Top 3 Uses of Background Checks
1. Checking Your Own Criminal Record:
It is not out of the question for an error in the public records system (by either human error or computer error) to result in a conviction placed on the record of an innocent person. This can cause all kinds of havoc in a person's life: their employer may find out about the apparent conviction and fire them based on the assumption that they lied about it during hiring, when in fact it was not there at that point, nor should it be there now. These types of errors are most common when a person has an identical or similar name to a convicted criminal. If you have had problems like this in the past, running a criminal background check on your own name would be a prudent choice. A simple cheap background check will reveal the most serious criminal convictions. This will allow you to see if there is anything on your criminal record that does not belong there. It is much better to deal with such errors early on and to find out yourself, rather than let your employer notify you (with a pink slip).

2. Security in Business Dealings:
Investors, property dealers, and other individuals in the business profession are frequently the victims of scams and fraud. This is partially because private investing involves trusting strangers with large amounts of your money. The business plan may be solid, but what of the business ethics? While there is no surefire way to ascertain a person's morals, you can look at their past dealings with an online background check and determine whether or not they are trustworthy. Many criminal background checks will include data about a person's business and financial transactions. Certain items of information cannot be included due to privacy and identity theft concerns, but a great number of white collar crooks have been exposed by a simple cheap background check. Employers will find great use in a background check service as well: they can spot unscrupulous behavior before the applicant is even hired, thus saving themselves a great deal of time and money. Without a background check for employers available, these dishonest individuals would flood the workplace and ruin a company's image.

3. Landlords Protecting Their Investment:

Renting property to tenants can be a great source of income, but it can also be a tremendous financial risk. Some renters show no regard for the property they are renting and cause all sorts of damage, which can be very expensive. Often times, the tenant will skip town instead of paying for the damages. While the landlord may hold a legally binding lease agreement which contains a stipulation that the tenant pay for any damages to the premises, locating the tenant and obtaining the money in court can be costly and time-consuming. Furthermore, it may not be possible to recover enough money to cover the damages; troublesome tenants usually have problems holding down a job and managing their money as well. This situation is best avoided by utilizing a tenant background check to avoid these problematic renters to begin with. A criminal background check will reveal if this person has a history of abandoning rental properties and causing damage. Also, few landlords want to rent to those with a severe criminal past, as it would pose a hazard to the other renters. There is great benefit to landlords running an online background check on all new applicants.