» Your Complete Source for Online Criminal Background Checks

Why pay for a full background check if you're interested only in doing a criminal records search?

E-CriminalBackgroundCheck offers you access to the most comprehensive and up-to-date sources of criminal records available on the Internet today. We guarantee there is no more complete source of criminal records information available to the public in the United States than you will find here.

Choose from four levels of coverage:

» COUNTY Criminal Records Search

» STATE Criminal Records Search

» NATIONAL Criminal Records Search

» MAXIMUM Criminal Records Search


HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS
IN THE US TODAY

Public access to criminal records is more open in the U.S. than in most countries, but it's still less comprehensive than it could be.

The only truly comprehensive repository of U.S. criminal records is the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database, which is national in coverage and updated daily. But private citizens and businesses do not, as a general rule, have access to this FBI database.

Instead, the public must search on a state-by-state basis, or in some states, on a on a county-by-county basis (the latter occurs in a few states which do not provide statewide criminal records searches to the public).

DATABASE VS. ON-SITE SEARCHES

There are two ways to run criminal background checks -- by means of statewide database searches or by having a researcher personally visit courthouses and search the records in person.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each method.

Statewide database searches are quick and relatively inexpensive. But these statewide databases have to be compiled from information submitted by the counties, and this takes time. So such databases are
always somewhat out of date. Also, there may be some counties in a state which fail to report their data, in which case the database search is providing less-than-complete results.

Buyer Beware: Virtually all Internet websites offering you "instant" criminal background checks are using statewide databases. BE CAREFUL to review the "Coverage" of those databases. You may be surprised to find that a search claiming to cover California, for example, is in reality covering only half or less of California's counties.

That's why database searches alone are not adequate for situations where timeliness and completeness are vital, such as pre-employment screening. Although database searches allow you to search a wide geographic area inexpensively, it's a good idea to utilize the other type of criminal search as well -- hiring a researcher to search courthouse records in person.

In on-site searching, timeliness and thoroughness are assured. But this type of criminal search method also has a disadvantage -- you only get results for a single county (assuming you're only having the on-site search done in one county).

HOW TO SEARCH

For many applications, the best strategy is to use both methods of search, that is, to order an on-site search for the subject's county of residence plus a database search for his/her state of residence (see our STATE Criminal Records Search). That way, you're getting very timely and complete results for his/her county and at the same time searching a wider area as a precaution (you can of course also order nationwide criminal database searches).

You should always start with a Social Security Number Trace (SSN Trace) , which will reveal your subject's address history. (This is done as part of all criminal records searches conducted by our firm.) Where has he/she resided within the past seven years?

Once you know this, you know where to search for criminal records.

Seven years is the maximum time period generally used in pre-employment screening. However, if your search is not employment related, it may be permissable to search even further back.

ALIASES

Also, always conduct searches on any aliases your subject has associated with his or her SSN. For example, if the SSN Trace reveals that your subject Pat Warner has also used the name Ron Warner
(Ron being his middle name), search on the name Ron Warner as well. This costs a little more but is necessary for completeness, for the obvious reason that your subject may have committed a crime and then been convicted under an alias. If your subject has more than one alias (which is unusual) you should search on all of them.

Note that a female subject should be searched using her maiden name if she's gotten married within the past seven years.

Buyer Beware: Most criminal background checks you can order on the Internet simply skip this vital step of checking aliases and maiden names. That way, these websites are able to offer you a low price for what seems to be a valid criminal background check. However, such searches are completely unreliable. (Our own criminal searches always include this step.)

FOUR SEARCH STRATEGIES

Since you don't have access to the FBI database, you must make the most efficient use of public criminal records information possible.

Here's a full range of strategies to consider:

A. COUNTY Criminal Records Search

Let's assume you're willing to make some trade-offs in your search. You don't suspect your subject of any criminal activity but you want to run a precautionary check anyway. You recogtnize that if he or she has been convicted of a crime, it was very probably in his/her home town or at least nearby. It was probably a local offense, not a federal offense like kidnapping or currency forgery.

Based on this strategy, you decide to order our most economical report, the COUNTY Criminal Records Search. (This search, by the way, is commonly used in pre-employment screening.) Youl'll receive:

B. STATE Criminal Records Search

If you wish your search to encompass all counties in your subject's state of residence, order the STATE Criminal Records Search. This criminal background check report includes the onsite COUNTY search (above) and also includes a statewide database search of all counties in his/her state of residence.

In this report, you'll receive the information provided in the COUNTY Criminal Records (above), plus:

C. NATIONAL Criminal Records Search

Suppose you're dealing with a subject who is not well known to you, the stakes are high (e.g., you're considering investing in his/her company), and you want to go a step beyond the STATE criminal search described in Section B, above.

If you order the NATIONAL Criminal Records Search, you'll receive all the searches included in the STATE search, plus a national database search of criminal records and a national warrants search. The national criminal background check will be conducted on your subject's name and any aliases found. Its data goes back as far as 20 years. It does not cover 100% of the jurisdictions of the U.S., as such data is unavailable to the public. However, it does cover nearly all jurisdictions, and is the best national database search currently available.

Click here to review a complete list of its coverage.

Thus in addition to the three elements in Section B, above, you will also receive:

D. MAXIMUM Criminal Records Search

The concept underlying this search is to provide you with absolute maximum access to U.S. criminal records currently available from any source other than the FBI's National Crime Information Center (which, as said, is as a rule only available to law enforcement agencies).

Use this search if the stakes are very high - let's say you're considering hiring someone at the executive level into your company -- and you wish to utilize every source of criminal records information available to the public.

If your situation is such that you need to take every precaution that's available, then our MAXIMUM Criminal Records Search is applicable. You will not find a more comprehensive and thorough criminal background check on the Internet.

In this report you'll receive all four of the elements supplied by the NATIONAL Criminal Records Search (Section C, above) plus all of the following:

Buyer Beware: Many websites offering a news search simply check a database of current news stories using a search service such as Google News. They don't check newspaper archives (i.e., past news
stories) , and they don't check news stories in newspapers of the subject's cities of residence. We do!

TURNAROUND TIME ON REPORTS

Your report will be completed within three business days and posted to a secure web page. We will email you the web page URL and password.

BULK ORDERS

If your order totals more than $1000 a 10% discount applies.

Additional discounts are applicable if you will be using our criminal background check services on a continuing basis. Please contact us for more information.

INVOICING

Invoicing is available for institutions.

GUARANTEE AND PRIVACY NOTICE

Our reports are based on public records which are subject to human error. However we guarantee that we will exercise reasonable caution in developing your report. We will maintain your privacy. We will not
share your information or your subject's information with any third party. And if you are in any way dissatisfied with your report and we are unable to correct the problem we will refund your money.

FREE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS

On a tight budget? Did you know you can search local criminal records free by contacting county courthouses and state Departments of Correction yourself? The disadvantage is that you may encounter lengthy delays (up to weeks) in getting the information you need. However, if you're in no hurry, this may be the way to go.

We have developed a large portal website to assist you in doing free background checks, including criminal searches. It's called Background Check Gateway. Just click on STEP 1 on the site's home page for a tutorial on how to conduct background checks. The site offers thousands of links to public records sites, and includes county courthouse phone numbers.

However, if you're in a hurry or need comprehensive national criminal background check searches conducted, click on one of the links below to acccess our fee- based services:

» COUNTY Criminal Records Search

» STATE Criminal Records Search

» NATIONAL Criminal Records Search

» MAXIMUM Criminal Records Search