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How To Run a Background Check on Yourself

How To Run a Background Check on Yourself


It may sound a little counterintuitive to run a background check on yourself – no one knows you better, after all. However, it can be very important to run a background check on yourself as you may end up with some unexpected results. You can try to run a check on yourself for free – a laborious process but with added savings – or you can employ a dedicated service to do the hard work for you and make sure you don’t miss any surprising details.

Why you should run a background check

There are quite a few reasons why you should do a background check on yourself, but the main reason is to know what to expect when someone else runs a check on you. If you’re moving into a new apartment, then a landlord or roommate will almost certainly run a check and a bad report can prevent you from finding accommodation. One of the most common times someone will check on you is when you’re applying for a new job. Indeed, 96% of U.S. employers run background checks on potential hires, and you don’t want an oversight on your report to be the reason you miss out on your dream job. If you’re prepared in advance for what your prospective employer knows about you, then you can be ready for any tricky questions.

What a background check will show

So, what is going to appear on your background check report? That ultimately depends on whether you’re doing the service yourself – when you’re liable to miss things – or which service you use. Of course, a report will have your entire financial history, including your credit score and history – something landlords will take a special interest in. Then you’ll have even more of your past on display like previous addresses, education history, job history, and your driving record.

However, a large portion of your background check will be about any potential criminal history. Understandably, your criminal record background check will be the most thorough part of your report. You can expect to find any arrest records, traffic tickets, court dates, outstanding warrants, and much more.

Perhaps the vital thing that background checks will find is any abnormal results. If you find you have a surprisingly low credit score, an unknown past address, or even a criminal record you never knew about, it’s a sure sign of identity theft, and you’ll need some protection to help you out.

Free background checks

If you need to do your own background check, why not do it for free? The process isn’t easy, but it is possible. The records that come from your background check are all publicly available, so it’s just a matter of sourcing them from the right places. Often this information is held in public records offices, where they can be freely requested.

However, although all those records are theoretically free, that’s not always the case. You have to take into account that there are sometimes fees for administration, printing, or postage. Perhaps the costliest part of doing a free background is the amount of time you can spend waiting to get your documents and records, especially when there are services that can do everything for you quickly.

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Dedicated background check services

If you want to avoid the hassle of trying to run a background check on yourself, then there are plenty of services that will do everything for you in just minutes. Unlike with free checks, there’s no need to go to a public office or make long phone calls. Handily, you can even run checks using an app on your phone. Perhaps the most important thing about using a background check service is that it reduces the risk of any human error because you’re putting yourself in the hands of experts.


Best background check services of 2025

Editors' choice

TruthFinder

Editor's rating:
In-depth, reliable information
Get results quickly
Simple for anyone to navigate
Alerts on exposed data
Budget-friendly searches

Spokeo

Editor's rating:
Free basic reports
Easy searches
Block calls via smartphone app
Adaptable pricing
Detailed reports

PeopleFinders

Editor's rating:
Find information instantly
Pay only when needed
Earn perks while you search
Search anytime, anywhere
Instant results

Intelius

Editor's rating:
Easy to navigate platform
Clear, readable information
Find people multiple ways
Access key background details
Criminal history

Instant Checkmate

Editor's rating:
Comprehensive background reports
Identify unknown callers
See full financial picture
Cancel anytime without penalty
Online dating

Social Catfish

Editor's rating:
Verify identities via photos
In-depth personal information
Detects scams and impersonators
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