You’re out on your first date, and everything seems to be going perfectly. It seems like your new flame just stepped out of your fantasies with their looks, show of intelligence, charisma, and wits. Then the feeling sets in; it’s too good to be true. Someone as gorgeous and unique as this shouldn’t be single.
There’s a problem!
Put your worries to bed and uncover the truth with a background check. Get critical information on your date, especially textbook spellbinding singles you meet on online dating sites.
Don’t get us wrong. Not every hot stranger might have something to hide, but it’s best to be safe and uncover red flags such as sex offender status, catfish, or other criminal records.
It’s not different from a deep dive through their social media. However, it is much better.
To test the efficiency of dating background checks, we have tried several of them, and here is what we found.
Pros
- Detailed online research through social media
- A chance to look through public records
- Run a background check on a dating profile
- Gain access to the sex offender database
- Possibly save you from dating a creep
- Check profile picture with reverse image search
Cons
- Individual reports might not be cheap
- Not every single background check site offers a free trial
- Possible issues with matching the same name
What Is a Dating Background Check and Why Do You Need One?
Dozens of different background services are available on the Internet, with everyone claiming to be the best. Their sheer amount can scare some people because choosing between them won’t be easy. However, we’ll get to this point a little bit later.
You should first know that these services can get you individual reports about certain people. Depending on the background check services you’ll be using, except to gain helpful information such as social media accounts, criminal records, dating apps, public records, criminal history, and practically everything else.
Is it legal? This information isn’t challenging to access, yet you can’t reach the same result using a search engine. So it’s legal but can be tricky for individuals without tech experience and access to criminal records.
Why You Need One
The first reason you might want to try a background screening is for a potential date. The world of online dating sites is full of people genuinely looking for hookups or even love and those creeps who can be borderline dangerous. You never know whom you may stumble upon on this potential date.
What if they aren’t genuine or lying about their gender? Maybe, they’ve arrest records? What if you can find them through the sex offender database?
To get rid of all the doubts and possibly dangerous situations, people created background checks to help you out—no more creeps or scams.
How to Get a Dating Background Check and Unlimited Searches
Remember how we mentioned that getting an actual background check is challenging? Like with online dating sites, your selection is close to unlimited.
Before going on, we must warn you that running a background check on someone won’t be cheap. Most criminal background check sites don’t offer free trials. So eventually, you’ll have to pay to get all the benefits.
Naturally, it is entirely up to you to decide whether they are worth it. But spending 20 bucks on a background check doesn’t sound too bad compared to being harassed by some creep with a criminal record.
Top Background Check Sites Tested
Making a correct choice will influence the result. You might waste money without getting any helpful information, or you will put your spending to use. Skip the trials and dive straight to the latter experience, as we provide a list of the best background services for you.
TruthFinder: Best Among Background Check Sites
Pros
- Offers a background check to discover criminal records
- Unlimited reports for members
- You can use it on your laptop or mobile device
Cons
- Total commitment, no free trial
- $25 per month plus individual reports
TruthFinder is the best background check service we would recommend to you. It’s perhaps not the cheapest, but worth every penny.
It stands tall in the industry, providing more information than most of the competition. Your report includes criminal records and details about their property, email address, phone number, court documents, corporate affiliations, and everything you might need.
If you were looking for a deep dive, this would be the one. Naturally, you can utilize this software beyond online dating. It’s excellent for tenant screening or finding information on anyone you don’t trust.
Be mindful, as you might experience issues when scanning individuals with similar names. However, this minor hiccup isn’t unique to TruthFinder; it’s common for background check services to exhibit this problem. You can get around it by narrowing the search and providing more information on the subject when they share a name with several people.
Sometimes, you can achieve this feat by using their phone number, email, address, or any other personal detail that will help them to stand out.
We’ll have to warn you that individual reports will be rather costly. Still, it’s the only background check on our list that goes through the dark web and not only a standard and accessible criminal record.
Intelius: Top for Unlimited Background Checks
Pros
- Affordable plans available
- Thorough encryptions and guarantees of confidentiality
- Access to 20 billion public records (criminal records, premium reports, various documents)
Cons
- No free background check
- A background check is relatively expensive and will depend on the information you want
Intelius perfectly balances pricing and information. You won’t get a free trial, but a basic search costs only one dollar.
You’ll have to pay $39.95 for a thorough search to get the most valuable insights. Its less expensive options also grant access to multiple databases but are limited on county records.
It also offers user protection, using high-end encryption to secure your information. This add-on means that no one will know that you were using this website. So, you don’t have to worry about anyone finding your digital footprints.
It’s easy to use, even if you’ve never used a similar background search. Also, thanks to its deep personal investigation, you’ll get a detailed portfolio about your subject.
Instant Checkmate: Best for Criminal Records Searches
Pros
- Top rated
- Highly encrypted and confidential
- Cheap 5-day trial ($1 for five days)
Cons
- Unique features for members
- High price
Instant Checkmate will impress with its prices. However, the best part is that you’re getting a trial that only costs one dollar. Additionally, if you have any issues, you can contact the support department, and they’ll assist you with no extra charges.
Besides that, the advantages are somewhat similar to our previous choices. Your social media search and other background searches will remain confidential and encrypted.
Moreover, Instant Checkmate has a reputation for being a highly reliable and trusted source. So you don’t have to worry about being scammed, tricked, or anything similar.
What Information Is Included in a Dating Background Check?
When considering dating background checks, it’s much better to ask what information isn’t included. However, getting back to our central inquiry, your report could contain practically anything you’d want.
By using background searches, you can find out the following information:
- Employment history and property records
- Social media profiles and Dating apps data
- Phone numbers
- Consumer credit
- Court documents
- Arrest records and criminal history (violent crimes, drug use, other red flags)
- Contact info
- Sex offender database
- County records and court records
- Other valuable insights
We’re certain that this list can continue. After all, you can access millions, if not billions, of different background services once you’ve paid for a proper background check.
The most exciting feature, perhaps, is gaining access to the so-called dark web. This way, your search goes beyond the official court documents or public records to include possible illegal activities previously unrecorded.
Wouldn’t you want to know if a person you’re talking to has a history in the Internet’s darkest corners?
Using the information you’ve discovered through a background check is entirely up to you. We can’t predict your situation or the reasons behind researching someone. But here are some popular options that we previously encountered:
- A person likes someone on a dating app. The online chats went well. However, they aren’t sure if they’re in a catfish situation and have been asked out on a date.
So is there a way to check if they’ll meet up with a hottie and not a scammer? They can pay for background reports and finally relax a little bit. We can’t guarantee what they’ll discover, but the outcome will be much better than the unknown.
- Someone is renting your apartment. Being a homeowner, you’d naturally want to check your tenants, if not through government databases but through thorough background checks. This way, you’d know their commitments and if they can pay the lease. You most probably don’t want someone making drugs in your apartment.
- Practically any other situation can involve background checks. Are you suspicious of your neighbor? Are you weary of your friend? Do you not trust the person repairing your car? Do you want to know more about your kids’ teacher? The list of situations can be endless.
Since so many unique cases exist, it’s challenging to predict what other people might do with this information. However, there are usually two outcomes. You’ll discover that there’s nothing to worry about, or you’ll find something new about someone you’re researching. Will this information be good or bad? There is only one way to find out.
Tips for Staying Safe While Online Dating: Run a Background Check
As we’ve already mentioned, online dating apps can get tricky. Even when you’re meeting with a person in real life, it’s tough to tell the nature of your relationship and their thoughts. So, here are several pointers for having fun while dating online and being safe:
- Trust your instincts. If something doesn’t feel right, quit the conversation or ask more questions.
- If you’re getting suspicious, there’s nothing wrong with wanting more information or doing a deep dive.
- Please don’t feel bad about using a Google search engine or the background checks we’ve offered. You’ll sleep better knowing the truth.
- Run a reverse image search. This way, you’ll know if their profile pic or avatar is legit.
- If you meet online and they request a date, getting valuable insight can’t hurt. You don’t want your date to be a sex offender, that’s for sure.
- Please, don’t forget to meet someone new in public spaces (local cafe, restaurant, or busy park).
- Stay sober while on your date, even after you did a little bit of digging.
- Tell your friends or family where you’re going and who you’ll be meeting.
Should You Run a Background Check on Your Boyfriend or Girlfriend?
Naturally, we can’t tell you what you should and shouldn’t do. Everything depends on the nature of your relationship. As we said before, you should trust your instincts. If you don’t feel comfortable with them or something feels off, research them further.
It’s fair to say that this strategy won’t work if you suspect they’re cheating. Background searches aren’t perfect when it comes to such information. Besides, it’s something you can handle yourself through social media or by asking your friends.
Don’t hesitate to use a background search if you suspect them of doing something illegal or having criminal records. Moreover, you should never feel guilty about it. After running a background search, you’ll feel relieved or glad that you did it. There’s nothing in between.
It’s also fair to remind you that not every person who lies does so out of malice. A lot of people use white lies to seem more likable. So, their collection of half-truths and hyperbole can be considered an attempt to draw you in. However, don’t mistake white lies for deception.
Final Thoughts: Is a Criminal Background Check Worth It?
Online dating can be dangerous. This statement is in no way, shape, or form an exaggeration.
Sadly, there are limited ways to determine if a person is free of criminal records and doesn’t lurk around dating sites with other sex offenders. Therefore, the best way to be safe is to check a sex offender database, employment history, social media, and other public records. Run a background check!
Indeed, it’s not going to be cheap or a quick ordeal. However, you won’t be afraid that a stranger will lure you into a dark corner. From another perspective, you can relax on your first date without overthinking ulterior motives.
Is it worth it? For your safety and security, yes. Will it be cheap? No, but there’s hardly a price for feeling safe and protected from the dangers of online dating.
