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Free Background Check Online: Ways to Perform Public Records Searches

How to perform a free background check online.
By Identity Pros |
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Background checking may seem like an extra step to do. However, background checks can give you an idea about a person you are dealing with. Whether you’re meeting a new person or going on a date, background checks can help you.

Background Checks are a common practice when researching someone. Other people may even do a background check on themselves to see the kind of information they have online.

It can also be a way to check and monitor your private information. Your privacy is important, and you may want to avoid the leak of personal information online as this can be used to compromise your identity.

So how can you background check a person online? There are a lot of Background Check Sites, but not all of them offer free trials, asking you to pay upfront without letting you try the service.

Is It Possible to Do A Free Background Check?

Yes, it is possible but not recommended. Doing a Background Check by yourself would mean going through the person’s public state records and social media. Not all of this information is accessible, especially if you do not know the person well.

Some Background Check sites offer a free option, but it is usually inaccurate and heavily relies on public records only. If you are looking for contact information about a person, you may come across outdated information instead.

If you would like to do a background check on someone you know personally or yourself, you can manually do a background check. Keep in mind that this will require a lot of time and knowledge researching online.

The Law About Background Checks

You may be wondering if there are any specific laws about doing background checks. There is a specific law that deals with doing background checks. The Fair Credit Report Act means that you need to use an official Consumer Reporting Agency to get a credit report.

The Consumer Reporting Agency is responsible for collecting and providing information about consumers while following the appropriate procedures that protect privacy. Aside from this, the Fair Credit Report Act also ensures the fairness of consumers.

Top 10 Background Check Services with Cheap Trials

If you would like to do a background check on someone but do not want to spend a lot of time filtering each search result, you can use a paid background service. Doing a background check yourself can be challenging and cost a lot of time.

Buying a background service without knowing its features is not a good move either. If you find yourself not being satisfied with the service, you may need to pay additional cancellation fees or go through the hassle with customer service.

There is a way out of it, however. Some background check sites offer cheap trials for their services. Having a trial can help you know if the service is right for your needs. Other background check sites offer different services, and you can check if it applies to you.

#1. TruthFinder

Courtesy of Identity Pros

TruthFinder is one of the most popular background checking tools online. This tool has been mentioned in DailyMail, CNet, and even the Huffington Post for its services. The website has over 60,000 five-star ratings from its users.

TruthFinder performs a fleshed-out background check and has the most accurate information when it comes to providing contact information. They also offer a dark web scan where you can monitor the information you have on the dark web.

Pros:

  • It is one of the most accurate background checking tools online.
  • It can provide recent contact information.
  • You can do an unlimited amount of background checks for a monthly fee.
  • The background check site is compatible with mobile phones.
  • There are a variety of search options and filters.
  • TruthFinder also guides you on how you can use the information you can get from doing a background search.

Cons:

  • The membership option is a monthly subscription.
  • The background check site uses scare tactics to make your search results dramatic.
  • TruthFinder has no single-search option.

The Best Thing About TruthFinder

TruthFinder is perfect for people who do a lot of background checks every month. You can do an unlimited amount of background checks every month for a low monthly price.

TruthFinder also provides accurate and recent contact information. This feature is useful if you are trying to contact or reach a specific person. The background check website also provides a detailed background check and compiled personal records.

Features

TruthFInder is an easy-to-use background check tool with multiple search options and modifications that can be used to filter out your searches. The tool offers a monthly subscription, giving you unlimited background checks every month.

Aside from personal information, the background check of the tool also checks for possible aliases and relationships, which can help you screen a date. The contact information given by TruthFinder is accurate and recent as well.

User Friendliness

TruthFinder has a landline number that you can call toll-free if you have any questions regarding the background check tool. The tool is user-friendly, and you can easily search without prior knowledge on background checks.

You can also modify your search results however you want. All of the information that came up from the search results is compiled, and you can easily view it on one page. However, if you would like to have a PDF copy of the results, you would need to pay an additional $2.

Click here to Get Started with TruthFinder.

#2. Intelius

Courtesy of Identity Pros

Intelius is a background check tool that promises to let you look up anyone. The tool lets you check if a person has any criminal record. You can also use the tool to do reverse phone lookups and check the owner of the number who called you.

Intelius also promises to give you anonymity when background checking a person. The background check tool uses over 20 billion records to check and filter the information you are looking for. You can also use this tool to check property data and check the information you have online whenever other people are performing background checks on you.

Pros:

  • Unlimited Background Checks and searches for a monthly fee.
  • You can perform background checks using an encrypted connection, keeping your privacy safe.
  • Intelius does not notify the person that you background checked.
  • Intelius has over 20 billion public records that they use for your search.
  • You can check using a name, phone, or even an address.
  • All the information given by Intelius is detailed and fleshed-out.

Cons:

  • Intelius only offers a monthly subscription for their services.
  • The Customer Support service is only available during certain times.

The Best Thing About Intelius

The best thing about Intelius is, without a doubt, their secure connection during a background search. Doing a background search can sacrifice your privacy if the website notifies the person you did a background search on.

Intelius lets you search using a phone, address, or phone number using a secured 256-bit encrypted connection. Intelius takes customer privacy seriously and would keep your information safe.

Features

You can perform a background check using any name, phone, or address and come up with a detailed report with personal details, including criminal records. The background check tool also lets you review the property records that you want or check the contact information you need.

Intelius also offers an unlimited amount of background checks for a paid subscription every month. This background check tool lets you search using a secured connection, protecting your privacy.

User Friendliness

The website design of Intelius is incredibly simple and easy to understand. The website offers three ways you can search, using a name, address, or phone number. The website only takes a few minutes before compiling all of your search results.

Intelius also takes your privacy seriously and promises to never contact the person you perform a background check on. They also use an encrypted connection when performing your background check.

Click here to Get Started with Intelius.

#3. Instant Checkmate

Courtesy of Identity Pros

If you would like to know someone’s criminal or arrest records, you can rely on Instant Checkmate. This background check tool specializes in providing you with arrest, criminal, and government records about a person.

Instant Checkmate also uses an encrypted connection to protect your privacy. Aside from this, you can also get social media links and photos of the person you are looking for. Instant Checkmate can give you all the info you need with just a click of a button.

Pros:

  • Instant Checkmate specializes in checking criminal and arrest records.
  • Searching for public records and background checks is simple with a click of a single button.
  • Instant Checkmate uses an encrypted connection to protect your privacy.
  • Instant Checkmate also provides personal information like ethnicity and financial data.
  • You can perform an unlimited amount of background searches for a monthly subscription.

Cons:

  • The results may be inaccurate and should be used as a starting point.
  • There are not a lot of search options and filters.

The Best Thing About Instant Checkmate

The feature we love about Instant Checkmate is that it specializes in searching for criminal and arrest records. The background check tool provides all public and government official information about a person.

Features

Instant Checkmate is a background check tool that takes pride in unearthing any criminal or arrest record about a person. You can use this if you suspect that a person has a criminal history record. All of the records are compiled in one place for easy viewing.

The tool also uses an encrypted connection to protect your privacy from being breached. The tool’s monthly subscription gives you unlimited background searches, and this website is also rated A+ by BBB.

User Friendliness

Instant Checkmate has an accommodating customer service staff that you can call without any toll. The website is also easy to understand, and you can find all the records compiled on one page with just a click of a button.

Click Here to Get Started with Instant Checkmate.

#4. US Search

US Search is one of the standard background check tools online. US Search provides several services, including checking Criminal records, Public Records, and even property records. You can even search for a person using an email address.

Not a lot of background check tools offer a background check using just an email. You can also check the social media networks of the person using their Social Network Search. US Search lets you find any person within the United States with their recent contact number information.

Pros:

  • Do a background check using just an email address.
  • It can provide criminal, public, and property records.
  • US Search also helps you find the Social media networks of the person you are looking for.
  • US Search gives you the recent contact number information of the person you are looking for.

Cons:

  • The website can be confusing to navigate.
  • There is not a lot of information on the website regarding how you can use the background check you requested.

The Best Thing About US Search

The best thing about US Search is that it lets you search for a person using just an email address. This feature is perfect if you do not have any additional information about the person you are looking for.

The US Search also provides multiple services aside from background checks. They provide criminal records, public records, and even property records. This website can also provide you the latest contact information and location of the person you are looking for.

Features

US Search not only provides background check services, but they also provide you the criminal records and property records of the person you are looking for. You can also check the social media networks of the person you are looking for.

If you do not have a lot of information about the person you are looking for, US Search is suitable for you. You can do a background check with just an email address or a phone number using their website.

User Friendliness

US Search has friendly customer service that will assist you whenever you have questions about the tool. US Search also provides all the information you can find about the person in one place without needing another search tool.

#5. PeopleFinders

If you would like to dig deep into a person’s background but do not like waiting for a long time just to see the results, PeopleFinders may be for you. PeopleFinder prides itself in searching over 45 billion records in the United States within seconds.

Aside from background checks, PeopleFinders also provide public records and reverse phone lookups. PeopleFinders have access to over 6000 data sources and it can give you personal information and criminal records.

Pros:

  • It has one of the fastest people search engine times within seconds.
  • PeopleFinders have 43 billion records in the United States.
  • PeopleFinders also provide public records, background checks, and reverse phone lookups.
  • PeopleFinders offers a 3-day trial and a single report option.
  • This background check tool has over 6000 data sources all over the United States.

Cons:

  • PeopleFinders does not use an encrypted connection when doing a background search.
  • There are not a lot of search option filters for doing a background search.

The Best Thing About PeopleFinders

The best thing we love about PeopleFinders is how fast the background search comes back up. The entire background profile of a search came back after just a few seconds. Most background check sites can take a long time to post results, which can take up to a few minutes.

PeopleFinders also have 6000 data sources and 43 billion records all over the United States. This background search tool provides personal information and provides criminal records, public records, and reverse phone lookups.

Features

PeopleFinders offers an unlimited amount of search for a monthly subscription, but they also offer a 3-day trial and single-person report. If you do not do background checks often, this option may be for you.

PeopleFinders also provide public records, criminal records, and reverse phone lookups using 6000 data sources and 43 billion public records in their database. The background check tool also includes statements like bankruptcies and foreclosures.

User Friendliness

PeopleFinders is easy to use and can be used with just one click of a button. This brand also has over a thousand five-star ratings on customer reviews. People who are busy and would like to get instant results can use PeopleFinders because it provides a result within seconds.

#6. People Looker

People Looker prides itself in providing information that you may not get on a simple google search. People Looker has run over a million background reports and made it easy and convenient for its users.

People Looker is easy to use, and it provides a detailed report on personal information like relatives and even court records. People Looker also provides detailed guides and information about finding people online and avoiding scams.

Pros:

  • People Looker is extremely convenient to use.
  • People Looker prides itself in running over a million background reports.
  • The background reports provided by People Looker contain all personal information, property records, and court records.
  • It provides information about looking people up online avoiding scams.
  • They have friendly and helpful customer support.

Cons:

  • There is no variety of search filters available.

The Best Thing About People Looker

The best thing we love about People Looker is how incredibly simple and convenient to use it was. The website is so convenient that even people who are not tech-savvy can easily navigate it and do a background check.

We also love the friendliness of the People Looker’s customer service. The staff is always ready to accommodate you, and they are proudly based in the United States only. People Looker also provides all the information you need with just one click.

Features

People Looker also provides a reverse address search where you can get all the information using the address of the person you are looking for. You can also use their reverse phone lookup tool to find all the information about the number that you entered.

People Looker also has one of the most simple and convenient systems for background checks. All you have to do is enter the first and last name of the person you are looking for, and all the information you need will instantly show up.

User Friendliness

Aside from a convenient and easy-to-use website, People Looker also has the friendliest and most helpful customer service staff online. You can call their staff, and they will instantly help and accommodate any of your concerns.

#7. BeenVerified

If you are looking for background checking a person’s assets or property information, you can use BeenVerified. This background check tool provides not just personal information but seven more services in one tool. BeenVerified is also helpful for people who are planning to buy a second-hand vehicle.

BeenVerified has a reverse phone lookup feature, email lookup, address lookup, username search, vehicle lookup, and even unclaimed money lookup feature. Not a lot of Background check sites combine all these features in one tool and using BeenVerified can save you some money.

Pros:

  • BeenVerified can do reverse phone and email address lookup.
  • This tool can provide property information, including vehicle lookups.
  • You can also search using a Username and check if the person has any unclaimed money.
  • BeenVerified can help you get recent contact information and criminal records about the person you are looking for

Cons:

  • There are not a lot of background check filters.
  • It does not use an encrypted connection for privacy.

The Best Thing About BeenVerified

The Best thing about BeenVerified is that it combines 7 features in one tool. The tool can do reverse phone, email lookups, vehicle lookups, criminal and property records, and a Username Search option.

Features

BeenVerified has a Username Search option that you can use to do a background check using Usernames and find out property information and court records. You can also do a reverse vehicle lookup and find out information about the vehicle number owner.

The vehicle lookup works by searching a VIN or a License plate, and any salvage records, recalls, and owner information will instantly show up. This feature helps you plan to buy a second-hand vehicle as it will also show any accident reports on that vehicle.

User Friendliness

BeenVerified is easy and convenient to use, with all the features you may need about a background check in one tool. If you plan to use multiple features like property and vehicle check, using BeenVerified can help save up money in the long run. BeenVerified is also committed to keeping the privacy of their customers for more than 10 years.

#8. GoodHire

If you love the convenience and faster turnaround time, you may want to take a look into GoodHire. GoodHire is a tech company that built a convenient and user-friendly setup for people who do daily background checks for their jobs.

The software is one of the fastest and most accurate background check tools available online. 85% of the background checks are delivered in less than a minute, and the dispute rate for the information provided is less than 0.1%.

Pros:

  • Accurate and Fast background check software.
  • It can give you a personalized dashboard aimed to reduce turnaround times.
  • GoodHire has an innovative and modern system designed to help larger companies operate.
  • GoodHire not only provides background checks but also multiple screening services for employers.
  • The company has been a trustworthy brand and choice for multiple types of industries.

Cons:

  • The system can be complicated and not beginner-friendly
  • The service can be more expensive compared to others.

The Best Thing About GoodHire

GoodHire is specifically designed for employers and companies that would like screening services. GoodHire uses innovative design and modern systems to make turnarounds faster and make screening convenient.

The best thing about GoodHire is that you get a system tailored specially for you. You can customize and personalize the dashboard however you see fit so you can instantly repeat any searches and search settings you need.

Features

GoodHire is one of the most customizable options for screening and doing background checks. GoodHire does more than background checks. It also creates a personalized system that can help you screen and reduce turnaround times.

You can also get a custom quote if you need software that does more than 25 checks annually. There are also multiple add-on options where you can get a drug screening or even an employment credit report.

User Friendliness

GoodHire has been the choice for multiple companies in different industries because of the flexibility and versatility of the tool. You can get almost any add-on that you need for your screening software, so you are sure to find something that will fit your needs.

#9. RentPrep

RentPrep is a background check tool specifically designed for screening tenants. They offer multiple packages that support your tenant screening needs. You can get a full credit score report, SSN verification, eviction reports, and bankruptcy reports.

The interface and system of RentPrep are easy and convenient to use. This software lets you easily screen tenants in a matter of minutes. RentPrep also walks you through the entire screening process, explaining the data to you.

Pros:

  • It is specifically made for tenant screening.
  • Easy to use interface and dashboard.
  • RentPrep not only provides tenant screening but also provides rental background checks and tenant credit checks.
  • An extremely friendly community that provides information about how to read the data given to you.

Cons:

  • The software is specifically for tenant screening, so it may be missing other features like personal information.

The Best Thing About RentPrep

The best thing about RentPrep is that it is specifically designed for landlords to improve their tenant screening processes. RentPrep can help you get your tenant’s credit report and eviction history and get more quality tenants.

RentPrep has a user-friendly interface that is easy and convenient to use. RentPrep also guides you along the process of screening your tenants and reading the data that you received.

Features

RentPrep features software specifically designed for tenant screening. The brand makes tenant screening easy and convenient. You can easily view all the eviction history and credit reports of your future tenants to ensure they are quality tenants for your home.

RentPrep gives everything a landlord or landlady needs and helps you understand all the data about your tenants. If you have any questions, RentPrep has one of the friendliest customer service staff and community on Facebook.

User Friendliness

RentPrep has a friendly community of landlords and staff alike that helps you go through the tenant screening process. RentPrep also guides you throughout the entire process and helps you understand all the data presented to you.

#10. PeopleSmart

People Smart is a background checking tool that is specifically designed for growing your business. If you are looking to get a targeted audience or getting new sales, PeopleSmart can help you know your potential customers.

Multiple Marketing companies choose PeopleSmart because of its up-to-date targeted leads that can help you score new sales and customers. Employers who are also looking to hire new talents can easily use their LinkedIn search feature to help you find the top talents for your needed position.

Pros:

  • An innovative system created to help boost sales.
  • It uses up-to-date targeted leads that can help reduce search time.
  • Perfect for employers searching for new employees because they have a LinkedIn feature where you can find top talents for your job.
  • PeopleSmart also helps you connect to people who can help your business grow, like bloggers and influencers.
  • This software can help you get to know your potential customers and target audience.

Cons:

  • The data given by the software can be complicated if you do not have business knowledge.

The Best Thing About PeopleSmart

The best feature we love about PeopleSmart is that it is specifically designed for any business aiming to improve and increase its sales. The tool has up-to-date targeted leads and gives you insight into your potential customers.

PeopleSmart also gives you quality data that is necessary for your business sales. If you are planning to recruit for a job position, PeopleSmart has a LinkedIn feature that lets you find the most promising candidates for your position.

Features

PeopleSmart uses innovative technology that lets you know your potential customers and boost your sales. The software is designed for growing your business and connecting you to customers that may be interested in your product.

PeopleSmart also has targeted leads that help reduce search time and gives you all the data you need in one report. PeopleSmart not only connects you to potential customers but people who can help boost your sales as well. It also has a LinkedIn search feature to help you find talents to grow your business.

User Friendliness

PeopleSmart has been the choice and go-to option for many sales professionals because it has features that target marketing and boost sales. This tool is designed for businesses of any size and helps those businesses grow.

Different Methods to Do Free Background Checks

There are different methods you can use to do background checks for free.

Here are methods to background check manually:

Google

Yes, the trustworthy google. This search engine has been a go-to for researching and gathering information. The search engine contains all the information you can find on the internet, which can be useful for researching information but not for doing background checks.

If you are searching for a person and all you have is their name, your search can come back with a million similar names. You would need extra information to get accurate search results.

Using Google means you need to spend a lot of time online as well. A single search result can come up to a thousand and filtering them all will take time.

You can also follow the following steps:

  1. Start by putting the name and the state of the person you are doing a background check for in the search box.
  2. You can also use Google Images if you have a photo of that person.
  3. Google also has a News feature where you can background check if the person has ever been on the news.
  4. You can also use Google Videos to check if there is any footage linked to the person.

Social Media

The Social Media platform has been the platform for multiple people to express themselves and communicate. You can find a lot of personal information about a person when you search for their social media account.

  • Facebook Profile
  • Tweet History
  • IG Photos
  • Job Profile on LinkedIn
  • Personal TikTok Content
  • Interests and hobbies in Pinterest
  • Contact Information in Snapchat

However, keep in mind that people have the option to make their profile private and available only to people they know, limiting your research. This method may only be useful if you have personal information or are connected to the person on social media.

PeekYou

PeekYou is a free background check site that can give you a few public information about the person’s social media and background. However, the information given by PeekYou can be inaccurate and outdated.

The website does not provide a lot of information about the person’s criminal records, address, or personal records either. If you would only like to know the social media links of a person, you can try these websites.

Court Records

If you would like to know someone’s public records, you can check the country clerk of records. However, this method needs you to know the location and address of a person you are doing a background search on.

If you do not know the person’s address or location, you may have a hard time using this method. The Court Records only show the government records a person had on that specific city or state.

If you would like to see the records on past addresses, you will need to do a separate search for each address and compile it manually yourself. Take note that Court Records does not give a lot of details on a person’s government information as well.

State Prison Records

You can also check if a person has a prison record online using the corrections inmate tag on google. You will need to know the prison’s official website, and you can then enter the personal information of the person to check if they have a criminal record.

The information given by official state prisons is limited, and they only show information for that specific state. If the person lived in different states, you would have to check for records on other states as well, which can be time-consuming.

Credit Reports

You cannot access the credit report of other people. However, if you would like to check your credit report, you can check with specific credit bureaus and request an annual credit report for yourself.

Keep in mind that the annual check is only applicable once per year, and you cannot request another credit report for free. Other credit services will also require additional payment and identity verification.

Which Background Check Site is the Best?

Free background check software is not common and doing background checks manually can save you money. However, manual background checks can take a lot of time and effort. Google search can return up to 1000 search results that you need to filter one-by-one manually by yourself.

Instead, Background check websites like TruthFinder let you get all the information you need about a person in just one click. The website also offers an unlimited number of background checks for a monthly fee.

Other Background Check Websites like Instant Checkmate also offer affordable trial options and single-person reports to accommodate your needs. Getting a professional background check tool can also help reduce the amount of time you spend searching and compiling information.

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