BOSTON — The popular babysitting and nanny job website Care.com has agreed to settle with the Massachusetts Attorney General following allegations it misled Massachusetts families about background checks.
Care.com says it will pay $480,000 in restitution to the misled families, said the Attorney General's office.
The AG's office said Care.com told consumers that its "Preferred" and "Preferred+" background check products would include a review of criminal records from where the caregiver had been residing for the past seven years. However, these checks only reviewed Massachusetts Superior Court records and didn't check with district courts, said the AG's office. In Massachusetts, most misdemeanors and many felony records are kept in the district court level.
The settlement says that Care.com will give more information about background checks and their limitations. It will also tell consumers about Criminal Offender Record Information check, also known as CORI, and how to access one. CORIs can help families view comprehensive background check information.
Care.com will pay $126,820 in restitution to about 2,900 people who bought the background checks, along with $355,000 to the state.