Feature Friday: Background Investigations

When most people think of a background check, they think of a basic criminal records search — the kind an employer runs through an online service for $19.99. Professional background investigations are something entirely different.

What a Basic Background Check Covers

Consumer-grade background check services typically pull from publicly available databases — court records, sex offender registries, and sometimes motor vehicle records. They're fast, inexpensive, and limited. They miss records that haven't been digitized, they can return false positives from name-matching issues, and they often miss recent records that haven't propagated into their databases yet.

For low-stakes situations, a basic check may be adequate. For anything involving your employees, tenants, contractors, or caregivers, it is not.

What a Professional Background Investigation Covers

A professional background investigation conducted by a licensed PI agency goes significantly deeper:

• Criminal history — county, state, and federal court searches, not just database queries — including jurisdictions where the subject has lived, worked, or been arrested
• Identity verification — confirming the person is who they say they are, including SSN trace to identify all names and addresses ever associated with that number
• Employment verification — confirming actual dates of employment and job titles with prior employers, rather than relying on the applicant's self-report
• Education verification — confirming degrees and institutions are real and accurately represented
• Civil records — lawsuits, judgments, liens, and bankruptcies that don't appear in criminal searches
• Sex offender registry — multi-state search, not just Missouri
• Professional license verification — confirming that licenses claimed are actually current and in good standing
• Reference interviews — when needed, actual conversations with listed references rather than just confirming they exist

Who Needs a Professional Background Investigation

The stakes determine the depth of investigation you need:

• Employers hiring for positions involving finances, vulnerable populations, or sensitive information
• Parents hiring babysitters, nannies, tutors, or other in-home caregivers
• Landlords evaluating tenant applications, especially for longer-term leases
• Businesses entering high-value contracts with individuals or small firms
• Individuals in dating situations where safety is a concern (discreet, legally conducted)

To discuss a background investigation for your specific situation, contact Faithful Path Investigations or call (877) 331-4374.