Saturday, May 10, 2008

Protect Yourself: Run A Background Check

In today's society, we always have to be careful and wary when entering any kind of transaction. We hear a lot of stories about individuals who lost money, properties, jobs and even family members because they failed to thoroughly investigate the credibility of another person. Running a background check is a simple and inexpensive way we can protect ourselves. It is one way of making sure that you’re investing money, time and effort in someone you can trust.

You may not think that it is necessary to check someone's past, but the usual reasons people do so are quite obvious. (1) Business transactions require putting in money. Investors would want to make sure that everyone involved is trustworthy and capable. (2) Individuals planning to enter a personal relationship with someone have to find out if their potential lifetime partner is genuine and safe to be with. (3) Employers have to check and verify the qualifications of applicants for the job. Household help and nannies come in close contact with the family, so it absolutely necessary to find out if it is safe to let them into our homes. (4) A neighbor, friend or relative who suddenly pops up may have a dark past or is being sought after by legal authorities. (5) Landlords need more than a credit report to find out if a potential tenant has a criminal history.

No background check can predict the future, but it can certainly show patterns of behavior. You can discover whether or not an individual is as responsible and honest as he or she seems. In the past, you had to hire a private investigator to check into someone’s background to see if he was hiding anything. Fortunately, with internet databases so readily available today, you can get some of the services for free. It is, however, more beneficial to get a more in-depth criminal check.

SentryLink charges $19.95 for a national criminal background check and sex offender check at both the state and county levels. The information they provide come from millions of available records. They are kept up-to-date and can be accessed almost instantly. The report compiles records of misdemeanors, felonies and other relevant information. Running a comprehensive background check can't get any easier. Thus, to protect yourself, your family and business, spend a few minutes of your time to check the past history of personal and business associates.

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