Pennsylvani State Police

Online Background Checks

Many people have been subject to criminal background checks for a number of reasons. Most often it is for employment but some online background checks are being used more personal reasons such as divorce cases, screening for new businesses, credit investigation and civil court proceedings. Social Security verification, workers comp and unemployment histories and motor vehicle accidents and reports are commonly researched in these online background checks.

Anyone can request online background checks and it is quite easy to get one as long as the individual a Social Security number, address and phone number. It has never been easier to access necessary information about a prospective employee or nanny. Online background checks are the newest way to make these searches more convenient but there are some sites that really don’t deliver everything they promise.

The Internet offers hundreds of services that can help you obtain online background checks. Finding a reputable company is the difficult job. Many of these online companies deliver simplified and outdated information. You could end up paying for information that you could get from a phone book or the Tax Assessment Office website.

Merely choosing a service that offers online background checks is not enough. The company may provide outdated information on a person and you would have no way of knowing if the person has been involved in criminal activity in recent years. It is important to do a little homework before making any decisions.

Probably the best approach to finding a reputable online background checks service is through the Attorney General’s Office. There is an inquiry page on the site that allows you to ask business-specific questions. Choose three that appear to be legit and send an e-mail to the Attorney General’s Office. You should receive a response within a week.

The Better Business Bureau is another great source for finding good online services. The majority of these companies charges an annual fee of twenty nine dollars and allows unlimited access to their services. It is a good idea to contact the Better Business Bureau or the Attorney General’s Office to make sure that your money is well spent.

These organizations can send you a list of reputable sites that offer online background checks. After you have a list, you can pick one from there. Shuffling through the many online sites can be beneficial but it can also be time consuming. You can find all of the information you need about online background checks by utilizing the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General’s Office.

Whether you’re looking at a potential employee or looking into the history of a contractor or nanny, online background checks can mean the difference between letting an honest, hardworking person or a criminal into your home.