«
»

What The Background Check Industry is Not Telling You

Background Check

The background check industry has something to hide and the last thing they want is for you to find out what that is…

We will not try and ram the so called “best” background check down your throat…simply because none exist. Instead, discover what we have learned through thousands of hours, digging around the internet and complaint boards.

First off, if you are looking for a background check that won’t cost you a thing, you can find out what we think about them at the free background check page.

After working with online background checks for over 2 years…one thing I have seen time and time again is that you cannot rely on what the companies claim on their websites.  You cannot rely on review sites either…because most of them are biased and worthless.

Selecting a background check service is a little like finding a good lawyer. Everyone’s experience will differ, and not all competent lawyers will work for all types of cases. Having said that, there are definitely good and also downright terrible background check services.

BestBackgroundCheck.or has received dozens of requests from online background check companies who hope to get a positive review and a place on the site. Problem is…their goal isn’t to help you, but to see how much of your money they can get…offering as little as possible in return.

Over 3,000 hours of digging around in this complaint and scam ridden industry has shown us a few things. That is, there are few consumer services that are worth their salt. I say consumer because there is a plethora of professional background check services available to employers, landlords, agencies, etc.

Unfortunately the professional companies are off limits to the average consumer due to restrictions and data privacy. The only way for a consumer to get halfway decent records is to either do the digging yourself, or utilize one of a handful of companies that provide the most comprehensive access available.

Through a series of tests going on since 2008, we have found which services consistently deliver the most up to date and complete records. Mind you…this does not mean they will find all the information you are looking for, and there might also be an obscure service nobody’s ever heard of.  Regardless, it’s a free world and your choice.

However, one thing I have found is that the biggest players use many of the same databases when searching for records. Basically, this means that behind the scenes your options are fairly limited when it comes to selecting a service. Plus, the various claims of “find anything on anyone” and “211 million name database” are irrelevant and won’t help you because the first claim is false and a 211 million database is useless if what you need isn’t included.

Anyway, enough said. The background checks below are the ones I recommend and I cannot, and will not vouch for any others at present. However, if you don’t quite feel comfortable yet with my recommendation, by all means look around yourself. Just make sure to keep what you learned in the video and in the article above in mind when looking for a background check. Be forever skeptical.

All 4 of these companies are beefing up their search technology and getting better and more evenly matched. However, USSearch is still the undisputed king of the hill for instant searches (I don’t care how that sounds, it’s a fact). eFindOutTheTruth is anytime as good as USSearch and actually better at many types of searches, however they aren’t instant, so you might have to wait a day or two for your report.

You may know of IntegraScan background check services due to their extensive advertising campaings. What you may not know is that in recent searches IntegraScan did not do as well as any of the services listed below. I had been under the impression they would offer one of the most comprehensive services available, and was very surprised at this. It just goes to show that you can never be too sure about anything.

    USSearch.com is the most well known…and respected…instant provider of criminal records search, background checks, people search, phone number search, property records search, and myriad other services. 

    They have been indexing and providing comprehensive background checks since 1994. 7 million visitors pass through their website every month, and even with these huge numbers, their reputation in the online community is excellent. For example the BBB gives them an “A+”.

    If a choice had to be made between the 2 biggest services available today, USSearch or Intelius, USSearch would be the winner due to more complete records, good customer support and an extensive, positive track record.

    Use USSearch if you need current and thorough records. This company receives 4.9 out of 5 starts for quality and customer service. Start your search for as little as $1.45. USSearch now offers automatic refunds if you pay for a search and don’t find anything.

 

    www.Intelius.com Intelius is an absolute behemoth provider of background checks to consumers and businesses alike. No background check list would be complete with them.
    They were founded in 2003 by the infamous Naveen Jain.In fact, they are one of the largest background check providers in the entire world. 

    Intelius has indexed over 30 billion records and are for the most part an accurate and comprehensive service.I have conducted many test searches and they have done pretty well. However, currently I am on the fence about this company. While they deliver a decent product, the amount of negative publicity is absolutely mind boggling. Having said this, I have spoken to managers and steps are being taken to rectify the many negative complaints.

    Intelius currently gets 4.5 out of 5 stars. Due to this negative publicity, I can’t recommend Intelius with a good conscience. However, give them a try if you would like. There is a good chance you won’t be disappointed.

 
www.Efindoutthetruth.com is owned and operated by two licensed detectives. They are a very well developed company and claim the title of “background check superstore”, because there is no background check request they don’t have a solution for.

This company provides online background checks, criminal checks, court records, people search, phone number search, and even private investigations. They are also one of the few online services offering international background checks for consumers.eFindOutTheTruth had some very minor hiccups in their earlier years. Since than, their online reputation has been immaculate and they work very hard to keep it that way. Users have been extremely happy with the level of detail and personal attention.

Background check prices are some of the lowest in the industry…yet the company delivers extremely accurate records.
 

    www.BackgroundChecks.com was launched in 1999, just prior to the major technology collapse. The company easily survived and boasts a strong business that serves individuals and Fortune 500 companies alike. 

    They are a very well respected provider of background checks, people search, phone search, criminal checks and more.Their reputation online is impeccable, as they take consumer satisfaction very seriously. BackgroundChecks.com  offers a quality experience with customized solutions for almost every application imaginable.

    While prices aren’t the lowest, you may be rest assured you are receiving first class service. They offer a 10% first time user discount and 20% off a driving records report. Unlike many other online background check companies, they do not mislead you into thinking there are records available when there is nothing there.

    You will not be disappointed if using BackgroundChecks.com. They currently get 4.8 out of 5 stars. The reason for this is because there are some customized options offered by USSearch and eFindOutTheTruth that are currently not offered by BackgroundChecks.

Thank you for taking the time to watch the video. I wish you the best in your search.

Sincerely,

Dave Jordan

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , ,

This entry was posted on Friday, August 27th, 2010 at 9:57 am and is filed under Background Check, Background Check Videos. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.