Can a private investigator do a background check?

Can a private investigator do a background check?

 

Running background information on people and companies is something a private investigator is often hired to do. Private investigators subscribe to specialized databases that gives them access to historical data about people, places and things. They are allowed to access this data because they are licensed to do so and most private investigators are licensed by the State licensing divisions or by State Police departments.

 

Running background checks is a very common task for the private investigator. You may be wondering if a private investigator can run a background check, what exactly can they find out? Well, here are several of the items they can find out about you:

 

1. Criminal Check – a private investigator can run a criminal background check on you and determine if you’ve ever been arrested, or if you’ve ever been caught driving under the influence. Companies will often hire a private investigator to do a background check on new employees. So, you should always be honest if you’ve ever had a legal problem when you’re filling out the employment application. The private investigator will find out whether you’re lying or not!
2. Social Security Checks – many people use fake social security numbers to open bank accounts and to obtain loans. Private investigators who do a background check can determine whether these people have used real or fake social security numbers.
3. Motor Vehicles Search – private investigators can obtain the ownership information for vehicles by running the license plate (tag) in most states. They subscribe to special databases that give them access. This means if they see a vehicle during their case work and they don’t know who it belongs to, they can just run the tag and determine the owner.
4. Education Verification – many times applicants lie on their employment applications, especially when it comes to the area of their education. Many think this information can’t be verified, but private investigators doing a background check can verify anything you put down on an employment application, even your educational experience.
5. Credit reports – if you owe someone money and they have obtained a court judgment against you, a private investigator in many cases can obtain a copy of your credit report. They will then use this to see where you bank and try to assist their client to obtain the money you owe them. Many private investigators will also take on this kind of work on what’s known as a “contingency basis”. This means they get a commission on every dollar they collect. This gives them a greater incentive to do a complete background check on you.
6. Peace of mind checks – private investigators can run background checks on potential business partners. This helps make sure you don’t go into business with someone who is not trustworthy or is financially in trouble. You may want to run a background check on a future boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse. You never know what their history will tell you and they may be hiding something that could affect you seriously in the future.

 

Can a private investigator do a background check? Absolutely! It’s one of the common areas a private investigator works with when working with clients.

 

If you are looking for an affordable licensed private investigator, with 20 years of experience assisting individuals, attorneys and corporations feel free to contact us here. You can also view a portion of our extensive client list here, and see what actual clients say about us here.