their account by username, example., email address. Individual and Applicant users cannot change their username/email address and would instead have to register again with the new email address.
Portal Access & User Accounts
The J-Cred portal may only be used by authorised users who have been approved by their organisation and activated on the platform. Each user must have their own login profile so that every search, request and report can be traced to the correct person, purpose and client account.
J-Cred handles sensitive personal and verification information. For that reason, access is controlled through a client-approved onboarding process. This protects the client, the data subject and J-Cred by ensuring that only authorised users can submit requests or view results.
Your email address is used to identify you on the portal and to link your submissions, notifications, audit trail and support queries to your user profile. Shared accounts should not be used because they make it difficult to prove who performed a search or downloaded a report.
Because verification activity is linked to the registered username, users generally cannot simply change the email address on an existing profile. If a different email address must be used, the client administrator or support team may need to arrange a new user profile and deactivate the old one where appropriate.
First check that you are using the correct registered email address and password. Then try the Forgot Password option on the login page. If the issue continues, contact support@kto.co.za and include your name, organisation, registered email address and a screenshot of the error message where possible.
Check your junk or spam folder and confirm that your mailbox can receive emails. If the reset email does not arrive, or the reset link has expired, contact support@kto.co.za for assistance.
No. Login details must not be shared. Each user must access J-Cred using their own authorised profile. This protects auditability, confidentiality and compliance.
The client administrator should notify J-Cred support so that the user’s access can be removed, suspended or amended. Access should be aligned to the user’s current role and should not remain active when there is no longer a valid business need.
Consent, Purpose & Compliance
No, where consent is required for the service, a completed and signed consent form must be provided before the verification can proceed. Incomplete, incorrect or missing consent may result in the request being rejected or delayed.
Many verification services involve personal information, credit-related information, criminal checks or third-party confirmation. Consent helps demonstrate that the candidate or data subject has authorised the relevant verification for a lawful and specific purpose.
A prescribed or permitted purpose is the lawful reason for conducting the search or verification. Examples may include recruitment screening, supplier onboarding, compliance verification, fraud prevention, debt recovery or another approved business purpose, depending on the service and client arrangement.
The purpose creates an audit trail and confirms why the information was accessed. It also helps prevent searches from being performed casually, outside mandate or for reasons that are not aligned to the service agreement or applicable law.
Reports should only be used for the purpose for which the verification was requested and consented to. If the information is needed for a different purpose, the client should confirm whether a new consent, new request or updated mandate is required.
The client is responsible for obtaining and keeping valid consent where required. J-Cred may check that the required consent documentation has been supplied, but the client remains responsible for ensuring that the verification is requested lawfully and for the correct purpose.
The request may be rejected or placed on hold. You may need to correct the form, obtain a new signed consent, and submit a new or updated request through the portal.
No. J-Cred verifies and reports available information; it does not make recruitment or appointment decisions on behalf of the client. The client remains responsible for interpreting the results within its own policies, role requirements, risk appetite and applicable labour law processes.
Reports should only be shared with authorised people who need the information for the approved purpose. Avoid forwarding reports broadly, storing them in unsecured locations, or using them outside the relevant case, recruitment or compliance process.
Criminal Checks
Clear generally means that no criminal conviction or pending case result was returned for the candidate through the applicable criminal verification process at the time of the check.
HIT means that a possible criminal record, pending case or related result has been identified and requires further processing or confirmation. A second report may be issued once the further processing has been completed by the relevant authority or processing channel. This may take approximately 10 to 15 working days, and in some cases longer depending on the external process.
The candidate must provide the information required for fingerprint capture and follow the instructions given for the criminal check process. Where the client arrangement provides for KTO/J-Cred to handle the verification payment, the candidate should not be expected to pay for the check unless otherwise instructed in writing.
Fingerprint capture improves the reliability of the criminal verification process by linking the check to biometric information rather than relying only on names or identity numbers.
Criminal reports may be password protected. The usual password format is the candidate’s date of birth in the format YYYY/MM/DD. If the PDF still cannot be opened, contact support and provide the relevant request details.
Some criminal checks depend on fingerprint capture, external processing, authority confirmation or additional adjudication where a possible result is identified. These dependencies can extend the turnaround time beyond real-time or same-day checks.
No. Incorrect or incomplete identity information can delay the check, produce an invalid result or require a new request. Always ensure that the candidate’s identity number, names and supporting details match the consent and captured request.
Log a support query with the request number, candidate details and the issue identified. If the matter relates to source data or an official record, further confirmation or correction may need to be handled through the relevant authority or approved dispute process.
Qualification & Credential Verifications
Provide the candidate’s full names, identity or passport number, institution name, qualification name, year completed, student number where available, and a clear copy of the certificate or academic record if required. Missing information can delay the verification.
Short courses are generally not automatically aligned to a specific NQF level unless they are accredited by an approved body such as SAQA, a SETA, the QCTO, CHE or another recognised authority. The verification result should indicate whether the programme is accredited and whether an NQF level is confirmed.
Qualification checks often depend on the response time of the institution, professional body or external records custodian. Some institutions respond quickly, while others require manual confirmation, archive retrieval, payment references or additional information before they can confirm the record.
International verifications can take longer than local checks because they depend on foreign institutions, time zones, language requirements and external custodian processes. As a general guide, they may take up to 15 working days or longer depending on the institution and country.
J-Cred will manage and follow up the verification request, but the final response time may depend on the institution or external custodian. Where a delay occurs, the request remains dependent on the source response unless an alternative approved confirmation route is available.
The verification may be returned as not confirmed, inconclusive or requiring more information, depending on the source response. The client or candidate may need to provide additional details such as student number, campus, graduation year, maiden name, certificate copy or academic transcript.
Yes, where the relevant professional body or statutory register allows verification. The request should include the candidate’s full details, registration number where available, profession, board or council name and consent where required.
A certificate is useful supporting evidence, but the purpose of verification is to confirm the record against the issuing institution or recognised authority where possible. A clear certificate copy may still be required to assist the verification process.
Verification Requests & Portal Workflow
Log in to the J-Cred portal, select the relevant verification service, capture the required candidate or entity information, upload supporting documents where required, confirm the purpose and submit the request. Always review the information before submission to avoid delays.
First check your internet connection and refresh the page. Confirm that all mandatory fields are completed and that uploaded files meet the required format or size limits. If the error continues, contact support@kto.co.za with a screenshot and the steps taken before the error appeared.
Some request details may not be editable after submission because they form part of the audit trail. If you made an error, contact support as soon as possible. Depending on the stage of processing, the request may need to be corrected, cancelled or resubmitted.
The request may be rejected, placed on hold or delayed while the missing information is requested. For best results, capture all mandatory fields accurately and upload the correct supporting documents at the start.
Yes, where the services are approved for your organisation and the required consent and purpose are in place. Multiple checks should be aligned to the same case or candidate profile where possible so that results can be managed consistently.
A multi-search or bundled verification allows more than one check to be requested for a candidate, person or entity as part of one workflow. It is useful where a standard screening package is required, such as identity, criminal, qualification, fraud and credit-related checks.
Do not bundle checks together if they have different lawful purposes, different consent requirements, different case references or different data-subject contexts. Each check must still be justifiable and properly authorised.
The portal should show a confirmation, request status or tracking entry after submission. You may also receive a notification depending on your profile and the workflow. If you are unsure, check the request history before submitting a duplicate request.
Data Sources, Master Records & Update Frequency
Update frequency depends on the authoritative data source and the type of verification. Some checks are performed in real time or near-real time against an upstream source. Others depend on bureau refresh cycles, statutory-body updates, institutional responses, cached datasets or manual verification processes. J-Cred does not control every upstream master record; it returns the latest available information from the applicable source or verification channel at the time of the request.
No. J-Cred uses different data sources, integration channels and verification processes depending on the service. Some services query external sources directly; some rely on bureau or partner data; and some require manual confirmation from an institution, authority or records custodian.
Real-time means that the request is processed immediately through the relevant system or source channel and a result is returned without manual intervention. However, the freshness of the underlying data still depends on the source that owns or supplies that data.
Different sources may update at different times, use different identifiers, hold different record types or receive updates from different furnishers. Where information differs, the appropriate authoritative source and dispute process should be considered for the specific verification type.
J-Cred cannot directly alter records owned by government departments, credit bureaus, institutions, professional bodies or other external custodians. Where a dispute or correction is required, J-Cred can guide the client on the appropriate support or dispute process where available, but the source custodian remains responsible for correcting its own records.
Not always. If the check is live against that source, the update may reflect once the source system itself exposes the updated record. If the check depends on bureau refreshes, partner files or manual confirmations, the update may only reflect after the relevant refresh or confirmation cycle.
Use the report date, request date, source notes and status information shown on the result. If the matter is highly time-sensitive, you may need to rerun the check or request an updated confirmation in line with your organisation’s policy.
No. There is no single update cycle across all services. Each source has its own update rhythm, which may be daily, weekly, monthly, event-driven, manually confirmed or dependent on statutory or institutional processes.
The affected service may be delayed, paused or placed in a pending state until the upstream source becomes available again. J-Cred support may issue updates where the outage materially affects turnaround times or service delivery.
Yes, where your internal policy requires current evidence or where significant time has passed since the original report. Older reports should not automatically be treated as current if the underlying data may have changed.
Turnaround Times, Pending Requests & Escalations
A pending status means the request has not yet reached a final result. This may be due to external source processing, missing information, manual verification, institution response times, fingerprint processing or an upstream system delay. Continue checking the portal for updates and contact support if the request exceeds the expected service window.
Checks that can be performed through real-time or automated channels are usually completed faster. Examples may include certain identity, fraud, credit or database-driven checks, depending on the client’s approved services and the availability of the source channel.
Checks that depend on manual confirmation or external custodians usually take longer. These may include qualification verifications, international checks, professional body confirmations, criminal checks requiring further processing, employment references and some document-based verifications.
Yes, J-Cred can follow up or escalate within the available process. However, where the result depends on an institution, authority, bureau or external custodian, the final completion time may still depend on that source’s response.
Include the request number, candidate or entity name, verification type, submission date, client reference, and a short explanation of why the matter is urgent. Avoid sending sensitive information unnecessarily unless requested by support.
J-Cred understands that recruitment and onboarding timelines can be urgent, but not all external verification sources provide expedited processing. Where possible, support can assist with follow-up, but source-dependent checks cannot always be accelerated.
Cancellation depends on the service type and processing stage. Some requests may already have been submitted to an external source or incurred costs. Contact support as soon as possible if you need to cancel or correct a request.
Notifications may be sent to the registered user email address depending on the workflow and service configuration. You should also check the portal regularly, especially for pending or urgent requests.
Reports, Results & Interpretation
Completed reports are available in the relevant request history, tracking area or results section of the J-Cred portal. The exact location may depend on the service workflow and user permissions.
Yes, where download functionality is enabled for the service and user role. Downloaded reports should be stored securely and used only for the approved purpose.
Some reports may only be viewable or downloadable for a limited period for security, privacy or system-control reasons. Users should download required reports promptly and retain them according to their organisation’s approved records management policy.
Check whether the report is password protected, confirm that you are using a supported PDF reader, and ensure the file downloaded correctly. For protected criminal reports, try the candidate’s date of birth in the expected format. If the issue continues, contact support.
No record found means that the system or source did not return a matching record based on the information provided and the search criteria used. Confirm that the captured details are correct before concluding that the record does not exist.
An inconclusive result means that the available information was not sufficient to provide a clear confirmed outcome. The request may require additional information, a manual follow-up, source confirmation or a new request with corrected details.
J-Cred can explain the meaning of statuses, fields and verification outcomes, but the final business decision remains with the client. Clients should apply their own policies, risk appetite and applicable legal requirements when acting on a result.
The Search ID or request number is the unique reference for the verification. It should be used in support queries, audit reviews, report retrieval, dispute handling and internal case tracking.
E-Consent & Candidate Interaction
E-Consent is a digital process used to request and record a candidate’s or data subject’s consent for specified verification checks. It helps create a clearer audit trail than informal email or manual consent processes.
The candidate may receive a link or notification through the configured communication channel. The request will guide them through reviewing the consent details and responding digitally.
Yes. A candidate or data subject may decline to provide consent. If consent is required for the check, the verification should not proceed unless another lawful basis and approved process applies.
The request may remain pending until the candidate responds or the request expires. The user may need to send a reminder or follow up with the candidate according to the client’s process.
Where notifications are enabled, the registered user should receive relevant updates. If you do not receive expected notifications, check your email address, spam folder and mailbox status, then contact support if the issue continues.
The signed or completed consent evidence should be linked to the relevant request or available in the consent/request tracking area, depending on the workflow configuration.
If e-Consent is required for the verification, the check should wait until the consent process is completed. Proceeding without required consent can create compliance and audit risk.
Notifications & Email Communication
System notifications are generally sent to the registered email address used as the username on the portal. They are not normally redirected to another address. If a different email is required, a new user profile or administrative change may be needed.
Check that your registered email address is correct, emails are not being filtered to spam or junk, and your mailbox is not full. If the issue continues, contact support@kto.co.za.
This depends on the client configuration and portal workflow. In general, notifications are linked to the submitting user or authorised roles. Where shared visibility is needed, the client administrator should discuss the required configuration with J-Cred.
Official support matters should be handled through approved support channels so that there is a proper record, reference and audit trail. Avoid sending sensitive personal information through informal or unsecured channels.
Avoid sending unnecessary sensitive personal information, passwords, bulk identity data or reports to people who are not authorised. When support needs information, provide only what is necessary to resolve the query and reference the request number where possible.
Support, Disputes & Data Corrections
Email support@kto.co.za with your organisation name, registered email address, request number, verification type and a clear description of the issue. Attach screenshots where they help explain the problem, but avoid unnecessary sensitive information.
A support issue relates to portal access, errors, submission problems, notifications, report downloads or workflow queries. A data dispute relates to the accuracy or completeness of the information returned by a source or verification process.
Record the dispute, do not treat the disputed information as final without following the appropriate process, and contact support with the request details. Depending on the data source, the candidate may also need to engage the relevant bureau, authority, institution or records custodian.
J-Cred cannot simply remove, suppress or change verified source information because a result is unfavourable. Any correction must follow the relevant dispute or source-correction process.
Resolution time depends on the type of dispute and the source custodian involved. Some matters can be clarified quickly, while others require investigation by a bureau, authority, institution or other external data owner.
Contact support immediately. If the request has not yet been processed, it may be possible to correct or stop it. If it has already been processed, a new request may be required and the incorrect request should be handled according to the client’s internal procedure.
Check your internet connection and confirm whether the issue affects only your device or multiple users. If the portal remains unavailable, contact support with the time of the issue, browser used, screenshot and any error message.
Report the matter immediately through your internal administrator and J-Cred support. Misuse may include shared credentials, searches without a valid purpose, unauthorised downloads, or access by users who should no longer be active.
Billing, Usage & Service Management
Usage is tracked through the portal and associated request records. Each billable search or verification is linked to the applicable client account, user, service type, request date and reference information where captured.
This depends on the client agreement and training setup. Users should not run live searches for testing unless the process has been approved. Training, demo or sandbox activity should be clearly separated from live billable verification activity where available.
Report the issue to the client administrator or support team as soon as possible. Whether the search is billable will depend on the service type, processing stage and client agreement.
Usage reporting can generally be structured around available portal records such as user, service type, date range, client account and reference fields. Specific reporting formats may depend on the client arrangement and configuration.
Service levels are measured against the agreed service categories and turnaround expectations. Real-time checks, automated checks and manual/source-dependent checks should not be measured in the same way because their dependencies differ.
Where planned maintenance affects access or service availability, J-Cred may communicate the expected maintenance window and affected services. Users should plan urgent requests around communicated maintenance periods where possible.
User access, active requests, retained records, reports and final billing should be handled in line with the client agreement, applicable data protection requirements and agreed offboarding process.
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