There are many legitimate reasons for an individual to perform a public record search. You might be concerned about your family’s well-being or want to learn more about a potential partner. Or you might want to know if a contractor or other professional has the required permits and licenses. In such cases, you would do a detailed background check to access the crucial information and make informed decisions. What is a public record search, and how do you perform one? This post reveals the best background search services with pros and cons so that you can choose the right fit for your current needs.
What Is a Public Record Search?
A public record search is a process where an individual can find information open to the public. It is used by people who wish to learn more about the background of a potential romantic interest, family member, friend, or potential employee. This type of information isn’t classified as confidential; it is available on the Internet, and any member of the public can view it.
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Where Should You Search Public Records
Government agencies provide insights into such documents. Any member of the public can view birth records, marriage records, death records, and other important information.
However, finding the correct data is time-consuming as you might have to search every government site manually. Also, you might have limited access to background searches.
To make it easier for you, many background check services offer their services online. Some of them come with unlimited searches.
Ranging in budget and features, they are suitable for assessing information like criminal history records, employment history, and previous addresses. Discover the best background check sites with their pros and cons.
Truthfinder
Truthfinder has a reputation for being the most trustworthy site. It features a subscription-based model where users have access to unlimited reports. However, downloading the reports is available for an additional cost. The good thing is that their background check services include reverse phone lookup and deep web search. The site provides accurate records quickly, which is another great advantage.
Users can access more than 40 information categories, from personal information to hunting licenses. However, it works only within the US and doesn’t perform international background checks. If this is your case, you might not get the information you need.
BeenVerified
BeenVerified provides data from different sources. The unique thing about this site is that they provide a court runner service, where one of their employees goes to the court to obtain information that isn’t currently available online.
An app is available for Android and iOS, and users can get a discount if they pay their subscription three months in advance. Their excellent customer service and simple user interface provide convenience.
However, users have reported this search site doesn’t provide accurate information. In addition, you can’t perform only a single search. Instead, a monthly subscription is a requirement for joining.
PeopleLooker
PeopleLooker provides background check reports by combining data from public sources, social media and online directories. The tool is easy to use and provides a detailed report containing information like social media, addresses, and credit history.
Users can do a reverse phone search that allows the use of a phone number to get access to the details associated with the owner. Plus, they offer a trial period for the user to access the service for $1 per week.
Even though PeopleLooker does its best to provide detailed reports, you might find the information to be limited, incorrect, or outdated. The accuracy largely depends on the public record databases or the person’s privacy settings.
Intelius
With its user-friendly interface and various subscription options, Intelius is a convenient criminal background check site to consider. They provide a mobile application for both Android and iOS with secure 256 bits encryption. Despite enjoying complete anonymity, users get access to accurate data. Users can perform personal background searches and employee background checks, and the price depends on the provided search parameters.
Generating a background check report takes more than 5 minutes, which is pretty slow compared to other sites on this list. The customer service has limited availability – between ten and eight o’clock in the evening. In addition, they don’t provide consumer reports.
Instant Checkmate
Instant Checkmate provides detailed and accurate reports specializing in property record searches. The background check app is easy to use, and their customer service is available through email or phone.
Regarding the turnaround time, this background screening site is one of the slowest. Users can’t perform an individual search but must pay a membership fee. If paid in advance for three months, you get a discount.
People Finders
People Finders provides a convenient mobile app and excellent customer service. You have the freedom to choose between a one-time background report or a monthly subscription. This reputable background check company provides limited information but it ensures high accuracy. Also, it is one of the few background check websites that manages to quickly answer your queries.
However, the comprehensive report excludes social media accounts. If this is important for your search, you might opt for other sites for background checks. Cancellation fees for membership plans are relatively high, and the background check app provides data limited to the USA only.
Hire a Private Investigator for Accurate Reports
These types of sites offer a wide range of services and different types of background checks. However, each comes with various disadvantages. Some might provide outdated information, while others have insufficient information to make an informed decision. In addition, some jurisdictions make certain types of information unavailable to the public.
When personal background check sites fail to meet your needs, it is time to move forward and work with a private investigator. They have the expertise to do accurate background checks to help you make quick decisions.
While private investigators make use of public sources, they also have access to confidential information sources. A private investigator provides property info, criminal records, phone numbers, address histories, email addresses, employment, relatives, driving records, traffic violations, credit score reports, and other information to give you peace of mind.
