Does OnlyFans Show up on a Background Check? (Check Yours Now)

Does OnlyFans show up on a background check? There is no denying the age of technology is here, and as workers diversify their income with ‘side hustles,’ whether or not these types of income generators will be part of background information is a common question.

OnlyFans is one of the numerous social websites individuals can use to make money, but many users want to keep that information private and use pens names and other anonymity tools that are available.

However, their income is generally sent to their personal identity, which causes many to ask whether a potential employer will see the source of their side hustle at OnlyFans.

Maybe… it depends on the type of check being run, who is running the check, and whether the check will reveal income (and that income is over $600).

The answer is tricky, but fortunately, anyone can find out exactly what will appear on a background check, and the answer to can background check uncover former workplaces by running one on themselves first.

If you are worried about background examination results showing OnlyFans, check yours right now to know for sure, then use the following information on learning about a person’s job history and background check types to see if your side hustle income will be easy to trace on a background check.

When Will OnlyFans Show Up on a Background Check?

The quick answer to “Does OnlyFans show up on a background check?” is a firm “maybe.” There are several factors to consider when answering this question, including:

• Type of background check
• Type of employer
• Type of OnlyFans account
• Amount of Income

What Background Checks Will Show OnlyFans?

Any employer or interested party can conduct a do-it-yourself social media profile research and see the employee’s or applicant’s public profiles. If an individual keeps profiles set to private, this type of search will not generate much information.¹⁷

There are different modes of background screening which can reveal OnlyFans affiliation. Background checks conducted by third-party companies can include social media checks as part of the package selected by an employer. Again, only publicly available information is viewable.

A level 4 background check is one of the thorough background screenings, and it commonly includes social media checks, as do FBI background checks. FBI and federal background checks may also be able to access information that would not be viewable through lower-level background checks.

But, the bottom line is that unless the employment check includes a detailed tax history, the OnlyFans income will not be visible.

What Employers Look for OnlyFans?

Government employers will absolutely look at an employee’s social media accounts which may contain content that can incriminate or blackmail the employee or agency. Social media presence may be heavily regulated by federal employers.¹²

Additionally, employers who are very religious or conservative may place more weight on the substance of an employee’s social media posts.³

What Types of OnlyFans Accounts Show Up on a Background Check?

OnlyFans creators who use their legal name as their username will easily show up on a Google search for OnlyFans plus employee name.

If a creator uses a well-disguised stage name and otherwise conceals their identity on OnlyFans, they are much less likely to appear on a social media background check. Subscriber accounts are quite easy to keep anonymous and would likely only show up on higher-level government background checks, and even then, aren’t likely to be a cause for concern.

Where Does OnlyFans Show Up on a Background Check?

OnlyFans can show up on a Google name-based social media search if the creator profile is listed under their legal name. OnlyFans can also show up on a credit history report if an individual earns $600 or more and receives 1099 from OnlyFans.^3,7

Does OnlyFans Show Up on a Background Check? (Employment History)

So, does OnlyFans show up on a background check? Yes, OnlyFans can show up on a background check. This can happen in a few ways.

1. Employment history
2. Income/Financial History
3. Social media check

Employers have learned how to find someone’s employment history in several different ways. Employment history is commonly verified via a background check. An individual may choose to disclose OnlyFans on their application, but that does come with the risk of the omission being uncovered.^3,12

If a wage amount greater than $600 was earned from OnlyFans, 1099 will be issued, and that income will show up on a financial/credit history check, of which an employer may seek verification.

A social media check will quickly pull up a non-anonymous OnlyFans account and an in-depth search can dig up some less accessible information.

Can Potential Employers See Your Work History on OnlyFans?

It is possible for potential employers to see an applicant’s work history on OnlyFans. A simple name search on the OnlyFans website can pull up an individual’s account if the user account is under the legal name.

This does not mean that the employer would have access to the account; rather, the employer would need to create an account and subscribe to the creator’s page to view content.³

OnlyFans distributes 1099 at the end of the year which documents all earnings for tax purposes. Any individual who receives 1099 must file that income with the Internal Revenue Service.

That income can be viewed through a credit history report, but most times when an employer wants to verify salary, they will contact former employers. Credit history reports are regularly obtained on applicants for higher-paying jobs or jobs with financial responsibility.^{3, 11}

Employers can verify any reported work history rather easily, and it’s also quite possible for them to discover any unreported work history via background checks which may access credit reports and social media platforms. Therefore, omitting a job from employment history is not always the wisest option.¹³

Can I Make an OnlyFans With a Fake Name? (OnlyFans Background Check Shield)

Individual creators can absolutely create an OnlyFans profile using a fake name or stage name, and in fact, it may be advantageous in cases where adult content is being promoted.

However, in the U.S., it is not possible for content creators to set up an account with a fake name. While some other countries allow third-party payment apps, OnlyFans creators in the U.S. are required to link their accounts directly to a bank account to receive payment.¹⁶ Therefore, OnlyFans has access to creators’ personal identifying information.³

Can I Get Fired for Having an OnlyFans Account? (Fired for OnlyFans? Laws for All 50 States)

Persons interested in the question “Does OnlyFans show up on a background check?” are likely concerned about how an OnlyFans account may affect their ability to secure or retain a job.

Individuals curious about the impact of OnlyFans on employment may wonder if they can be fired for having an account. The short answer to this question is that employees can basically be fired for almost any reason. In explanation, most states are considered “at-will,” which means that a firing can be carried out at an employer’s discretion, so long as it was not discriminatory.³

Though all states are “technically” “at-will” states, many states have taken the first steps to protect employees’ social media privacy by enacting legislation dictating how and when an employer can view employee social media accounts.⁴

Currently, twenty-nine states have legislation regulating what social media an employer can access and how. Other states, such as Florida, have tried and failed to pass similar legislation. The current law generally states that employers cannot request a username and/or password access, privacy changes, or friend status to applicants’ or employees’ private social media accounts, with some small variations from state to state.

For example, New Mexico’s N.M. Stat. § 50-4-34¹⁸ only explicitly protects applicants and not current employees. Furthermore, most of these laws only apply to civilian employers, not to federal employers. In fact, some states like South Carolina, prohibit state employees from having personal social media accounts.¹⁰

As recently as 2020, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld the decision to fire a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation employee following an offensive Facebook post.²

There are two states (Kentucky and Texas) with posted unofficial policies regulating employee social media use in the workplace.

See links to state legislation in the table below.

*Denotes unofficial government guidelines rather than official legislation.

** NOTE: States not listed on the table do not currently have social media privacy laws in place.

Aside from the consideration of state legislation, individual company policy must also be taken into account. Some companies are much more lenient with their social media regulations than others. Many government jobs prohibit the use of social media for federal employees, and very religious or conservative companies may have stricter policies as well. Jobs in healthcare, childcare, and law enforcement may be less accepting of employees producing adult content.^{5, 14, 15}

Companies are likely to frown upon personal social media accounts being present in or influencing the workplace environment. For example, in 2020, a female mechanic in Indiana was fired after male coworkers discovered her OnlyFans account and viewed content at work.⁶

Kentucky’s Social Media in the Workplace¹⁹ policy is a helpful look at how employers can regulate social media while maintaining an open and honest approach with employees.

Side hustles and online gigs are a product of the digital age. As more individuals seek opportunities for profit through content creation for online media, there are more unknowns in terms of background checks. Thus, many creators for the website OnlyFans are now asking the question “Does OnlyFans show up on a background check?” and looking for ways to check their background as they attempt to secure other employment.