| It takes more than a handshake and good | | | | • Address history. An address history |
| intentions to establish trust and working | | | | is a starting point that sketches in a |
| relationships - it requires reliable | | | | person's background by checking if they live |
| information about the person you're dealing | | | | were they say they do; if a person claimed to |
| with. A people search company can help fill | | | | go to Columbia University, it may be helpful |
| in important personal - and easy to miss - | | | | to know if he ever actually lived in New |
| details, whether it's a simple address | | | | York. A good people search company reports on |
| history to track down lost friends to a | | | | the last 10 years. |
| property or criminal history before | | | | |
| initiating a business transaction. | | | | • Criminal background. The first rule |
| | | | in dating is safety, and a simple criminal |
| Not all people searches give the same | | | | background check (including a sex offender |
| results. Basic address searches look up a | | | | search) is one form of protection. |
| current phone number and address; other | | | | |
| searches focus on specific public records, | | | | • Marriage and divorce records. Most |
| such as registered sex offenders, criminal | | | | search companies don't do a nation-wide |
| and civil court cases, or property and asset | | | | search by default, so specify which states to |
| ownership. High-quality people search | | | | check. If an address history reveals that |
| companies use nationwide records going back | | | | someone has lived in Tampa, Chicago, and |
| 10 to 15 years. A people search company | | | | Portland, check marriage/divorce records for |
| provides information that you can use to make | | | | Florida, Illinois, and Oregon. |
| important decisions more safely and with | | | | |
| better peace of mind. Know what to search | | | | • Asset checks. Most problems in |
| for, so that you get the information you | | | | relationships come from money. An asset check |
| need: | | | | looks for property and businesses owned by a |
| | | | person, major assets like boats, |
| • What are you looking for? | | | | bankruptcies, and civil judgments. |
| | | | |
| • What search includes that | | | | Situation 3: Reconnecting |
| information? | | | | |
| | | | Most people have considered tracking down a |
| • What kind of personal information do | | | | childhood friend, sweetheart, or military |
| you need to provide? | | | | buddy, so it's natural that the most common |
| | | | type of people search is an address history. |
| • What kind of search report does the | | | | A first step may be a fast white pages search |
| people search company provide? | | | | using a name and address, but most people |
| | | | move several times over their life time, and |
| Situation 1: Business | | | | frequently change their names, such as a |
| | | | woman taking her husband's name or a person |
| There are a variety of business situations | | | | going by their middle name or nickname. |
| where it is important to verify a person's | | | | |
| identity and credibility in advance, | | | | A people search company, unlike telephone |
| especially in two commonly-overlooked areas: | | | | white pages, doesn't need current information |
| | | | to find somebody because they cover multiple |
| • Before hiring a contractor, check if | | | | databases that include old records. A |
| he has a history of bankruptcies, claims | | | | competent people search company will be able |
| against his work, or tax liens - all | | | | to locate almost anyone by searching a |
| indications that his business integrity is | | | | variety of resources - public records, |
| not worth your investment. Since a contractor | | | | military records, even boat ownership. The |
| will spend a lot of time around your home and | | | | more information you can supply, the easier |
| family, do a criminal or sex offender | | | | the location search is, but you only need to |
| background check. | | | | know three things for a people search company |
| | | | to initiate a search: |
| • When you buy a big-ticket item | | | | |
| online, like a car or jewelry, make sure that | | | | • Name (first and last, even a maiden |
| the seller is who they claim to be (address | | | | name or alias) |
| history) and legitimately owns those items | | | | |
| (asset search). A good idea may also be to | | | | • Any city the person has lived in (not |
| run a criminal background check, to look for | | | | necessarily their current address) |
| red flags like fraud or theft convictions. | | | | |
| | | | • Approximate age (an option to help |
| Situation 2: Online Dating | | | | narrow results) |
| | | | |
| Online dating has become mainstream, but it | | | | For instance, a person may know that Martha |
| is still difficult to determine someone's | | | | Smith lived in Bakersfield in 1994. Using a |
| honesty through pixels and email. Any kind of | | | | combination marriage records and old phone |
| people search can help identify potential | | | | directories, the people search company can |
| problems; the more in-depth searches offer | | | | identify her as Martha Jones living in San |
| even more peace of mind: | | | | Mateo in June 2007. |
| | | | |