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Are you wondering what a background check is and why it’s so important?
A background check assesses an individual's history, educational background, job experience, criminal history, financial data, and other related information to decide if they’re eligible for a job, accommodation, or any other activities.
This article will provide an in-depth explanation of what a background check is, its goal, and the steps that are taken during the process.
What Is A Background Check?
A background check is a thorough assessment of someone's individual, professional, and criminal past. A background check can reveal personal facts like name, date of birth, and contact details.
When conducting a background check, the level of detail will depend on the reason behind it and the laws and regulations associated with it.
This includes a person's educational and work background, any criminal or civil court cases, financial data, driving records, whether or not they’re on the sex offender registry, and any professional qualifications or certifications.
Importance Of Background Checks
Doing a background check can be advantageous on a personal level since it can give someone more information to make an informed decision regarding who they associate with and let into their lives.
For instance, a background check can show if a potential roommate or partner has any past criminal activities, drug use, or financial issues that could potentially be dangerous for the individual.
Doing a background check can help individuals stay in touch with their old friends or relatives and find out what is going on with them. Additionally, people can make sure that their personal data is not being used for any wrong purpose, offering them a sense of safety and security.
Finally, carrying out a background check can be beneficial in making better-informed decisions regarding their private lives, allowing them to have more peace of mind.
How To Conduct A Background Check
To use BeenVerified to perform a background check, these are the steps to follow:
- Go to the BeenVerified page and register for an account
- Insert the complete name of the individual you’re looking for, together with any extra details that could be useful for identification, for example, their most recent residence or contact number
- Choose the state where the individual is currently living or any place they may have lived in the past
- Take a look at the different pricing options and choose the one that meets your requirements the best
- Purchase the plan you have chosen and await the production of your report.
- Examine the document that could have data such as criminal accounts, prior labor experience, educational background, and other facts
- If you need any clarifications regarding the details in the report, you can contact BeenVerified's customer service team to get help
It should be kept in mind that the data in a background investigation report is only reliable to the extent that the sources it's taken from, and there could be restrictions on the kind of facts that can be legally acquired for individual use.
What Shows Up On A Background Check
A background investigation could consist of several kinds of data, relying on the goal and degree of the examination. Generally, it may contain personal facts, criminal accounts, work experience, educational credentials, financial background, and more.
Data that could be included are
- Personal details: Designation, age, day of birth, social insurance number, present and preceding locations, contact numbers, email ids, and other details
- Employment history: Former employers, positions held, the period of work, and more. Education: Degrees, accreditations, credentials, and more
- Professional licenses: Confirm the qualifications of professionals such as physicians, attorneys, accountants, and others
- References: Checking the accuracy of the individual's supplied personal and professional references
- Financial history: A credit rating, declarations of insolvency, charges, and other details
- Social media presence: Utilization of social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and others to share and carry out activities
- Criminal records: Felony and misdemeanor convictions, arrest warrants, sex offender registry, and more
- Driving record: Driving infractions, whether the driver's license is valid, and other relevant details
- Military service: Confirming the period of military service and the type of discharge received
- Civil records: Legal proceedings, insolvencies, and additional difficulties
It’s critical to be aware that the details and extent of a background check may change depending on its goal and range, as well as the laws and regulations that apply to background checks in the applicable area.
What Are The Different Types Of Background Checks
Depending upon the requirements of the business or organization, a variety of background checks can be employed. A few of the most popular forms of background screening include
- Employment History Verification: This sort of assessment consists of confirming a person's professional background, containing job designations, periods of service, and explanations for quitting former jobs
- Education Verification: This form of examination requires verifying a person's scholastic achievements, such as the degrees they have obtained and the period they attended school
- Credit History Check: An examination of someone's credit record is conducted when performing a credit history check to evaluate their level of financial discipline and how they have handled any past debts
- Criminal Background Checks: Investigating a person's criminal history involves examining any past offenses, such as major or minor convictions, they may have committed
- Driving Record Check: When performing this kind of assessment, it’s necessary to look into a person's driving background, such as any moving violations, collisions, or revocations of license
- Professional License Verification: This form of assessment requires confirmation of any professional licenses or qualifications that a person may possess.
- Reference Check: This kind of evaluation necessitates connecting with a person's references to acquire information regarding their job background and personality
- Social Media Check: This kind of examination entails inspecting a person's social media pages to evaluate their online actions and conduct
It’s essential to be aware that various kinds of background checks may be required depending on the type of job or the sector in which a person will be employed.
Best Background Check Services – What Is A Background Check
BeenVerified
BeenVerified is an online service that helps individuals and businesses access a large database of public records for background checks. It provides a convenient and straightforward platform for users to search for information about persons, like their criminal past, contact data, and professional background.
BeenVerified offers a cost-effective solution with various subscription plans to suit different needs and budgets. Whether you desire to reconnect with a former friend or satisfy your curiosity, BeenVerified is a useful tool for carrying out background checks.
BeenVerified provides two main payment options for their background check service: a monthly plan starting at $26.89 monthly or a single report at $19.95. Customers also choose a 3-month subscription plan with a monthly fee of $17.48 or a 6-month subscription plan at $15.83 monthly.
PeopleLooker
PeopleLooker is an online service that enables customers to investigate individuals by utilizing the name, address, telephone number, or email address of that person.
By accessing public records and other data sources, PeopleLooker creates thorough reports on people that might contain criminal records, educational backgrounds, job histories, and more.
This service provides a variety of fee plans that are dependent on the number of reports one needs and is designed with a user-friendly layout. Despite this, it’s recommended to compare various background check services to find the one that best fits your needs.
Looker's background check service offers an individual report for a dollar or a subscription package for a recurring cost of $18.28 each month. Additionally, there is a 3-month plan for $42.62 and a 6-month package for $69.44, although the prices are subject to modification.
TruthFinder
TruthFinder offers a web-based background check service that grants users access to public records and other data sources, allowing them to discover additional details about people.
People can look up data based on different criteria and then get comprehensive reports that comprise criminal records, job experience, educational background, and more.
The platform provides various payment plans and is easy to use, but it’s a good idea to compare it to other background investigation services to find the most suitable one.
A full month of access to TruthFinder's services can be purchased for the cost of $27.78.
Conclusion – What Is A Background Check
To sum up, a background check is a critical measure for judging a person's past and their appropriateness for a job or other activities.
By collecting facts about someone's criminal record, employment record, academic credentials, credit report, and more, a background check can help guarantee the safety and security of people and organizations.
If you’re a person in search of a background check, it’s essential to team up with an esteemed background check provider to guarantee that you get correct and dependable data.
DISCLAIMER: You may not use the non-FCRA approved services mentioned in this article or the information they provide to make decisions about consumer credit, employment, insurance, tenant screening, or any other purpose that would require FCRA compliance. These services don’t provide consumer reports and are not consumer reporting agencies. (These terms have special meanings under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 USC 1681 et seq., (“FCRA"), which are incorporated herein by reference.)
The information available on our website may not be 100% accurate, complete, or up to date, so do not use it as a substitute for your own due diligence, especially if you have concerns about a person’s criminal history. The services we mention do not make any representation or warranty about the accuracy of the information available through our website or about the character or integrity of the person about whom you inquire. For more information, please review each service’s Terms of Use.