How to Do a Background Check on Someone

Remember the Pink Panther 2 which released a while ago? Do you recall how long it took Inspector Jacques Clouseau, to figure out that the thief in the case was the Spanish author, Sonia Solandres, who was 'helping' him with the investigation? Well, if the adorably goofy Inspector Clouseau had done a simple background check on his fellow investigator, his case would have probably been solved in a jiffy. But then, that was a movie, and sooner or later, goodness triumphs on the silver screen. Life, in reality, is not all that fair. So, if you want to save yourself from a whole lot of misery, it would be a good idea to learn how to do a background check on someone, before trusting an unknown prospective employee.

A background check is a process of collecting information, like criminal records, driving records, employment details, medical and psychiatric history, etc. about a person. In today's information age, it is extremely easy to check up on someone. Most companies insist on pre employment screening and employee background checks. Background checks allow an employer to check whether or not a person applying for a job is suitable for the company, and whether he has made any fraudulent claims in order to get the job. One can also check a prospective employee's employment history.

Though most background checks are conducted by employers on people they wish to hire, it is not uncommon to hear about parents doing background checks on nannies and babysitters, and in some extreme cases, even people dating their children. If you are a regular visitor to Internet chatting rooms and make friends online, then it would probably be a good idea to do a background check on the person, before you take your friendship with the person further. You can do so even with the little information that you may possess about the person. There are several online databases that can be used for the same.

Background checks are also done by the government, when hiring, in order to ensure that there is no security risk in employing the concerned individuals. A criminal background check on someone is done in the case of court cases. Such background check for criminal records are generally authorized by lawyers to help them with their case. It is also advisable to do a background check before hiring a financial advisor.

Background checks have become extremely important in today's world. Most employers insist on background checks, due to the increasing number of false claims made, where qualifications are concerned. It is also essential to know that the person has not been previously involved in any kind of white collar crime. In the US, there are laws that make it mandatory to do a background check on someone who wants to purchase a gun. There are also laws in place to do checks on people who are hired to work with the elderly, children or disabled.

How to Do a Background Check on Someone?

Once you have decided to do a background check on someone, it is essential to understand what options are available to you to do so. The most preliminary way of conducting a background check on someone is to perform a Google search. Type the name of the person you want to do a search on, inside quotation marks in the search bar. Though this is the easiest way to perform a search, it can also be an extremely faulty one. You could also opt to do your check through the court systems, where you need the date of birth of the person to give exact results.

Alternately, you can sign up with an online background check company like Net Detective, Background Checks, U.S. Search, Intelius, Crimcheck or Veromi. These companies allow you to do a background check on someone by accessing their database. These websites allow limited or unlimited access for a sum of money. These websites need some basic information to do background checks, like name, date of birth, social security number, etc. It is also possible to do criminal background checks on someone through these websites, but this may cost you extra. Background checks for criminal records generally need to be done through the court system. Following are a few instructions that will guide you through the process of how to do a background check on someone.

• Fill up the individual background check application form.
• Fill up important details like full name, date of birth, social security number, address, etc.
• Try and get permission from the individual you are doing the background check on.
• Try and determine the kind of search that you want the company or court to perform. This will depend on the kind of information you need about the individual.
• Submit the fee. Ensure that you have a receipt or evidence of the fact that you have paid a fee for the information you are seeking.
• Decide how you want to receive the information. The company or the government will then send you the information either by email or by post. This may also depend on the volume of the data being sent.

What to Keep in Mind While Doing a Background Check?

The information that you get when you do a background check on someone, may range from their criminal records to their credit reports, driving records, marital information, medical and psychiatric history, etc. It is important that you refrain from misusing this information that you have been given. Also limit the information you are seeking to what you need. Do not unnecessarily seek personal information for employee background checks. There are websites available that provide free criminal background check. Please ensure that you double check such information. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, always ensure that you obtain the written permission of the person you are about to do a background check on. It is up to the person asking for the report to understand and use accordingly, what shows up in a background check.

While it is interesting to understand how to do a background check on someone, it is important to realize the perils of this easy detection method. Playing Sherlock Holmes and living a childhood fantasy can always backfire, if you are at the end facing the artillery.