Private Investigator Basics: Background Checks

Private investigators perform background checks to verify a person's professional and personal history. A proper background check involves conducting interviews and searching for documents that will give you a greater understanding of the person you are looking into.

Can't I just pay for an online background check?

There are automated background checks available on the Internet, but the information is often incomplete or inaccurate, and each record, whether found through the Internet or another source, needs to be verified for validity. A private investigator can provide detailed and accurate information about a person and ensure that the information is accurate.

There is no standard or routine background check. The investigation should be tailored to your areas of concern, reasons for finding out more, and your overall needs. Whether you're hiring a new employee, looking for a nanny, or are about to make a new investment, it's a good idea to get a better understanding of who or what you will be involved with.

BRIAN BLACKWELL
INVESTIGATIONS

Public Records Search

What are public records searches?

The government creates public documents or records to record significant events in a person's life. Events such as a marriage, a judgment in court, a home purchase, and military service are common examples of public records. When investigating a company or an individual, consulting these records through searches can be one of the best ways to outline someone’s background and history.

What kind of records can I view or access via a public records search?

Common searches in public records investigations include:

• Driving records
• Credit records
• Property records
• Court records
• Records relating to bankruptcies and judgments
• Criminal records
• Prison records
• Records that list assets
• Financial records
• Marriage records

Depending on the case, documents relating to employment, military service, and name changes can also be searched. Qualified private investigators can search records listed under aliases and international records as well.

What can public records searches do for me?

There are many ways records searches can be useful. For example, public records searches are an important part of criminal background checks, background checks, and private investigations. They can reveal a person’s past and if they are really who they appear to be. Moreover, they can help you find out what others are trying to hide. These searches are also key in pre-employment screenings and criminal investigations. Any time you need to know about someone’s background, public records are a good way to get reliable information. They can even be used to research genealogy and family history.

Why hire a private investigator to do a records search?

A private investigator can be hired for many reasons. Whether you are an individual, law firm, or corporation, a private investigator will know the best way to collect information and obtain original records. They use records searches in nearly all investigations types and will be able to quickly and efficiently gather information. Individuals may want to find out if a spouse is unfaithful, they may have private business concerns and want to check an employee’s background, or they may be an individual looking for their birth parents.

Law firms may want to locate a witness to conduct an interview or they may need to serve a subpoena on that individual. They may know about an heir that needs to be contacted. They might want to find assets and to also investigate the veracity of a claims in a lawsuit. Corporations may want to perform undercover fraud assessment or perhaps competitive intelligence. They hire private investigators to conduct pre-employment research for them. They may also use investigators to determine the compliance with governmental regulations as well as research copyright and privacy issues.

Can't I just use free records searches online?

There are plenty of online companies that promise free records searches. Others offer very inexpensive records searches, sometimes for less than $20. All such free and inexpensive options promise to be fast and effective. While these options may sound tempting, there are plenty of reasons why you will want to avoid them. First, many of these companies rely on outdated or incomplete information, which means that you may end up with inaccurate or incomplete information. Second, some of these companies charge hidden fees or have poor privacy policies, which means that you may end up paying more for these free online records searches than you thought. Third, many of these companies use less than professional methods for gathering information. Fourth, and finally, all this means that you may end up with overpriced and useless information when using these online and free public records investigation tools. Worse, you may find yourself in trouble thanks to the less-than-scrupulous ways these companies look for information.

Do I need original records?

Whether you are using it for a written research report or as a piece of the documentary evidence that may be used in litigation, the best evidence is in the original document. You will need a certified copy of the record in question, otherwise it could be challenged.

BRIAN BLACKWELL
INVESTIGATIONS

Private Investigator Basics: Records Research

There are three core competencies of private investigation: records research, interviews, and surveillance. Not every investigation is going to involve surveillance, and not every investigation is going to involve interviewing, but every investigation will have some form of records research. In fact, some investigations are just research. Records research is the locating of public and private records. The research is a tool for gathering information to support or oppose a point of view.

Records Research Basics Process

Every investigative assignment has its own nuances regarding research. Depending on the nature of the investigation you will be searching different databases, so investigators should constantly be learning about different database repositories.

Four Major Steps of Records Research:

Step 1: Determine the Client's Needs

Research is contingent upon what the client’s needs are,so the first question to ask is what is it that you are looking for? This will help you identify what the client wants you to research and helps you identify the scope of work.

A prudent private investigator will determine what the client will do with the information before they undertake any investigation. Never conduct research that could be used in an inappropriate manner against anybody.

Step 2: Develop an Investigative Plan

After we’ve determined the client’s needs, we put together an investigative plan that will identify specific investigative tasks and documents to look for. We'll also establish and include an operating budget and cost estimate with our investigative plan so that there’s accountability that will ensure that the investigation is done in an effective and efficient manner. Once we have put together the investigative plan, we’ll have an investigative proposal to present to the client, and we’ll know what the end result is going to be.

Step 3: Internet Research

A lot of records research usually begins with the Internet. The Internet has made it easier to begin an investigation. The research is easier, it’s a quick starting point to narrow the search, and private investigators become more effective and more efficient with use of the internet. We don’t want to be swimming in the ocean of information, nor do we want to be in the lake. We want to be in the pond.

Private investigators use the Internet to get leads on possible original records through contemporary providers of online public records databases. Once we find that the records exist, we'll go to the actual record-keeping database and get a copy of the original record.

Step 4: Obtaining Original Records

An original record is the document that contains the information that we may be looking for. Original documents are birth records, marriage records, business records, etc. The original records are not available on the Internet, but we may learn where to go for those original records during that search.

Original records are either at the city, county, state, national, and even international levels. Why do investigators need original records? If we are going to provide a written research report that will contain the results of our research, the best evidence is the original document. The record becomes a piece of the documentary evidence that may be used in litigation. You will need a certified copy of the record in question, otherwise it could be challenged.

Public verses Private

Depending on the state, public records include address information, birth and marriage records, and criminal records like divorce proceedings. Private records are something that private investigators have limited access to. In order to get an individual’s medical, tax, credit, prior employment, and educational records, a private investigator will need authorization in the form of a waiver from the individual.

Private records are non-original records, and the copies are stored in databases for retrieval and access later. These would be publications, subscription databases, and non-subscription databases.

Conclusion

Each of the three core competencies of private investigation plays a critical role in working through an investigation. As a valuable tool, records research helps investigators get more information and a clearer picture of the individual or situation they are investigating. Combining that knowledge with interviewing and the basics of surveillance helps investigators hone their skills and become more effective in the field.

BRIAN BLACKWELL
INVESTIGATIONS