Whether you are going to meet your latest Tinder date in person, or want to find an old friend, conducting a background check can give you the peace of mind needed to help you make a decision. You don’t even need to pay out of pocket for it. By following our advice, you can conduct background checks for free!
When to Conduct a Background Check on Someone
A background check can be conducted for different reasons; making sure that a person really is who they say they are, determining if this person has a criminal past, amongst other reasons. No matter what type of information you are looking for, the purpose of a background check is to get the facts to make an informed decision based on them.
A Word of Warning About Running a Background Check on Someone Else
Before moving on, we must emphasize that there are legal limitations placed by federal law on the use of background checks. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) outlines a number of limitations regarding how information obtained from people-search tools can be utilized.
As we’ve stated, it is perfectly appropriate for you to undertake background checks to reconnect with long lost friends or to check out someone you’ve met online before deciding to meet them. But this information cannot be used to stalk, harass or contact people against their will. This is both against the policies of the services mentioned and is highly illegal.
Methods of Background Checks
Here are the easiest free methods to undertake background checks.
Government Records
Court cases, government data, and sex offender registry entries are examples of what can be found on the Internet for free. To conduct a free background check using this method, visit the webpage of the specific county’s court, state court, or sex offender registry, and start searching there.
Using Social Networks
Social network accounts often contain various data about their owners; such as where they work, for example. Searching for a person’s account in networks such as Facebook and LinkedIn is free, quick and easy.
Using Search Engines
If you enter a person’s name into a such engine, like Google, in quotation marks along with other known data, you will likely see results. The benefits of search engines are that they will find items like news articles and forum posts which can surface information that wouldn’t appear elsewhere.
Search Arrest and Inmate Records
Most states provide free online access to the databases that include arrest and inmate records along with court papers. Additionally, the Federal Bureau of Prisons provides an online search tool which helps users locate inmates for federal charges. Such services will help you discover quickly whether the suspect has any criminal record.
Employ Reverse Lookup Services
If you want a more in-depth background check, then your best bet is to use a reverse lookup service, like Information.com’s background check search. They gather different pieces of information on a specific person from various resources and produce one consolidated report.
Helpful Hints and Tips to Get the Most Out of Running Background Checks
Manual investigation through numerous sources is always time-consuming and might have some gaps in the process. The following advice will help in making the process more efficient:
- Check the correct spelling of a name. One mistake can ruin the entire process of searching. It is worth trying different versions of a name, especially nicknames and maiden names when necessary.
- Check the information depending on the person’s location. Usually, public information is divided into jurisdictions. Knowing where the person lives or lived before will narrow down the source selection.
- Try not to expect fast results if searching through old records. Not all records are digitized. There could be many cases that simply do not get into the online sources.
How to Run a Background Check on Someone for Free
A background check does not necessarily have to be difficult or expensive. With the right resources and a systematic way of going about it, you can obtain all the necessary information needed to make a sound judgment about those around you. Utilizing the resources of Information.com, you can easily obtain an accurate profile of anyone for free.
