Trusted by companies like Airbnb and Netflix, Checkr delivers reliable identity verification, criminal checks, employment history validation, and more—all designed for efficiency and ease of use. As previously discussed, most people searches that offer background checks are not considered credit reporting agencies, meaning that they do not have to comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Simply put, they have less strict rules on how they use the information they collect than other companies that do have to comply with these regulations. Unlike traditional background check services, which focus on finding people and information about them, Ownerly provides information strictly on real estate. The service is geared towards homebuyers, homeowners, homesellers, and real estate investors.

The 10 Best Background Check Services

Assemblyman Beephan has proposed a bill to ‘close the loophole ‘for individuals working with children in extracurricular settings, requiring extensive background checks. A proposed Arizona law with bipartisan support would waive immunity for public agencies if they fail to thoroughly background check people they hire. Instant Checkmate is in the same family of sites as US Search, Intelius, and TruthFinder, but winds up lower on our list. Despite offering an enticing 5-day trial for just $1, this particular platform has earned more than 1,000 one-star reviews, and people say that it’s almost impossible to cancel before the trial ends. The reports aren’t thorough enough, and the process of even running the initial search can take up to 20 minutes. “The matching practices that the companies use are inadequate, so you end up including other people’s records,” Nelson says.

Applicant Tracking & Recruiting Tools

To start, it can link records from different public record sources in order to create a complete profile of the candidate, including aliases and criminal cases. It can also automatically filters results in accordance with federal, state, and local laws, removing records that cannot be used by employers when making hiring decisions and reducing the risk of potential liability. Checkr’s modern platform provides fast and accurate screenings to help you find qualified candidates for your organization and make informed hiring decisions. Our services save you time by automating workflows and help minimize your risk by supporting compliance with local, state, and federal guidelines governing background checks. Most standard employment background checks take 3-5 business days to complete when conducted through a professional background check provider.

Search Results

We chose to pay the additional $3.99 to download the report and found that the report had our subject’s correct age, known aliases, address history and possible relatives. The SSA maintains the most complete federal database of individuals who have died, and the file background check contains more than 142 million records, which go back to 1899, according to the Treasury. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Some employers and educational institutions take longer to verify information, particularly if records are archived or stored in outdated systems.

• But if you want more details or comprehensive information, you typically have to pay a fee.
• There are many services that pull from a wide range of databases, including criminal records, court documents, and public records.
• The search also includes family members’ names, which is helpful for those seeking to reconnect with family members, for example.
• You can also conduct self-checks before applying for a job that might require a security clearance or screening to see what a report would show a potential employer.
• Officials say that Shannon, who was employed by the USPS from March 2021 to July 2023, stole incoming and outgoing checks while working as a mail processing clerk at a distribution center in Charlotte.

Aside from contacting the company to cancel the subscription and asking for a refund, there’s really nothing else you can do. We encourage consumers to always read a company’s terms and conditions, and pay special attention to the fine print before purchasing any products. Regardless of your business’ nature, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has set several ground rules that you must follow when obtaining someone’s credit history and other confidential information through a background investigation. Besides being limited to what’s available online, inaccuracies can also be attributed to the companies’ instant results models, which means that the’re not vetted by licensed professionals before reaching the clients. This inaccuracy can be reduced if you have additional information about the person besides their name.

Best Background ChecksBased on In-Depth Reviews

In terms of third-party reviews, Checkr holds an A+ grade on the Better Business Bureau website. We evaluated customer reviews on the BBB site and found a pattern of complaints alleging slow turnaround times and difficulties contacting customer service, as Checkr doesn’t list a customer service number on its site. When we tested the service, a quick preliminary search yielded a list of several individuals. We then had to select the result most closely matching our search criteria before the report was compiled.

These tools are essential for ensuring workplace safety, regulatory compliance, and hiring efficiency. Turnaround times for background check reports typically vary based on the type of check, the scope of the search, and who is performing the screening. Some criminal record and other online database searches may return results in minutes; manual searches of county court records or checking references often take multiple days, weeks, or longer—often requiring in person visits or phone calls. Someone on staff, typically an HR team member, needs to conduct an online background check, search public databases and court records, and contact public agencies like the DMV or courthouses, sometimes in multiple locations. Checking references means reaching out to contacts and scheduling time to talk, which is itself a time challenge. Meanwhile, time is often spent on maintaining high standards for accuracy, communication with candidates, and compliance with federal, state, and local hiring laws.

Unlike employment verification, which focuses on factual data, reference checks involve direct conversations with former supervisors, colleagues, or personal references who can provide a qualitative assessment of a candidate’s abilities. Atlantic Employee Screening keeps background checks accurate and hassle-free with human-verified reports and a dedicated support team. While its interface isn’t the flashiest, it’s easy to use and gets the job done. Something you need to consider before subscribing or purchasing reports is how the company communicates with its customers. One way of obtaining background information for personal use is through an online people search service. Just like their name suggests, people searches are designed to find individuals by entering their first and last name, city, state, phone number, email, or any known physical addresses.

• They also provide consumers with a chart explaining the county court fees and turnaround times by state, giving them a better understanding of the overall cost and timeframe of the process.
• Transportation is regulated by government agencies to promote safety of commercial motor vehicles.
• The service is geared towards homebuyers, homeowners, homesellers, and real estate investors.
• People searches can also be used as a way of doing a quick check when you don’t have time to wait for an actual screening.
• More comprehensive checks that include criminal records, court documents, and employment history can cost between $50 and $100.

We had to manually narrow our search by state and city, then look at each profile to find a match. For $2.99, TruthFinder also offers dark web monitoring, which alerts you if your credentials appear on the dark web. For an extra $3.99 a month, you can download reports and monitor them for updates. Transportation is regulated by government agencies to promote safety of commercial motor vehicles. For companies that hire large numbers of employees, often for special projects or vendors.

Military AWOL (Absent Without Leave) status typically appears on a background check only if it resulted in a criminal conviction or dishonorable discharge. Standard employment background checks would show this information through military service records if specifically requested, but it’s not part of routine civilian background screenings. The longest background check wait times typically occur with international searches or complex screenings involving multiple countries, which can take business days. Factors like international education verification, employment history in multiple countries, or the need to search court records in various jurisdictions can extend the timeline significantly. When making personnel decisions — including hiring, retention, promotion, and reassignment — employers sometimes want to consider the backgrounds of applicants and employees. Except for certain restrictions related to medical and genetic information, it is not illegal for an employer to ask questions about an applicants or employees background, or to require a background check.