LONDON – TECH – Have you ever thought to check people’s background online? Experts agree that most people should take the time to check themselves out regularly. The reason for that is that there may be a lot of information out there about you that is simply incorrect, yet it is used by others to determine who you are. This can be devastating in terms of forming relationships, applying for work, getting a loan, and more. Thankfully, you can resolve this problem.
When Should You Check People’s Background?
There are lots of reasons why you should check people’s background online, and not just your own. For instance, if you have a new roommate or if you have met someone online, you should look them up first. Thankfully, we live in the digital age and it is easier than ever to do this. In fact, you can now look up people and yourself completely free! However, if you are a landlord, a financial institution, a prospective employer, or anyone else who will make life decisions based on a review of the information you find, then you must go through registered and legal services. Most of the time, you also have to pay for those. However, if you simply want to check someone out for your own personal reasons, you can pick any service that you like.
How to Check People’s Background
The easiest way to look someone up is by using a professional investigation service. These aren’t free, but they do guarantee their accuracy and will give you a refund if they get things wrong. Make sure you compare them, including on the BBB, and find the average price to give you an idea of what is fair and what is a clear scam.
You can also do a lot yourself and maybe even find information that professionals can’t. Using search engine optimization (SEO) methods to com Facebook, Google, Twitter, and other such sites, for instance, can reveal a lot about an individual’s background. Indeed, simply entering someone’s name in Google can reveal lots of interesting information. It probably won’t tell you whether they were ever evicted or arrested, but quite a bit will come up. Additionally, all court information is a matter of public record. Hence, you can simply go to your state’s website through the National Center for State Courts and find the information through there. Remember to check all the states the individual has lived in. You can do the same at city and county level, which is more likely to reveal not just misdemeanors but also financial difficulties.
You are unlikely to be able to get someone’s credit file in front of you unless you have a legal reason therefor. You can, however, ask someone to voluntarily provide you with a copy of the report. They can access that for free at least once a year through the three agencies, Trans Union, Experian, and Equifax.
Do remember that some names are very common so make sure you have as much information about a person as possible before you make any judgments on their character based on what you have found online. Double and triple check everything, in other words.