How to Get a Background Check on Yourself
If you intend to apply for a new job, are looking for a home to rent, or are about to enroll in an educational program, background checks will be carried out on you. Background checks combine personal data about you so it can determine your eligibility for a job, housing, or education.
The popularity of background checks has risen as a means of screening tenants, job seekers, and admission seekers. It has become a universal hiring tool. For example, over 96 percent of employers in the United States carry out employment checks on prospective employees, according to research carried out by HR.com in 2020.
The article will look at ways to run a background check on yourself, see your public records. Also, we shall discuss essential things to consider when running a background check.
Can I Run A Background Check On Myself?
If you wonder, "can I do a background check myself?" The answer to your question is yes. Indeed, doing a personal background check is a simple process that will take you a couple of hours. You can conduct background on yourself or anyone else at any time.
You can search your criminal records, court records, employment history, address history, and other individual information you may want to find. So what makes this process easy?
The presence of many companies that grant access to comprehensive public records online through their website is the reason. Therefore, these companies compile background reports. So you can use these websites to carry out an extensive search about yourself and get personal background checks with information from public records.
The great thing about these sites is you only need a little technical capability to use them. You only need three essential things – first and last name and your location.
Why Do Background Checks Happen?
Personal background checks happen for many reasons. The most obvious one is to comprehend what kind of information is available about you through public records. For example, if you have a criminal history, it is easy to see what the documents say about you.
Also, if your previous records have been erased, you can use a background check to ensure that the record doesn't show up again. Furthermore, background checks will enable you to know what information shows up on your driving records.
Another excellent reason for carrying out a background check on yourself is to see which of your social media accounts appears. Background Checks can track any social media account attached to your name.
Finally, background checks will assist you in knowing what any potential employer will see about you. Hence, background checks will give you peace of mind that your report is clean if you are in the process of applying for a job.
There are other benefits of running background checks.
- It helps you anticipate and answer questions that can come up during an employment or housing screening.
- Background checks help uncover errors and any inaccuracy in financial and legal documents you have and allow you to amend them.
- It saves you time and money in comparison to retrieving all your data individually.
- Background checks give you a report you can share that shows your history and any additional information you can provide to anyone.
Things to Look For During Background Checks
More than half of the personal records compiled about you in background checks are yours. Hence, you have the right to see and challenge them or correct any discrepancies that may appear in them. It is best to request personal records one at a time if you want a preview of what they say about you.
The following information is what you need to search during background checks.
Social Security Number Verification
During background checks, the names registered with your Social Security Number will show. Also, the social security number will report any legal changes made to your name or reflecting material. It's easy to get this information if you set up a social security administration website user account.
Credit Report
You can get one free credit report annually from the three credit bureaus. A credit report will give a summary of your debt and provide your payment records.
Address History
After background checks, all addresses associated with your name and social security number will be identified. Typically, it covers the last seven years of residence.
Driving Records
You can check the state department of motor vehicles to get a copy of your driving records. Alternatively, you can order the copy through the Internet.
Criminal Record
Any prior convictions, imprisonment, probation, and parole are reported in a criminal background search. Hence, if you were arrested at any time in the last seven years, it will appear in your background check.
How to Run a Background Check on Yourself?
In this part of the article, we shall discuss a host of websites that will enable you to complete thorough background checks on yourself.
Instant Checkmate
This is one of the best websites used by many people to run a background check. You can use the website for various reasons, including personal background checks. If you are searching for personal information, ensure you check court records and criminal history databases to know if any serious dents are on your records.
Use the People Search feature to see whatever general information you need to find about yourself. A significant advantage of this website is the availability of a mobile app. Android and iOS phones can use this app.
Having a mobile app is not something commonly associated with background check websites. Hence, it is a giant step taken by Instant Checkmate.
Before you can use the website, it is best to register or sign up. It would help if you had your first and last name to start your search. Then, create an account where you will receive the full report of your search.
After registering, you have a five-day trial for the paltry sum of $1. Hence, you can receive the full report of your search without paying the total subscription cost.
Features
- People search – The website enables users to search for anybody and provide a detailed background report with the individual's information.
- Criminal record search – with this feature, a thorough and detailed report with the individual's criminal history, if there is any. After searching for your name, any arrests, convictions, or parole linked to you will appear on the screen.
Advantages
- Easy to use interface, which makes it easy for users to access information on the website.
- Affordable five-day trial period.
- A single search provides massive information.
Truthfinder
If you are looking for a comprehensive background check site that grants access to public records. Although most people use this website to find new friends or neighbors, it is an excellent website for background screening yourself.
The information provided is recent, accurate, and vast. However, the website is not FCRA accredited, which means you can't use it for a tenant or employee's screening.
Features
- People search – The website grants you access to information by simply searching your name.
- Background check – This can be done by searching your first and last name. Alternatively, you can adopt the reverse phone lookup tool. The tool allows you to carry out background checks with records using phone numbers.
- Dark web scan – The feature scans data points on the dark web to check if you have been a victim of data breach or identity theft.
Advantages
- The website gives recent information.
- Information provided here includes those related to your social media.
- The complete history of your location, addresses, and criminal records can be obtained from the website.
- The platform is convenient with a user-friendly interface. Also, it has an application that can run on iOS and Android phones.
- The website offers high-profile facilities like dark-web scans, public records, and people searches.
Intelius
One of the best background check websites in the world. It combines information accessible on public records relating to an individual to produce a comprehensive report. Besides providing information about your criminal history, addresses, and credit score, it is easy to get information about your educational record.
Features
Intelius is essential to individuals because it has the following features.
- Name search – The site allows you to find information about yourself once you provide your full name and location.
- Background Check – Through this site, you can get in-depth information about your history.
- People search – this feature helps you to find lost relatives and understand the social network of anyone. There is an interactive grid that displays the connection between a particular contact's circle.
- Premiere search – this feature contains information gathered and compiled from public records.
- Reverse phone lookup, which helps to find an unknown phone number, is another essential feature on the website.
Advantages
- The report obtained is inclusive of your educational history, which is absent on most websites.
- You can find multiple packages that are available depending on the needed records.
- This website can assist in protecting yourself from dubious people because it scans criminal records.
- The subscription costs are more affordable than most websites that provide the same service.
Been Verified
This website is an excellent portal that gathers public records and allows users easy access. The website eliminates the struggles of roaming the street, knocking on doors. The best thing about this website is that all searches are anonymous.
Features of BeenVerified
- Reverse address lookup – Users have a chance to look up any address within the United States. You will be given complete search results about yourself. This feature is essential if you need crucial information about yourself or any property you intend to buy.
- People search – You can use this feature to gather public information about yourself or anyone else in the United States. You simply type in your full name. If you don't get the desired result, include any extra information that relates to you.
Advantages
- It provides simple search returns with a comprehensive report.
- The platform has excellent customer support services.
- It is easy to use.
- It comes with a straightforward plan and affordable pricing, which is great for users.
Peoplefinders
Background checks on this platform are restricted to individuals alone. So you can't search for property etc. However, if you are looking for someone or want to see if there is anything about you that may harm your chances with employers, this website will help. There are over 43 billion records on this platform. Hence it has one of the largest databases of all background check companies in the world.
Features
- People search – you can find information on anyone on the platform. Their names, city, and location are all you need.
- Reverse phone lookup – This feature is one of the most used on the platform. The feature allows you to enter a phone number to find the names, addresses of anyone.
Advantages
- Give users a three-day trial period.
- The mobile app is free.
- Rapid request processing.
- You can get individual reports for a one-time fee.
Conclusion
For whatever reason you may have, doing a background check on yourself is a simple and easy process. If you use any of these platforms discussed above, you will get what you want with ease. Hence, these tools will help you get ahead of your employees or competitors by giving you a chance to know what kind of information is out there about you.
How to Get a Background Check on Yourself
Source: https://www.juneauempire.com/national-marketplace/want-to-conduct-a-background-check-on-yourself-here-is-how/