| Looking for a free background check? You're not | | | | Before reporting a criminal record, professional |
| alone. Every year, millions of people search Google | | | | background screeners try to match several |
| hoping to discover that one thorough background | | | | identifiers including name, date of birth and Social |
| check that is completely free. If you're one of | | | | Security number, to make sure the record is for |
| those searching for the elusive 100% free criminal | | | | the right person. If the actual court files lack |
| background check, you can stop now. It simply | | | | some of these identifiers, the background |
| does not exist. Hundreds of sites advertise free | | | | screener may call district attorneys, probation |
| background searches, but they won't deliver any | | | | officers and jails to find matching identification. |
| information besides a name, one or two basic | | | | This service could never be provided by an |
| identifiers and data that a simple Google search | | | | instant background check. |
| would provide. For "full" instant criminal checks, | | | | Many individuals and companies who rely on free |
| you'll usually be asked to subscribe to the site or | | | | instant background checks would be shocked to |
| pay a one-time fee. | | | | learn how inaccurate and incomplete they are. |
| When people do decide to pay for these instant | | | | The Wall Street Journal recently did a review of |
| criminal checks, they usually expect the results to | | | | several of the most popular "free" check services |
| be accurate. After all, the searches are just pulling | | | | including Intelius, InfoRegistry, US Search and |
| data from a central public records database right? | | | | NetDetective. The test subject was a middle-aged |
| Wrong. While the National Crime Information | | | | woman with no criminal history. Even though this |
| Center is available for law enforcement officers, | | | | should have been a simple search, every single |
| there's never been a complete public records | | | | instant background check returned results filled |
| database available to the private sector. | | | | with mistakes. The Intelius check even turned up |
| So where do online background screening | | | | three false civil judgments for a Chapter 7 |
| companies get the information for their "free" | | | | bankruptcy. |
| background checks? They usually end up | | | | These checks were not only inaccurate, they |
| searching free databases provided by state and | | | | were also expensive. They ranged in price from |
| local authorities. The problem with these | | | | $30 for a 1-year subscription to $50 for 1-month |
| databases is that they are often incomplete, | | | | access. Plus, like most "free" online background |
| infrequently maintained and inaccurate. Even | | | | checks, they tried to get users to enroll in a |
| worse, court clerks in many areas of the country | | | | number of extra services that would bill their |
| do not post any criminal records online. | | | | credit cards each month. |
| When instant checks do find criminal records, the | | | | While instant checks may have their place, only |
| records are often for a person who has similar | | | | human-run searches will consistently produce |
| identifiers to the individual being investigated. For | | | | complete and accurate results. The process of |
| example, try doing an instant criminal search for a | | | | browsing a county's computer records or visiting |
| person named "John Jones" in your state. Would | | | | a courthouse may be time consuming, but it is |
| you be confident that any of the records that | | | | also necessary for employers who want to avoid |
| come up actually belongs to the one "John Jones" | | | | negligent hiring lawsuits. |
| you're investigating? | | | | |