What is a Public Background check?
A public background check is a check that provides public record data to the general public. It differs from traditional background checks in several aspects. To understand the difference between the two, it is important to know how each check is performed how what data it.
When speaking about traditional background checks, these are performed in workplaces and various properties. When an employer is recruiting new employees, in most cases the applicants will undergo a background check. An employment background check is a check that is intended to:
- Verify someone’s identity
- Verify the information provided in CVs
- Check anyone’s criminal records
When potential employees begin a job application process, it is up to the employer to check if they provided accurate information about themselves. To perform an employment background check, applicants will fill out and give consent to undergo a professional check. The forms are then sent to third-party agencies that specialize in professional background checks.
The companies specialize in checking CVs and professional information about applicants. During the check, third-party companies check whether applicants gave accurate and truthful data about themselves, and verify their education and employment, work experience, and criminal records. Employers cannot reject applicants based on their criminal background unless the records are related to the job. For instance, if someone was convicted of money embezzlement and theft from their previous job, the new employer will not be breaking the law if they do not hire him/her.
Third-party background checks are professional checks that are performed by professional thirdparty companies, and employers, homeowners, and other agencies must go through the necessary channels to perform the check.
A public background check is different; it is a check that any member of the public can perform, with no need to use professional third-party companies. Anyone can perform the check by asking for public records data from official agencies or using public background check websites. If an employer or homeowner is screening applicants, they cannot use a public background check service, but only professional third-party websites.
A background check is an unofficial check that you can perform at any time. It provides public records data about individuals, allowing you to find accurate and valuable information about people. When performing such a check, you can find the following details, via official records.
- Name and aliases – via vital records
- A person's age – via birth records
- Marital status – via marriage records and divorce records
- Arrest history – via arrest records
- Criminal history – via criminal records
- Contact information – via phone and address registries
- Social media profiles
- Driving records – via DMV records
These are just a few of the details that can find when searching for background check data. As you can see, the records are provided through official files, so the data is accurate and reliable. A comprehensive search will provide you with official data from public records, and that is why it is called a public background check. BackgroundCheck.io gives you instant access to millions of public records.
