Looking for a background check but want to know how it is performed and what information you can expect?
Background checks are increasingly being used by businesses to check employment history, reasons for dismissal from prior jobs and criminal records. This can improve your hiring policy by ensuring you employ someone who will be an asset to your business, rather than a liability and prevent financial and reputational risk.
There are other reasons for conducting a background check however, in this digital social media age, where most connection opportunities are found online, many individuals want to check the authenticity of a person they are dating, which is especially important if you have children.
Here at OpSec Solutions, we want to make it easy for you to hire a private investigator, so in this blog we take a deeper dive into the world of background checks to give you the knowledge you need and what to expect, should you wish to enlist the services of a private investigator or private investigative firm moving forward.
Background Check: What is it?
A background check is an investigation designed to verify a person’s identity, establish the truth in any claims they have made, and uncover any previous criminal convictions. By legally looking at a person’s background, a background check can help protect your business or keep an individual safe.
Why do I need a private investigator for a background check?
If you are a business looking to recruit a new employee, hiring a private investigator can benefit you in several ways. They can offer a bespoke package that is customised specifically for your hiring requirements, so you only pay for the information you need to know. If the job involves driving for example, you will need to know if they have a clean driving licence, if the job role requires a certain level of education or accreditation, then that is where the focus should be.
Private investigators are trained to do due diligence and flag up any irregularities that may not be apparent if you were to conduct a background check yourself.
Hiring a private investigator or employing the services of a security agency ensures your peace of mind that any information collected during the background check is handled legally and the background check itself is done discreetly. Make sure you find a private investigator that adheres to the industry wide ethical code of conduct, look out for professional accreditations and membership of organisations such as the Association of British Investigators (ABI) and the UK Professional Investigators Network (UKPIN.)
If you are an individual looking for a background check on someone for personal reasons, then hiring a private investigator ensures you have an expert that is trained in following a digital footprint and accessing the information and records needed to form a thorough check. Private investigators are fully aware of the laws and legislation around what they can and cannot do in the UK and by going down this route, you can get the information required legally and as ethically as possible.
How do private investigators do a background check?
Private investigators will normally conduct intensive research on an individual, which includes doing public record checks, reviewing all social media platforms to check their character and an assessment of their networking activities.
They also have will access public databases in order to obtain information such as:
Employment history/reasons for dismissal
- Education history
- Marriage and divorce records
- Current location and places lived
- Any CCJ’s or bankruptcy
- Criminal records including the sex offender’s register
- Property ownership
- Driving offences
- Accreditations and professional licenses
As well more personal information like:
- Birth records
- Aliases
- Marital status
- Phone numbers
- Social media profiles
- Family history
It’s important to note that professional private investigators will never break the law when conducting a background check. Please check out our blog “what can a private investigator do legally in the UK” for more information on what is and what is not acceptable during the course of an investigation and if at any point your private investigator offers to break the law, or does so, please report to the police immediately.
Need a background check? We can help
Founded in 2011, OpSec Solutions has become an industry leader in all aspects of security, surveillance, private investigations, and legal support services. We have developed a reputation for unwavering reliability and impeccably high standards. Whether it is an individual or business, we work tirelessly for our clients.
We are an experienced team of private investigators that have the knowledge and expertise needed to run a successful background check on a possible employee, individual or business. We have offices with private investigators London, Manchester or Cheshire but can cover the whole of the UK.
Before we proceed with a background check, we offer a free, in-depth consultation with possible clients to find out your requirements and so we can create a bespoke package and price that is tailored to you. We want to be completely transparent from start to finish.
During the course of any background check, private investigators will of course be collecting information regarding the identification of a person, as such, any private investigator is required to be registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office to ensure adherence with data protection laws. Our team here at OpSec Solutions consistently meet the highest standard for registration and take the guidelines around obtaining and the subsequent storage extremely seriously, which helps protect your business and any data or evidence collected during the search.
If you are in need of our help for a background check or any of the other services we offer here at OpSec Solutions, we are just a phone call or email away. Contact our team on 0844-664-1125 or use our contact form on the website to arrange a free consultation today.