Background Check Services Review

Whether you need to screen an employee, perform a tenant credit check or make sure that the person you have met online is safe to get to know better, background check services can save you time and money. They can also help protect your business interests. For example, it's a good idea to learn about your investment broker before giving him money and access to your accounts. Similarly, it's wise to check up on potential business partners before putting agreements in ink.

You can find some of this information yourself, but it requires perusing dozens of public databases and paying to access them. Other information such as driving records or cell phone records is not widely available. Even if you spend hours doing your own research, you can get better information in minutes with these web tools.

Online background searches are a good way to keep your family free from harm. You can run a neighborhood check to find out whether any sex offenders live in your neighborhood, for example. You can also investigate your child's teachers, nannies and coaches with these inexpensive services.

Another tool to look for in the best background check services is identity protection. You can sign up for credit monitoring, for example, or purchase insurance in case your identity is stolen and you incur losses. You may also want to order background and credit checks on yourself to ensure that the information available about you is correct.

Background searches, asset searches and criminal record profiles have become increasingly important as society has grown more mobile and urbanized. You can no longer rely on neighborhood gossip or family reputations to make vital safety decisions. Fortunately, finding the information you need is simple with online background checks. We recommend US Search, Intelius and FindOutTheTruth.com. Get extra information about screening people online by reading our articles about background check services.

Background Check Services: What to Look For

Top-notch background check companies provide the information you need quickly, and they make it easy for you to submit information and access completed reports. Next, the reports you pay for should be accurate, or you should get your money back or the chance for a free search. Having licensed investigators on staff and employing court-runners to visit courthouses in person tremendously improves the quality of your results. Furthermore, reputable services protect your credit card information, do not disclose your interactions with the service and offer quick customer service assistance should you have any questions.

Before you decide on a records-search service, consider whether you need county, state, national or international information. We also recommend free instant searching on public search engines and social networking websites. Below are the criteria TopTenREVIEWS used to evaluate background check services:

Searches and Reports
An all-inclusive background check service provides reports generated from a wide range of services and many ways to find those reports. For example, a comprehensive service lets you find your search subject by basics such as first and last name, but also by phone number, date of birth and driver's license number.
The best background check services also provide reverse-address, reverse-email and reverse-phone number searching. With that information, the records search company should provide reports regarding criminal and personal background history, civil court records, sex offender status, employment history documents and professional license verification. These reports should contain relevant, targeted information presented in an understandable, easy-to-read format.

Ease of Use
The service should make ordering and accessing your reports easy without bogging you down with jargon, confusing menus and complex terms and restrictions. However, the service should provide comprehensive information about what the reports include before you order. Next, you should expect the highest level of customer service when you're dealing with the sensitive records contained in background reports. You need the right information and shouldn't have to jump through hoops to get what you paid for. Furthermore, you shouldn't be signed up for subscriptions automatically or without your knowledge. If the process of ordering your reports seems complicated, look for a "how to" guide or a customer service official that can help you get started.

Accuracy
If you are willing to pay for tenant screening or criminal records search or to check background of employees pre employment, chances are good that you need the information for important safety or verification information. Therefore, only accurate results are acceptable. We tested each service and compared our results to those found by business-improvement organizations and customers.

Help/Support
Customer support should offer a variety of contact methods, including telephone and email support, and it should respond to your questions quickly. The most accessible services let you chat online with a customer service representative almost anytime. Other support options we checked for range from help menus to FAQs pages.

You must protect your children, your investments, your company and your personal safety. Consult a background check service before making important personal or financial decisions.

At TopTenREVIEWS We Do the Research So You Don’t Have To.™