Friday, April 11, 2008

Background Checks - What Is Being Said About You?

Background checks are an important part of living in this day and age. There are several reasons background checks are conducted, such as safety reasons, employment reasons, and for the value that they can provide, based on their past. More and more, employers utilize this as part of their hiring process in an attempt to weed out applicants early on.

There are actually several types of reports that come back in a background check. Each offers the requestor a look at who you are and what you are likely to provide to those that you work, live and share some part of your life with.

Some reports are as simple as just a Social Security check which determines if your number is authentic. Others provide your employment history. The range is really quite up to what the seeker pays for. In reality, they could learn quite a bit about who you are. Most of the source of the information provided on the reports is provided by government agencies based on public records that are filed.

Below is a list of some common background checks:

? Driving records - These help to determine if you are a safe, responsible driver. A vehicle registration report may also be pulled that lists the type of vehicle(s) you drive and own.

? Criminal records - these encompass a large part of employment background checks. Information such as incarceration history, sex offender status and even court records.

? Other information that can be requested on you include your: education records, character & personal references, medical records, past employment records and military records.

? Credit check - this includes your credit records and credit score, property ownership and bankruptcy filings. This information helps others determine your ability to fulfill your responsibilities.

Because any (or all) of these background checks can be filed on you at any time, you should take time to investigate yourself. Mistakes are common so by knowing ahead of time what information is out there on you, you have the ability to fix those mistakes.

For more information on background checks and how to protect yourself from mis-information, visit http://www.backgroundcheck.topinfo4all.com

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Sunday, March 30, 2008

Detect Falsified Resumes with Comprehensive Background Checks

Falsified resumes are common, since anyone applying for a job, especially when there could be a lot of competition, will be tempted to exaggerate their experience or qualifications. Sometimes that temptation is just too much because most jobs worth having these days get hundreds of applicants.

Employers don?t actually need to receive hundreds of applications, since it the perception or belief that this is the case that triggers someone to be less than completely truthful, and there have been some high profile cases. Kenneth Lonchar, CFO and executive vice president of Veritas Software lost his job when it was discovered that he did not hold an MBA from Stanford as claimed in his resume. Many people are guilty of lesser exaggerations.

However, there is a world of difference between exaggeration and falsification which could be used in terms of length of employment to cover a period of imprisonment, for example. Falsifies resumes can be ferreted out by means of effective employment and criminal background checks.

It is frequently possible to cover up a poor criminal record by moving from state to state, since there is no effective national criminal records system. The only way to carry out a reasonably accurate comprehensive criminal background check is to check out the individual county court records. Some counties send their records to a state database, but not all, so a particular individual can only be properly screened if the records in each county of residence are examined.

If that individual has submitted a falsified resume, it will be difficult to do this unless a full residential check is carried out. This involves verifying each address given for the period you are interested in and filling in any blanks. Once you have established a full residential history for the past seven years, you can then check the court records in the counties concerned. Seven years is recommended since there is generally a statute of limitations whereby records more than seven years old are considered lapsed.

There are companies that specifically specialize in this type of background check and the fees charged are well worth the security that a proper pre-employment background check gives you against falsified resumes. Many resumes are falsified, not only to claim a higher level of suitability for a particular position, but also to cover up past criminal activity, or behavior, that could result in negligent hiring were a company to take them on.

It is very important then, that your pre-employment screening is adequate enough to detect any falsification. A failure to detect falsified resumes could cost you dearly. Apart from adequate background checks, one way to detect falsified resumes is to have them provided to you by post prior to interview. You can then ask each candidate at the interview to complete a job application including a history of addresses and past employment.

When people lie, they frequently do so without a great deal of thought, and find it difficult later to remember the precise lie told. A comparison of the application with the resume that you have previously received could show up differences which could then be queried during interview. On the basis of better safe that sorry, any suspicious or less than satisfactory answers, could result in you opting for another candidate. There are genuine reasons sometimes, but the interview should be able give you an idea if the differences were deliberate or accidental.

Once you have spotted an anomaly, your pre-employment screening should pay special attention to it if you still decide to go ahead. Without adequate screening, you are statistically certain to employ someone who has falsified resumes to hide something in their past, frequently a criminal record or a dismissal for theft or violence. It is believed that up to 40% of applicants submit falsified resumes, and over 10% of job applicants have a criminal record.

While everybody may deserve another chance, they should not be given one if they are lying to cover up. The only way to adequately protect yourself from a negligent hiring lawsuit is to carry out sufficient background checks to demonstrate that you have done all you could reasonably be expected to do to avoid it.

Advanced Research http://www.arsbackgrounds.com is made up of a team of experts in HR, Risk Management and Legal Investigations. We provide a free consultation to assist you in mitigating your potential hiring risks

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Monday, March 24, 2008

New Requirement for NSAs - Background Check

More and more, we, as a nation, are becoming ultra-concerned and extremely protective of personal data and personal information. Identity theft, depending on who you believe, is either running rampant in our country or not as prevalent as we have been led to believe. Still the ?powers that be? appear to be pushing for getting a handle on verifying the identity of all Notary Signing Agents. Some will see this as progress, while others tend to view it as a continuation of the Big Brother Syndrome.

In any event, for those who haven?t been updated, here?s what is transpiring now. Some lending institutions, banks, title companies and signing agencies are requesting that some of their ?employees? and ?service personnel? involved in the lending process undergo background screening and compliance training. Pretty much any individual that has access to the financial information of borrowers must submit to a background check. The ?kicker? here is that they also have to pay for it - more on that later! Notary Signing Agents fall right in the middle of that group. This sudden requirement is based on their loose interpretation of Gramm-Leach Bliley Financial Services Modernization Act.

While the members of CD&C Business & Legal Form Processing Services, LLC (?CD&C?) have yet to be required to provide certification, there have been such requests of some of our subcribers from various lending agencies and signing companies. However quite a few questions are emerging as to the sudden rush to have the certification done and as to whether it is necessary to do it. Also, the cost of doing this certification ranges anywhere from $9 to $150. Based on our readings, the general consensus is that there needs to be a definitive ruling on whether or not the requirement was supposed to be applied to ?contractors? such as NSAs.

When is it going to be a requirement for signing companies/title, escrow and various lenders to submit to background checks as required of the NSA to help prevent fraud? Maybe, if there was a requirement, it would reduce non-payment to signing agents. It would be harder for a ?Mr. Joe? to open shop for a few days, close shop and re-open under a different name; all the while refusing to pay NSAs. There should be a list/system where reputable companies are listed to help the NSA weed out the bad companies. The NSA will be put on a list/system where the title companies will only hire the NSA who have had the background check and are certified. No system is perfect, but it can help to reduce the NSA?s risks.

Why do NSAs have to pay for the background check? The title companies are requiring the background check, so why shouldn?t they pay for it? Can the NSA purchase the background check without certification? Are they willing to pay an increased fee for advance education now that we are certified? Another expense added and we are still being underpaid or not paid at all?

Until that can be established, we recommend that you think long and hard about forking over your money. And if it turns out that we actually do need to have our certification, then we should discuss all options so as to have the most cost efficient service available.

By CD&C Business & Legal Form Processing Services, LLC,

http://www.cdcformsprocessing.com

Leaders in business & legal forms processing and notary services.

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Thursday, March 20, 2008

All Employees In The Texas Schools To Submit To Criminal Background Check

Since 2003, the Texas schools have required background checks for all newly hired teachers and certified employees. Anyone not falling into these two categories or hired before 2003 were not included in the background checks, though some school districts included them on a local basis.

In the fall of 2006, several newspapers investigated the quality of these background checks and found that the information was often incomplete or received weeks or even months after educators were hired. Here are some of the problems with the previous Texas schools system, according to an article on March 27 by the Dallas Morning News:

? The Dallas school district conducts checks, but they did not report the criminal histories of educators to a state agency within the required seven days. One teacher had received a deferred adjudication probation in 2002 for indecent exposure. A teacher?s aide had received probation in 2002 for endangering a child.

? Since 2003, more than 200 people, who sought to be certified as educators within the Texas schools, were found to have serious offenses in their pasts. These included sexual misconduct and crimes against children.

? As recently as the 2004-2005 school year, 66 certified Texas schools teachers were found to be registered sex offenders by the State Board for Educator Certification.

Senator Florence Shapiro (R-Plano) was appalled by the fall news articles that cited some Texas schools teachers had been arrested on sex charges and others with criminal records. Knowing that nothing is more important than the safety of Texas schools? children, she decided to do something about the situation.

Shapiro introduced a bill that the legislature passed at the end of March. Now, all employees of the Texas schools must pass a national criminal background check. They all must submit to being fingerprinted for this procedure ? new hires, all current employees, teachers to bus drivers, and administrators to janitors. Any employee with a sexual offense or felony against a child on their record will lose their job. New applicants with such records will not be considered. Anyone with a history of crimes against children will be barred from employment within the Texas schools.

The new law also establishes a new statewide clearinghouse for criminal background information. All state agencies and all districts within the Texas schools will have access to the database, which must be current within three years. The database will be housed in the Texas Department of Public Safety.

The new criminal background checks for all employees of the Texas schools and the creation of the clearinghouse is estimated to cost about $34 million. The state will pick up the tab for this one.

The Texas schools join 43 other states that require national criminal background checks for all educators.

Click here for more information on Texas schools.

Patrica Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. For more information please visit Texas Schools

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Wednesday, March 19, 2008

How to Do a Background Check - Employees, Nanny, Friend, Anyone!

Many people are asking the exact same question - How To Do A Background Check? And Why?

There are many reasons why this is so. First of all, frauds and sexual offenses have increased over time to a level that is appalling and just goes on to show human depravity. This makes it very important for people looking to hire new employees, especially in financial institutions, and for a nanny, to look at the background of the person they are considering. This makes it important to do a background check on just about everyone you come in contact with anymore.

Second, a complete background check may be able to tell you what to look out for in other prospects as well. To do a background check is essential when considering marriage, a business contact, and new doctors as well.

So now comes the question - how to do a background check?

Typically, it takes many phone calls, repeated visits, and occasionally a bit of money as well to perform a background check on each individual. Generally, the cost to do a complete background check is somewhere around $100 per person. You will have to get in touch with the local police if needed, but generally, calling up all the former employers will be a good indication of the person's competence. You should also call up a lawyer to check up on some stuff, and they can generally do a pretty good job without much problem as well. Of course, their fee is higher too.

You have to call on the local police, the necessary government officials and potentially a lot more people to uncover just a section of a person's background. Some of the information may never be revealed, such as some information from the FBI, and certain privileged information.

The other options when trying to do a background check include two options:

Use an internet service to do a background check. The best services are provided by Instant Background Checks. It's much faster, cheaper, and easier to use a service such as this. Please note that you need someone's permission or a good enough reason to look up someone's background, don't just plug in and check up on every person that you can just because you can with this.

Hire a detective - They might not be wearing a brown overcoat with a fedora, but they know how to do a background check. Again, this can be a little costly proposition, but its a good one, especially if you need an in-depth check up.

When to do a background check:

You should definitely perform background checks on:

People looking to rent your property - Ignoring to do a background check on new tenants can be a mistake you will definitely regret.

A nanny or a child-care provider - Never trust your child with someone without a very good background check on them. Personally, I think that to have someone else take care of your child is not a good idea at all, but if you do need to at some point, it is important that you know how to do a background check.

A new employee/business contact - With the growing population of scammers running rampant, it is better to be safe than sorry. Make sure that you do a background check on new employees and business contacts, especially if they're from out of state.

Well, now that you know how to do a background check, it is essential that you start on it right away. I recommend using internet services, such as Instant Background Checks that provide background checks as the fastest and the cheapest way to get it done.

Having lived in this world long enough, the author is aware of the need to check up on more and more people following the sinful desires of their heart instead of righteousness. Having been scammed before, the author understands the necessity of background checks. The best recommendation for background checks is Instant Background Checks

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Friday, March 14, 2008

Use Of A Driving Record For A Background Check

There are two schools of thought on this one. Some say "The job does not require driving, what connection does a persons driving record have with conducting a thorough background check for the position?" Others (myself included) say, " A MVR report contains much valuable information giving additional insight to a person?s character". Multiple offenses for speeding or failure to carry insurance for example shows lack of good judgment and a questionable level of personal responsibility at best, and may indicate a personality trait of recklessness.

Also, although most serious driving infractions should show up on the criminal records check as well as the MVR, such is not always the case. Many times it is possible to detect a pattern of drug and/or alcohol abuse here first. Since substance abuse is the leading cause of professional license revocation for RNs and LPNs, the ability to detect this behavior pattern in its early stages (as it tends to be progressive) is significantly enhanced by inclusion of the MVR.

And that's just the begining. Although the applicant may posses an apparently legitimate SSN Card (which has been verified), comparing physical identifiers, date of issue, and previous state of issue will many times bring to light irregularities in applicant supplied information.

A driver's license in America today has evolved into the primary form of identification. It is in fact used for all manner of I.D. purposes having no connection with the operation of a motor vehicle (renting a hotel room, cashing a check, opening a bank account, using a credit card etc.) Most of us have had a license for so long that we are unaware of, or have forgotten exactly what is required in order to obtain this document today.

Typically issuance of a driver's license requires;

1) Presentation of a valid Social Security card, which in and of itself requires the additional level of Federal scrutiny and documentation, including proper I.N.S. documentation and/or original raised seal birth certificate etc.

2) A second primary identifier such as passport or drivers license from another state, which again requires the subject to have previously gone through an additional level of either State or Federal identification verification. Can false I.D. be acquired and used? Yes. Is it reliable 99.8 % of the time? The answer again is Yes. Is it worth the extra few dollars to acquire this additional level of scrutiny? I believe a reasonable and prudent person would have to say "YES".

Advanced Research http://www.arsbackgrounds.com offers MVRs is most states instantly

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Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Background Check: Be Prepared for What Future Employers Might Find

Do you know what to expect when applying for a new job? Most job seekers are under the impression that employers only check the references listed on your resume or application. This is an inherently false assumption. A recent People Search News article reported that more than 80% of all business now performs comprehensive background checks on all potential employees, compared to less than half that number 10 years ago. Also, the size of the business does not necessarily determine if a pre-employment background check will be performed.

"Many companies, regardless of size, now use online data brokers to perform background checks on employees. Employers can get a comprehensive background report in less than a minute for under $40. This is not only cost-effective, but extremely convenient," said People Search News.com editor Guy Dubleche.

Employers can also not rely wholly on the interview process or references listed on a resume or job application to gauge a prospective employee. Therefore, a majority of employers are using online background checks to gauge a prospective employee's character and work ethic before making the decision to hire them.

What is in a Background Check?

First off, many people like to associate the term "background check" with criminal records. True, if a person does have a criminal background that information is likely to show up on a background check, but a comprehensive background check contains much more information than that.

According to the Web site PeopleFinders.com employers can obtain the following information when performing a background check:

? Age

? Addresses and phone numbers (20 year history)

? Real property ownership

? Aliases and maiden names

? Known associates

? Possible relatives

? Neighbors

? Marriage and divorces

? Bankruptcies and liens (judgments)

? National criminal records

? Employment history

How do Employers use this Information?

Employers use the information in background reports to get a picture of your character and trustworthiness. Besides the basics like past salary verification, work history and address history, employers can make general assumptions about your character based on information found in a background check. For instance, bad credit or late payments may lead some employers to believe that you are un-reliable. Also, employers may look at your address history and work history to determine if you are stable individual.

Before performing a comprehensive background check on a prospective employee, employers must get the written consent of the candidate. Also, by law, anyone using information from these reports as a reason for denying you employment must tell you and give you the contact information for the agency from which the report was obtained. You can use this information to dispute any inaccurate information.

You also have the right to request a copy of your background report from the company performing the check. It is a good idea to hold onto these reports for future reference whether you were hired or not.

It is also good practice to obtain a copy of both your credit report and background report before interviewing for a job. Knowing exactly what appears on both your background and credit reports will ensure you are fully prepared to answer any questions that may arise from a prospective employer.

So, what can you do?

Though no one has a crystal ball, you can increase your chances of getting a great job and rewarding career by keeping up-to-date on the information in your credit and background report. This way, you can dispute any unnecessary items before your interview with the background check company. In addition, if you know you may have had some credit or background troubles in the past, it is best to be up front with a potential employee about it.

Founded in 2006, People Search News is a Sacramento, California based non-commercial online source for people search and people finder related news and information.

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Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Performing a Background Check on Your Local Ice Cream Man is a Sound Decision

Last week, I watched a movie called ?The Ice Cream Man? starring Clint Howard in which an ice cream man kills young boys, chops them up and places them inside his frozen treats. Although this movie was extremely far-fetched, ridiculous and a bit macabre, it does raise a very important question; do you really know your children?s ice cream man?

Let?s face facts, we don?t really know anything about our local ice cream man. True, we may be able to recognize him if we saw him on the street. However, other than his physical appearance, he remains a complete stranger. Though it may be dreadful to think about, he may have a criminal past and may even be a registered sex offender. The fact that most companies, let alone ice cream vendor organizations, do not perform a background check before hiring an employee makes it even more likely that your ice cream man may have a criminal history.

Even if the local ice cream man has a criminal past, should you even care? If you are a responsible parent or neighbor, your answer should be ?yes? for two reasons. First off, it is common knowledge that children love the ice cream man and don?t really have a reason to be afraid of or not trust him. Secondly, the best indicator of future behavior is to look to the past. Therefore, a convicted criminal may again commit a crime. Even more devastating to consider is that if an ice cream man wanted to harm a child, he probably would have an opportunity to do so as most parents don?t event watch their kids when they are buying ice cream or talking to the ice cream man.

So what can be done? Besides increased supervision on children when they interact with the ice cream man, the best defense against potentially dangerous ice cream men is to perform an online background check. Even if he seems nice, approachable or friendly, appearances can be deceiving, so it is best to get the facts. A standard background check from a reputable online company like www.peoplefinders.com can provide you with a complete picture of someone?s past including their criminal history and sex offender status. Most background checks can also be performed inexpensively and anonymously in less than a few minutes!

To perform a background check on your local ice cream man, you only need basic information such as his name, address, phone number or where he works. From there, a people search organization can tell you all the information that you need to know to keep your children and your neighborhood safe.

Isn?t your child worth it?

People Search News

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Wednesday, February 27, 2008

7 Reasons To Run Background Checks

1. Dating: The dating world has become a lot different than when our parents and grandparents were going to a drive-in movie. Online dating has become very popular in the 21st century. There have been many people who have found the love of there life. There have also been instances of people who have met their worst nightmare.

You should do a background check on anyone you are considering dating if you haven't known them very long, especially if you met them online. Ask yourself these questions: "Are they married?", "Have they been convicted of a sex crime?", "Do they have a criminal history of any kind?". These are all things you should know before you go on that first date. Knowing these things could save your life and/or your money.

2. Child Support: Does your ex-husband or wife owe you child support but no one seems to be doing enough to find him or her? Did you know that you can find this person yourself? Well you can, and it's not difficult. You can usually find the information you are seeking within minutes.

3. Employees: Finding good employees nowadays can be difficult at best. Running background checks on employees is a big plus for you. I mean do you really want someone who was caught steeling at his last job? Or someone with a temper who is capable of an assault on you or your other employees? Find out all this information before you hire someone.

4. Child Care: This one is very important. Our children are our lives and no one wants to intentionally put their child in jeopardy. A background check should be run on anyone who is alone with your child. Make sure your little one is safe when you can't be there. And it's very easy to do.

5. Beneficiaries or heirs: There is a lot of unclaimed money out there simply because the heir can't be found. Maybe you are one. Maybe there is other money that you are owed. Find out now and reap the benefits.

6. Your neighbors: Would you like to know who your neighbors really are? A great number of crimes have been committed by the victim's neighbor. How well do you really know yours?

7. Missing people: Do you know someone who has been missing? They could be in jail. You can search jail records nationwide in minutes.

About the Author: If you would like to run unlimited background checks on anyone, anytime, please visit this website: http://www.mybackgroundchecker.com

Tracy Dove is a new author. This is her first article. She wants to show people how easy and important it is to perform background checks on people new to our lives.

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Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Background Check Yourself?

Most background check services search public records that may include such information as your phone number, address and criminal background. However, they can also process the information they receive from public record and build associations or perhaps even false information. For example, some ?people searches? look for aliases that may lead some to think that you are someone else. If you have ever received a bill addressed to someone else, with a similar name, a collection agency may have ran a search and sent the bill to possible aliases in an attempt to locate a debtor.

So why background check yourself? Two reasons: one, to verify if information is correct and two, to see if someone else is using your identity.

Verifying Information

Who might check your background?

  • Employers
  • If you submit an application or a resume to a company, they can run a background check to verify your resume information such as past employment, professional licenses or degrees. It is a good idea to check your personal information before someone else does to find out if everything that comes back is accurate. For example, if your degree does not show up you can obtain the information directly from the school to give to the employer.

  • Loan Processors
  • When you apply for a line of credit, you can assume a credit check will be conducted. Unfortunately, often credit reports come back with inaccurate information. Make sure to keep your own records, if you pay off a bill keep receipts and payment in full letters from creditors. They can also run asset checks to look for things such as home value.

  • Collection Agencies
  • This is a common tool used by collection agencies when they are looking for a debtor. Sometimes they may get false information, or they may think you are someone else. Keep all of your own records to prove to agencies that you do not owe the debt. If you run a search on yourself, you may find other names that come up with your name, as aliases or as associations. These other people may be the ones that actually owe the debt. For example, if John M. Smith owes a debt and your name is J. Mark Smith, collection agencies may send you a bill, thinking that or hoping that you might be the debtor.

Identity

Someone may be using your personal information for credit applications or for other uses. Also, unintentional misuse may occur, for example if someone enters a SSN incorrectly.

  • Credit Monitors or Credit Watchers
  • This type of service offered by many background search services, helps you monitor your credit. You can use a credit monitor service to watch your credit over a period of time to look for inaccuracies, credit score changes or to see if some is trying to use your information. For example, you can run a search using your SSN to find out if any other names are associated with your number.

So what do you do if reported information is incorrect? Unfortunately, changing inaccurate information can be a confusing, complicated process. Nevertheless, there are a few ways to change report information:

  • State, County, National Information: You have to contact appropriate public agencies to correct public record. These types of records include criminal, court, tax, liens, judgments, small claims, driving and bankruptcy records, as well as birth/death and marriage/divorce records. Public record also manages information regarding property including real estate and motorized vehicles.
  • Credit Reporting Agencies: The three main credit reporting agencies include Experian, TransUnion and TRW. Current law provides that you can receive a free copy of your credit report once every twelve months, see www.annualcreditreport.com. To change information on your report begin by writing a letter to all reporting agencies disputing the claim, include copies of supporting documents if you can, wait for them to analyze and investigate your claim and make appropriate changes. If changes are made you can request another free report to verify.
  • To Block Searches: Some background search services enable you to opt-out of their search program. They report that they cannot block you from every search option but from most. Most search services require that you send them your social security number, full name with middle initial, aliases, current and former addresses as well as birth date. Keep in mind, that for complete protection you will have to make this request with every reporting service separately.

To find out how the Freedom of Information Act governs federal agencies see the US Department of Justice, Freedom of Information Act page at http://www.usdoj.gov/04foia. This act does not control records held by Congress, the courts, or by state or local government agencies. You will need to contact your state or local agencies to discover their guidelines in regards to the release of public information. For local information, see the Washburn School of Law webpage at http://www.washlaw.edu/uslaw/states/allstates. This site offers links to all 50 states and links to other legal pages of interest.

If you are curious to see what is being reported about you, visit US Search.com and run a ?personal records profile? that will report information regarding your address up to 10 years back, aliases, associations (roommates, relatives and neighbors), bankruptcies and liens, small claim records as well as property and home ownership data including value.

Generally, all of your public information is available to anyone that asks for it, but it is up to you to make sure that the data is accurate.

Pamela Stevens

Pamela Stevens writes for TopTenREVIEWS.com, an online review service that publishes unbasied software, online service and hardware reviews. TopTenReviews also publishes movie reviews and entertainment pages. Please see http://toptenreviews.com for reviews and articles on a wide variety of topics.

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Online criminal background checks: love 'em or hate 'em?

The world is a wonderful place; a wonderfully scary place. Terrorist attacks, religious wars, drive by shootings, sexual abuse, kidnappings, drug smuggling, hate crimes, and the list goes on and on. Are you safe? Are your children safe? Do you REALLY know your next door neighbor?

Performing online criminal background checks on the people you know and associate with can be one way of helping you find out. After all, if someone's past could potentially put you or your family in harms way, then don't you have a right to know?

Recently I had to stop and ponder these questions myself as the pastor at my church was suddenly taken in on accusations of sexual abuse of a child that reportedly happened some 25 years ago. I would have never suspected it, but it did get me thinking.

While some would argue that online criminal background checks are an invasion of privacy, I would argue that in today's world, it's more important than ever to know certain things about the people we associate with. Does your kid's school teacher have a history of drug and alcohol abuse? Does that strange guy in the house down the street that your children pass by every day on their way to school have a history of sex crimes? Has that "great" guy you just started dating ever been in jail for committing violent acts?

Online criminal background checks can give you the peace of mind you need to protect you and your children. Sometimes we are forced to associate with certain people not because we choose to do so, but because they are our co-workers, the mailman, or our children's teachers.

We only have one life to live, and we should be able to feel safe when we go outside in our own neighborhoods. Don't you agree?

Derek Blandford is the co-owner of a successful online splash page design company and researches and writes on a variety of subjects. Did you know that waiting just one more day to find out someone's criminal past could put you and your children in harm's way? Get accurate information, instantly! Click here!

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Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Tenant Credit Report and Background Checks

If not a common practice, landlords should make it so, to approve prospective tenants only after checking and verifying their credit report and references. Tenant screening alerts one to potential problems before signing of the lease, greatly reducing the risk of entrusting a rental property to problem tenants.

However, before a credit report can be obtained, landlords need to have prospective tenant applicants complete a written application, which should provide all relevant information, such as, name, social security number, etc. required for running credit reports.

But, obtaining the necessary information is not enough, written permission from the applicant to perform a credit check is needed, as well. This could be a clause in the application form or a separate form authorizing the landlord to run a credit check, which the applicant will have to sign before a landlord can go ahead and obtain a credit report.

If a landlord has a large number of applicants for his / her rental property, credit checks can prove to be fairly expensive. Therefore, a landlord can request a prospective tenant to cover the cost. It helps to know beforehand the type of credit report needed, including the agency charges for providing it, so as to be able to request the correct amount from the applicants.

There are many agencies in the business of providing credit checks and other screening services, and while some require a membership fee, there are others who charge only for each report. A landlord of a large rental complex, who has many applicants, would be better of registering as a member of one of these agencies, such as, www.e-renter.com, saving more money due to bulk discounts members are offered.

www.e-renter.com offers many different kinds of services from credit reports, criminal records, evictions records, and FCRA compliant declination letters, online submission to collections, automated decision-making, and how to accept a web based application from your own site. With online access to www.e-renter.com, landlords can order and review reports in seconds.

There are no monthly fees, no minimum billing amounts and no annual fees at www.e-renter.com, one only pays for reports ordered, from consumer credit reports, criminal record searches, eviction histories, ID verifications, business credit reports, etc., including allowing members to generate FCRA compliant declination letters, do online submissions to a collections agency, accept web based rental applications, use decision tables to qualify applicants, and more. Credit reports complete with FICO scores, known credit patterns, employment histories, in addition to the usual information on liens, account balances, and pending judgments are all available at www.e-renter.com.

Utilizing the services of a screening agency helps reduce the time a landlord would have to spend on checking prospective tenant backgrounds, clearing more time for applicant processing and property management.

On a cautionary note, applicants should not be judged solely on the basis of their credit reports. Credit reports while providing valuable insights, do not give the whole picture, as there is no one, who has never run into a rough patch in their life.

To know more, visit our website http://www.e-renter.com

E-Renter USA Ltd is a Consumer Reporting Agency with access to the Experian, Equifax and TransUnion Databases. We have 24/7 online direct access to consumer and business credit files as well as numerous other databases relating to credit, criminal, eviction, driving records, property deed records, assessor records

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Thursday, January 17, 2008

Criminal background check

Background checks are a useful screening and selection tool for companies. Of the many types of background checks, criminal background checks are routinely carried out by employers to ensure that they are not courting a risk of physical and mental trauma. In fact, in several states in the U.S, criminal background checks are compulsory for prospects who apply for positions in places such as nursing homes, educational institutions, and adult care centers.

Firms that do background checks have access to records in county courthouses and databases in various states that contain information on those convicted or charged with felony, misdemeanor, or criminal act. Upon receiving a request from a client, the firm researches the county records of the individual's place of residence. The information required for initiating a search includes the first, middle, and last names, social security number, date of birth, and county of residence. The results can be obtained from county, state, and federal resources.

The most detailed information is usually obtained from the county courts; it can include criminal charges, dates, the sentence, and disposition. County courts also provide dockets and supporting information upon request. The amount and detail of information available in repositories across states in the U.S can vary. The information supplied will be a compilation of records gathered from police departments and the local courts. For information on criminal acts that take place outside a state or local jurisdiction, federal records are referred. The criminal activities covered in federal records include drug trafficking, dealing in stolen materials, kidnapping, arson, and dacoity. The time required for obtaining information from the county and federal records can vary from one to three days. The turnaround time for information from state records varies with the state.

Background checks can also be requested from government organizations such as the Department of Justice. The information provided is limited to criminal history information and will not provide data on the status of immigration and consumer credit data. Since there is no national database on criminals, the most effective way of obtaining information on criminals is through person-to-person communication between the background check company and the court house. Although low-tech, this is a quick method for unearthing relevant criminal information about an individual with reference to a particular job.

Stanley Alpin recommends Background Check Guide for more information on ordering a criminal background check

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Monday, November 26, 2007

All About Criminal Background Searches

A criminal background search is a great tool to use for hiring purposes. If own a company or work in a human resources department you should definitely look into using a background check company in order to make sure that you are not hiring criminals.

Background check companies are skilled at finding criminal information on applicants that you may be thinking about hiring. The only thing that you need to do as a company to get set up is get your applicants to sign a waiver that states that you can run a background check on them. At this point all you need to do then is find a company that will actually do the search. This is not difficult and can be done by running a simple internet search.

After finding the right company for you, they can explain what searches are the best for which employees and situation. These background check companies are skilled at performing searches and have all of the necessary resources and contacts to provide you with accurate reports.

A criminal background search can be had for a relatively cheap cost. You can run a national criminal database search for as little as $10 on each applicant. This will pull criminal information from every state and will allow you to see if the person you are considering has a criminal record. You can also get more in depth by running a state, county, or federal criminal search.

The best thing to do is to contact a background search company and let them walk you through it. They are the experts in the business, and will be able to help you in getting set up. This is a process that every company should consider putting into place. It can save you a lot of hassle in the future.
John Rivers is owner of Criminal Search Net. John offers many persons search services. Including criminal records, and background checks.

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