Researchers are asked to provide information on how Background Checks
are done by various online groups. I would like to know a very
detailed procedure on how this is done:

Please provide a detailed and well researched report on the following:

- Where such information is gathered by those companies that offer
Background Checks ? Ofcourse a lot of it comes from Address/Phone
databases, Criminal Records, Employment Records, Credit Records. But
please be specific and as detailed as possible.

- How is this information put together by various groups ?
(Prescription places, rental offices, employers, banks, etc) Please be
specific and in detail.

- Please provide a number of resources where a very in-depth
background check can be obtained, for a fee ofourse. There are alot of
sites I have already found, but most of them offer a fraction of what
is really possible. Criminal + Credit + Employment + Address Checkups
is the least they offer.

- I am also curious about what sort of resources the companies that
do/provide Background Checks use. I am well aware that some of them
are private, but there are many that are public as well but are not
very well known.

- What online resources can one use (other than the paid) to do
background checks themselves ? This is the most important part of the
whole request, so concentrate most of your time on this.

I believe that this must be it. 

* Please do not rush, allow yourself a few hours/days to research.
* Please do not submit your answer simply to get it over with and to
be first to get the payment.
* I have given good ratings to all of my other researchers, but since
this one is very important, I will be very strict but only if the
information provided is insufficient, or request alot of additional
information (simply to give you a chance to slow down and take some
time)
* Please feel free to ask for question clarifications and not post the
answers right away.
* Please do not get involved with this subject if it isnt in your area
of expertise.
* I will offer a very generous tip based on the quality of the report
as well as quantity of resources & information.

What is a good research/report ?
    A one that deals in depth and detail of the subject, with or
without references to original information. A one that will give a
very deep overview of the topic.

What can be a resource?
   A quality source that is outstanding and outperforms its
competitors.

I believe this would give you some ideas about what I am talking
about. Please feel free to ask questions.

Hi there,

I have extensive people searching experience and have used the
services of a number of different background check services. I already
have a fair idea of where they source their data from, so here we go
with finding out some facts...

I'll start with where they can get their data from, and then I'll
describe the paid services, and lastly I'll let you know all of the
best places to do background checks for free.

Note: Apologies if I end up mentioning SearchSystems multiple times -
they are an exceptional resource! Their site works best if you know
the county of the target individual. Use this webpage to find the
county:
http://searchenginez.com/zipcodefinder.html



THE DATA
========


Court records
-------------
Court Records are available to anyone who wishes to look at them. The
downside is that most are not online, so one needs to go to the
courthouse itself and look them up - usually it's easiest to get a PI
to do it.

Some online records are free, some are not.

A good source of online court records is SearchSystems:
http://www.searchsystems.net

Or U.S.Courts
http://www.uscourts.gov/links.html


Phone books
-----------
If a number is listed, it will be sold, over and over again. Most paid
services have outdated information, typically 3 months old or worse,
because they have obtained the data via doing OCR scans of printed
white pages. Often the customer knows the old number already, they
want the fresh one.

The best service for up-to-date phone data is:

555-1212
http://www.555-1212.com/mon.jsp

The best value is Intelius - they are cheap and they are the only
service that lets you know how old their info is (do a search to see):
http://find.intelius.com/


Marketing lists
---------------
I'm sure you are aware of how huge this industry is, and the amount of
data they have to use and sell. More often than not, when you fill in
a coupon for a free product sample, or enter a competition, and so on,
they have your address plus any other information you give them, like
your age range.

Any database that has been the reason for you receiving junk mail or
spam is going to obtain useful information for professional people
searchers.


Consumer transactions
---------------------
"These are transactions such as applying for a credit card, buying a
magazine subscription, etc. We do not report confidential information
included in these transactions, but do use the information to find the
individual and locate their most current reported address."
http://www.abika.com/Help/help.htm

Transactions can include magazine subscribers, mail questionnaire
responders, convention attendees, warranty lists... For an eye-opener,
check out this article at Circulation Management:
http://circman.com/ar/marketing_uncovering_hot_files/


Recent criminal history
-----------------------
Aside from court records, many states/counties provide information not
just on current inmates, but also historical information and current
information on supervised population, such as parolees.


Sex Offenders
-------------
With time, online databases of these fiends are becoming more
commonplace. Although a sex offender would be causing major problems
for themselves if they did not inform authorities when they moved
house, it is quite easy for them to apply for a job and not offer up
their criminal history. I believe I have one of the most up-to-date
lists of sex offender databases at my site:
http://searchenginez.com/sex_offenders_usa.html


Professional licensing organizations
------------------------------------
It varies from state to state, but if someone is in profession that
requires a license, it is very hard to stop folk from tracking you
down. SearchSystems is the best source general online licensing
information. I'll mention others further down the page.


Birth, death, marriage, divorce
-------------------------------
Unsurprisingly, many enquiries concern potential or current romantic
partners. Most state vital records departments will do a search on
just names, if you ask them. None are free. Again, use SearchSystems.

You can also use a service like:
http://www.marriagedeterminator.com/


Matching birthdates
-------------------
I was in shock when I first found this site:

AnyBirthday
http://anybirthday.com 

They have the birth dates of 135 million Americans. Their FAQ page
implies that they get their data from state records:

"Why do some people not appear in your database?
Some States do not make all Public Records available all the time.
Although there are some shortages the majority of U.S. adults over the
age of 21 are listed."
http://anybirthday.com/faq.htm

The Seattle Press says:

"They collect birth dates from public records (a separate topic in its
own right), in this case voter records and DMV records, so unless you
don't have a driver's license or haven't voted, chances are high that
you are in their database."
http://www.seattlepress.com/article-9347.html

I use their paid service and it is invaluable, especially for
dead-beat husbands, or anyone else where the client knows the date of
birth. Names are rarely unique, but a name and birthdate combo is
almost always unique.


Driving records
---------------
Although I won't do it myself, I have heard many times that for most
states, accessing someone's driving record is a simple matter - just
tick the box that says you are allowed to see it. People trying to
hide generally refrain from putting their name on anything like a
utility bill. But if they have moved to another state, there is a good
chance the details on their driver's record is accurate.


Corporate Filings
-----------------
If someone runs a business, there is a good chance you can find out at
least their address from state corporation files. See SearchSystems...


Ulitities
--------
Have a look at this price list;
http://www.usatrace.com/SpecializedSearches.html


Social Security numbers
-----------------------

You can't offer details and receive a SSN#. You can offer a SSN# and
let the paid service use it to verify details.

"The primary information that is returned from a social security
number search is derived from archived Major consumer reporting agency
records. This information comes from the top portion of credit reports
called the "header", where identifying information about the
individual is contained. Specifically, address information. Accessing
this information is undetected by the subject and they are never
notified."
http://www.usatrace.com/ssntrace.html


Credit History
--------------
Available to any business for a fee.
http://searchenginez.com/credit_check_usa.html


Choicepoint
-----------
They are at the Big Brother end of this business. Let me know if you
want the dirt on them:
http://www.choicepoint.net/business/pre_employ/pre_employ_2.html


THE SERVICES
============

There are 4 types of data out there:

1) Free, online public records, available to anyone, no questions
asked.
2) Public records available to anyone who qualifies - basically you
need to be the person yourself, or be a licensed PI, insurance company
or the like. Many of these, although technically restricted, are
available to anyone who breaks the law and pretends to qualify to see
the record.
3) Public records that are not online, for example many court records.
Although court records are free for anyone to view, it takes time and
travel to access them
4) Volume data, such as phone directories. To get the raw data you
need to purchase it in bulk, something the regular consumer cannot do.

The paid services offer any or all of the above. Some (like abika.com)
use private investigators, most don't. Some perform manual searching,
and some like US Search are automated.

There are some like PublicData that basically just offer info that is
available for free online, if you know where to look:
http://www.publicdata.com/PDDemo.html

The best are:

Abika
-----
Abika utilises every resource they can get their hands on, and they
have the widest range of information I have seen. They are not cheap,
because it is done manually, combining online data, databases and
hiring private eyes.
http://abika.com


US Search
---------
They are huge. They are automated. They are reasonably priced. They
ain't so hot.

If you are looking for a grandparent you have lost contact with, they
are excellent. Spend $10 and find them. However, they lack depth.
Follow this link to see what they do not provide;
http://www.ussearch.com/wlcs/commerce/about/FAQ.jsp#q19


Intelius
--------
I love this site, mainly because they tell you how old their data is.
Most people who are trying to track someone down will already know
their details from a few years ago.
http://find.intelius.com/search-name.php


People Data
-----------
http://www.people-data.com/
From the original management team of US SEARCH.com, just enter a name
and location, and see all the possible matches, including age if
available. $10 to see details.


USA Trace
---------
Cover a wide variety of resources. I have yet to use them, but their
service feels far from automated.
http://www.usatrace.com


DOING IT YOURSELF
-----------------

There is no set pattern involved, although often the information you
find from one site becomes useful for doing a search at another. These
are the tools I use:


AnyBirthday Plus
----------------
This is a powerful service, despite the poor interface. For $29 a year
you get the address of an individual, and for $99 a year it will be
current within 3 months.
http://anybirthday.com/plusinfo.htm

But for free you get to find a birthdate. Use it to match info from
Intelius...


Phone Directories
-----------------
Surprisingly many people will pay a service without just trying the
phone book. If the subject is not trying to hide, there's a good
chance they are in the phone book:
http://searchenginez.com/reverse_phone.html


Instant Messengers
------------------
One of the best ways of tracking someone who spends a lot of time on
the Internet. ICQ, MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger and AIM each keep
directories of users. You can search by email address, user name,
location, real name...


Argali
------
Not only is it the best automated people finding tool, it is free (ad
supported). I use it every day. It does meatsearches of phone books,
email directories... it even gives you the weather!
http://www.argali.com/


Property Records
----------------
Unique to America (like many resources on this page), you can look up
an address and see who owns it. Great if you have a raw address, but
no name. Great if you just have a surname and county. SearchSystems
again...


SearchSystems
-------------
If you know the state or county, just try everything they list that
sounds like it might have the info. This is a special place....
http://searchsystems.net


Intelius
--------
I love this site - it gives you so many clues for free! Do a search
for a name... it sometimes returns a state, age, how recent the data
is, and, ta-da-de-da, who they were/are living with.
http://find.intelius.com/search-name.php?searchform=name


Professsional Licenses
----------------------
See here:
http://searchenginez.com/occupations_usa.html


More
----
Try my website, which includes free people searching to a limited
extent:
http://searchenginez.com/findpeople.html

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Obviously this is a wide-ranging topic. I am confident I can expand
upon any part of my answer if required. When I saw:

"What online resources can one use (other than the paid) to do
background checks themselves ?"

...I figured that I was well qualified to answer, for I do this myself
several times each day.

So please ask for a clarification if any part of my answer is unclear,
or you require extra information on a spcecific area.

Best wishes,
robertskelton-ga

---

Request for Answer Clarification by rossmon-ga on 23 May 2003 20:31 PDT

You dont mind if I take some time and go through this before rating
you (and adding a nice tip) while asking some questions ?

First thing I noticed, is that some sites intelius, dont have alot of
records, I have even provided them with birth dates to maximize their
abilities and none were found. How often does such case happen ? What
can I do ? Do you believe an actual paid service will yield better
results ?

Also, for example if I found some public information on myself (not
only phone directories, but other commercial databases), could you
tell me of ways to remove the entries from those databases ? How can
this be done ?

Im sorry for taking so long to reply, I had a very busy day. I will
also need some more time to go through all the sites and information
you have provided. Thank you.

---

Request for Answer Clarification by rossmon-ga on 23 May 2003 20:34 PDT

Also, one other little request, can you provide me with a few more
links to sites that offer instant  lookups ? I am aware that a PI or
an actual person behind the lookup can do a much of a better job, but
sometimes time matters. Thank you.

---

Clarification of Answer by robertskelton-ga on 24 May 2003 00:40 PDT

Hi again,

Usually Intelius has more slightly results than US Search, after
accounting for the many duplicates. They can easily list someone four
times if they have lived at a different address each year. A paid,
non-automated service will always offer more results, because if they
are any good, they'd use Intelius and US Search as part of their
arsenal, as well as services not available to the general public, like
AmeriFind:
http://www.dnis.com/default.asp?page=amerifind.html

What is really good about services like US Search and Intelius is that
you can see if they have the information before you fork out any
money. In my experience the number of results you see for free is the
same as when you pay.

Out of curiousity I searched for my name on several services,
restricted to California, with my middle initial:

AnyBirthday Plus: One aged 53, one aged 46
Argali: The 53 year old
US Search: 53, 68 & 78
Intelius: 39, 53, 68

They all got the 53 year old from the phonebook. In fact the other two
found by US Search are in the phonebook as well, but without the
middle initial.

If you know the name and age, using US Search and then Argali is a
powerful free combo. If that fails, Intelius and AnyBirthday will
quite likely have other possibilities.

KnowX is the only other provider of "instant" services I have found
that is accessible to the general public. There are many available to
licensed investigators.

KnowX - Current phone numbers
http://www.knowx.com/servlet/com.kx.knowx.i411.Servlet?action=search

KnowX - People search
http://www.knowx.com/infoam.exe?form=pf/search.htm


Removing Data
-------------

According to KnowX (part of ChoicePoint), you are not normally able to
remove your details from public records:

CAN I OPT OUT OF PUBLIC RECORDS DATABASES? 

No. Public records, by law, must be available from the official public
records office to anyone who requests them. Accordingly, because
individuals cannot opt out of public records databases generally,
KnowX.com does not offer individuals the opportunity to opt out of our
public records databases. In order for any database of public records
to be useful, the databases must contain all of the information in the
public records offices. Our data files must accurately reflect the
underlying public records, and we do not remove or suppress any
information that is both accurate and publicly available. For example,
if a bank is going to lend money to a company, it has to be certain
that a search of the public records databases will reveal all of the
previous encumbrances against the company so that it can effectively
evaluate the risk involved in making the loan.

If you have a compelling privacy or security issue, you may wish to
contact the official custodians of those public records that contain
sensitive information about you, such as your county's land records
office, to determine how to remove your information from the public
record. (The process of having public records sealed typically
requires a court order.) This process will ensure that the information
is not available from the public records custodian, KnowX.com, or any
other information provider.
http://www.knowx.com/home.exe?form=home/privacy.htm

However, having an unlisted phone number would help a lot. 

Not having an online presence would also help - never give out your
details when signing up for instant messenger services, only use email
for private communications, don't have a web page with any
indentifying information.

US Search can remove you from some of their search results:
http://www.ussearch.com/wlcs/commerce/about/FAQ.jsp#q31

AnyBirthday have an Opt Out option:
http://anybirthday.com/optout.htm


------------------------------------


I neglected to mention these other sources of data:


Voter Registration
-----------------
"With an individual's name, you can search the registered voter index
in many states. The information returned may include: an individual's
name and residence address, phone number, voter registration number,
county and party affiliation. Many states may also include the
individual's date of birth, gender, race, head of household name and
other household members. The Registered Voter Profiles are updated in
most states every two or four years coinciding with major elections.
Voter Registration Record availability varies from county to county.
This search can even tell you if someone has never voted in an
election"
http://www.abika.com/Reports/LocatePerson.htm

There is even a county in Texas that has the voter records online, for
free!


Police Reports / Accident Reports
--------------------------------
Services that use private eyes can access this info.


Phone Bills
----------
Amazingly private eyes can access details of any calls made from
landline or cell phones.

---

Request for Answer Clarification by rossmon-ga on 24 May 2003 12:47 PDT

Thank you once again for keeping this subject going. I'll make sure
that you will be rewarded well.

As I am slowly (yes, I apologize for that) going into the subject, I
have a few questions regarding the information you have presented:

1) Although I understand that public records such as transactions,
criminal records and such cannot be removed, but what about the
commercial? I am well aware that after a certain magazine
subscription, my information couldve been sold or presented to certain
public/non-public to use. Example of this is signing up online for a
newsletter and your email sold to advertisement sites. Now, if you
have noticed, on the bottom of every "advertisement" (or spam), you
would see a link to "Click here to Remove your Link from Our
Database". Does such thing exist for real life cases ? And yes, indeed
it is a security/privacy issue, for I hope to have the least
information available that is needed by law, and hidden away from the
wrong hands.

2) The phone bills, which services/sites offer that ? Also, I am aware
that its possible to get the history of your own phone calls from your
phone company, or am I wrong on this case ?

3) I apologize for repeating, could you please compile a few links to
instant search sites in addition to those you have provided above ?

Just to remind you that this is an ongoing research and that it wont
be a waste of your time and effort. I just dont want to open
additional question threads, and pay for additional information
through the tip option. Thank you.

---

Request for Answer Clarification by rossmon-ga on 25 May 2003 12:00 PDT

Hi robertskelton,

I'm not sure if you are busy or on vacation, but I would like to
remind you that we're having an ongoing research that will be well
paid for. Please reply with the requested information as soon as
possible.

Thank you.

---

Clarification of Answer by robertskelton-ga on 25 May 2003 13:42 PDT

Hi again,

Sorry, I got called away for some work in the physical world. I should
have time to address (1) completely this afternoon (Aussie time), say
8-10 hours from now. Meanwhile:


1) " Now, if you have noticed, on the bottom of every "advertisement"
(or spam), you would see a link to "Click here to Remove your Link
from Our
Database". Does such thing exist for real life cases ?"

Well, most of the time it doesn't exist in spam/advertisement cases.
It is valuable for spammers to knwo whether an email account is still
active, and if their spam is being read. Sophisticated spammers do
this by imbedding a remotely served image in the message. This won't
work if a message is viewed as text only, so that's where the message
at the bottom comes into play - 99% of the time it will lead to more
spam, not less, because by responding you have let them know that you
have an active account, you read spam, and you follow instructions.

I'm sure there are ways (even in the USA) of removing your name from
commercial lists, like the new National "Do Not Call" Registry:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/donotcall/index.html

...I'll let you know what I find ASAP.


 
2) Phone bills - I have come across two sites that offer them. I would
expect that a valid reason for accessing the data would be required,
like being part of an investigation for a civil or criminal court
case.

Classified3:
http://www.classified3.com/55.html

Abika
http://www.abika.com/Reports/FindPhoneNumbers.htm


 

3) US Search, Intelius, AnyBirthday and KnowX are the only instant
search sites I have found of that type.

There are other tools one can use, such as regular white and yellow
pages, instant messenger and email directories, property records etc.
Woukld you like lists of those?

Rob.

---

Clarification of Answer by robertskelton-ga on 26 May 2003 01:44 PDT

Hi again,

Here are two sites with information about removing your personal data:

DMA Consumer Assistance: How And Where To Find Help
http://www.dmaconsumers.org/consumerassistance.html

How to Get Rid of Junk Mail, Spam, and Telemarketers
http://www.ecofuture.org/jnkmail.html

And some articles on the topic, which you might find interesting:

Creeping Peoplebases: Database Developments and Privacy Loss by
Barbara Flood and William Lutz
http://www.asis.org/Bulletin/Feb-97/floodlutz.html

MTA Telecommunications Guide - April 17, 2002
http://www.mnta.org/publications/guide04-17-02.htm

I strongly suggest contacting your bank(s), loyalty programs and
utility companies -  and enquire about how to stop any info on you
being passed on.

Rob.

---

Clarification of Answer by robertskelton-ga on 26 May 2003 21:43 PDT

Some more for you...

Intelius mention the following ways to limit the amount of "junk" mail
and telephone solicitations that you get:

1) Do not disclose your residential address or phone number to others.
On your personal checks, use a post office box or business address and
a business phone number. If you do provide your residential address
and phone number, ask how it will be used and how you can restrict any
further use. Tell businesses that you do not wish to be on their
mailing lists and that you do not want them to provide your name,
address and phone number to other companies.

2) Have a non-published residential telephone number (neither
available in the printed directory nor from directory assistance) or a
"non-listed" number (not printed in the directory but available from
directory assistance). CD-ROMs containing nationwide listings of
telephone directories are now readily and cheaply available from
computer and discount stores. Nationwide telephone directories are
also available on the internet, and there is no charge for internet
users to search these directories. If your address and phone number
are in a directory, they are widely available. If your address is
included in the local directory, it will also be in the nationwide
directories.

3) Do not complete street directory information forms (e.g., a request
to complete street address information for a commercially published
directory other than a telephone book). These directories include
alumni directories, church directories, employer directories, etc.

4) Avoid ordering products or services by telephone. If you do, inform
the merchant that you do not want your name, address and telephone
number given to others. Not only do the national catalog retailers
capture and store your personal information, but local retailers such
as pizza delivery services capture your phone number and generally
have your name and address displayed on their screen merely to be
confirmed by you.

5) Avoid completing product warranty or registration cards, consumer
surveys, preferred buyer promotions and the like. Also avoid using
preferred shopper, store discount or check cashing cards. These cards
generally permit the retailer to compile lifestyle information --
number, ages and sex of people in the household, income level, and
similar information -- which is then used to compile targeted mailing
lists which are sold for marketing purposes. HOWEVER, do complete
registration cards (at least providing your address) for products
where recall notices might be critical, such as infant car seats.
Indicate on the card that you do not want your information used for
targeted marketing.

6) Use Caller I.D. blocking to prevent your phone number from being
displayed when you call companies or order products.
http://find.intelius.com/privacy-faq.php#Q5

---

Clarification of Answer by robertskelton-ga on 28 May 2003 19:39 PDT

Brand new is the people finder at MyFamily.com:
http://reunite.myfamily.com/

The results seem to be a quite the same as, but fewer than, Intelius.

Here's a sample of the type of report they provide:
http://reunite.myfamily.com/comprehensive/sample.aspx