Where do you look to find information to do your own background check on a person?
The first thing to look at is what type of background investigation are you looking to do. Criminal records are the most common type of background investigation.
The first factor to consider is the type of background information you’re looking to uncover. The most common type of background check is a criminal background check. Criminal records are separated into four different areas: city/town level, county level, state level, and federal level. All of the records for each level will fall under only that jurisdiction, there is no national database for all nationwide criminal records. To search for a particular record, you must find the specific jurisdiction it is recorded under. Most of these records can be obtained by the public, although they may not be immediately publicly facing. Certain jurisdictions require in-person searching to obtain particular information. Be aware that information found through online sources may not be fully up-to-date at the time of retrieval.
The next common type of background check is a civil court record. This type of background check is sought after if you’re looking into the legal history or a subject. What lawsuits have been filed against them? Have they ever been sued for damages or do they have any judgments against them? You may also use this type of search to find out what a subject’s litigation background is. Have they been through litigation previously, if so what is their history?
The most important part of any background check is ensuring that you are looking at the records for the correct individual or subject. To do this, you must have cross-referencing points of data such as an ID number, address history, date of birth, or social security number. When reading through records, use this information to verify the identity of the person on the record. If you’re searching for a John Smith, make sure you’re looking at the records for the correct John Smith by cross-referencing data, not the other John Smith with a long record. Many people have the same name as others and sometimes records with the same name and a similar location may look the same at first glance.
Wanted: The Truth
Active Intel Investigations is here to help you with every aspect of your investigation, from conducting the investigation to preparing evidence to provide it in court.
Get started with your investigation, browse our video library for investigative resources, or schedule a no-obligation consultation with a licensed private investigator to discuss the specifics of your case.
