Thanks to various online platforms, it’s easier nowadays to meet new friends and reconnect with loved ones. Getting to know one another has also become more convenient, thanks to the many third-party messaging apps that offer free services.

One of the downsides of hanging out with people online is that you must rely on what they tell you or what they choose to show on their profiles. Unless you frequently video call, there aren't any facial expressions or body language that could help you form judgments about these people.

Fortunately, there are publicly available records that cannot be forged or counterfeited. You could utilize a background check by phone number freely or run a full background check on your new friend, neighbor, business partner, or lover. So let’s discuss background checks and everything you need to know.

What Is A Background Check?

Expanding your circles and networks with people who share your interests and hobbies is easily achievable due to online forums and group pages that are open to the general public. There’s certainly nothing wrong with forming friendships or relationships online, but be sure to never compromise your safety and security while doing so. Be mindful of possible cyber threats and be sure to take precautionary measures.

A background check refers to the process of checking records and collecting valuable information about a particular individual. It’s the act of looking up a person’s past life as well as verifying their current or up-to-date information. When you check criminal records free/paid, you’ll obtain access to legal and formal records that cannot be easily forged or expunged.

Regardless of your purpose and the tools or methods you select, there are different types of background checks including:

• Standard Background Checks
• Reverse Phone Background Checks
• Reverse Address Background Checks
• Paid/Free Criminal Background Checks
• Credit Report Background Checks

What Does A Background Check Show?

Background check reports are chosen by most as they contain valuable and valid data. Depending on where you obtain the records from, you'll gain access to lists of complete and up-to-date information. This can then be utilized in a variety of ways.

The extent of content included on paid/free background checks may vary depending on different factors, such as the type of report requested. Such as, free arrest records and paid full criminal history reports. The person, department, or search engine you choose to run a background check may also affect the amount of information you receive as well.

If you decide to utilize a reliable search engine, such as Kiwi Searches, here’s a list of common data you may receive.

• Name and Aliases

  People may utilize aliases or go by more than one name. Especially if they’ve lived in more than one neighborhood. Background check reports show all registered legal full names, as well as any known nicknames or aliases.

• Date of Birth and Current Age

  Easily find someone’s birthday and their current age by simply running a standard background check.

• Family Members

  A background check enables you to learn about a person’s immediate family members and distant relatives. This is an excellent tool when trying to create a family tree or track down your roots.

• Contact Information

  All old and new contact information, including cell phone numbers, telephone numbers, fax numbers, and email addresses are listed in a background check report.

• Social Media Accounts

  By running a background check, you’ll gain access to any active or inactive social media accounts linked to the person you’re searching for. This includes usernames, profile details, friends lists, and so much more.

• Home Address

  All previous and current addresses will be included, together with the type of the residential property, the duration of the stay, and the status of ownership.

• Education Background

  Education history, including the name and address of the schools they’ve attended as well as the degree they received may be included in the report.

• Work History

  This report may also include the name of companies or organizations they’ve worked for. As well as the positions they’ve held, job titles, and tenure.

• Criminal Records

  An extensive background check would also show all recorded interactions with any law enforcement agency. This includes arrests, incarcerations, and convictions.

How To Perform An Online Background Check

Aside from the extensive and comprehensive reports you receive, another good thing about running a background search is that it’s accessible. Thanks to various technological innovations, anyone can run a paid/free public criminal record check without the long lines and other inconveniences.

Even less tech-savvy users can easily perform background checks online. Plus, this can be done anytime and anywhere without the need for any special skill or equipment. To provide a better picture, here are the various methods for running a check.

1. Local Government Agencies
   

   The traditional way of acquiring public records is by visiting the corresponding government agency or records custodian assigned to manage the reports you need. Even this old-fashioned option has gone digital. Now, you simply access their websites or send an online request.

2. Social Networking Platforms
   

   If you know their full name, or better yet their social media usernames, simply search for them on various social networking platforms. Start with commonly used ones such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. Simply type in the name and browse the pages of possible matches.

3. Free Web Browsers
   

   Cloud-based search browsers, such as Google, can also be utilized to acquire information on someone for free. Depending on the browser you choose to utilize, you could try a name check, reverse phone number lookup, reverse address lookup, reverse email lookup, or even a reverse image lookup. As the names suggest, you simply have to input the person’s name, phone number, home/office address, email address, or photo to get results.

4. People Search Engines
   

   One of the most straightforward and efficient ways of running background checks online is through the use of people search engines, such as Kiwi Searches. These online people search tools maintain vast databases containing extensive data gathered from various reliable sources. It only takes a few clicks to gather organized and extensive reports about someone using a person search engine.

How To Perform A Background Check On Myself

Now, we’ve confirmed running a background check on someone can be easily accomplished. What about acquiring public records about yourself?

If you’re one of the many individuals wondering what might appear on their self background check report, you can easily find out. For instance, before going on a job interview or meeting a real property broker, you can quickly check what might appear on your records. By doing so, you’ll know exactly what they could learn or find out about you. So you'll never be caught off-guard.

Similar to standard background checks on other people, personal background checks can be accomplished online, anytime, and anywhere. Should you choose to utilize Kiwi Searches, here’s the step-by-step process.

1. Navigate to Kiwi Searches’ Online Background Checks page.
2. Input the needed information on the search bar.
3. Click on the Magnifying Glass button right beside the search field.
4. Wait until the Progress Bar on the next page completes.
5. If you haven’t done so yet, input your payment details to enable your subscription or input all needed details to start your free trial.
6. Once completed, simply click on View Full Report to get access to your personal records.

How Long Does A Background Check Take To Get?

Standard or personal background checks’ time frame may vary depending on several factors. Such as the method being utilized. People search free public records, for instance, may take a bit longer compared to when you use a paid service provider.

So you have a better idea, below are the usual time frames depending on the process.

• If Using A Government Agencies
  

  It may vary by state or county, but it typically takes 7-10 business days when you request through government agencies. When done online, results may return within 3-5 business days.

• If Using A Free Web Browser or Social Media Sites
  

  Online searches may return instant results. However, since you’ll be given only possible matches and not exact outputs, you’ll have to spend a huge chunk of your time browsing through a seemingly endless list of results. Hence, the time frame would greatly vary on your research and investigation skills.

• If Using A Paid People Search Engine
  

  Paid people search engines such as Kiwi Searches provide complete and up-to-date results in just a few minutes. With less time and less effort required to acquire valuable information, this is, indeed, one of the most practical options to choose.

When Should You Perform A Background Check?

Why might you need to request paid/free criminal records? When would a background report be beneficial for you? How could Kiwi Searches’ services help me?

Background check reports contain legal and formal information about an individual. These reports don’t lie or mislead (unless forged or counterfeited), making them valuable in more ways than you can expect. Here are some examples.

• To select a healthy workplace and to prepare for a job interview.
• To narrow down job applicants and to select the best candidate for the position.
• To confirm if your buyer/seller is legitimate.
• To ensure a new date or newly found friends are truly who they say they are.
• To check out the safety of the new neighborhood, you’ll be moving into.
• To learn more about your new neighbor.
• To know if you can trust a potential babysitter or daycare provider.

Performing a background check free/paid is, in fact, an excellent precautionary measure in almost all huge decisions or significant instances in your life. This is one of the ultimate goals of Kiwi Searches - to help provide the safety and security you deserve. Plus, you can rest assured that all processes are constantly being updated and streamlined for a better and more reliable service.