How to Check Personal Information

How to Check Personal Information
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Our personal information has become increasingly public and may be available through many sources. Whether you are starting a new job or want to look into someone else’s background, there are times when it may be necessary to check personal information. Finding personal information may help you complete a full personal background evaluation of yourself or another person.

Get a copy of your credit report. Equifax, TransUnion and Experian all have a credit report available free once per year for personal inquiries. If you were recently turned down for credit, you are given the option to get a free credit report as well. This will likely contain employer information, addresses and other pertinent personal information.

Check court records for information on civil or criminal cases. You can also find most records of real estate, judgments or other personal disclosures through county courts. Go to your local courthouse or search online for record information.

Contact the Internal Revenue Service or Social Security Administration. You will need to have Social Security number, birth date and other forms of identification to obtain personal information from these agencies. They can provide both employment and financial information to you if you meet specific criteria.

Inquire using an agency that does background checks. These agencies are usually available through online websites and will look into personal information for a fee. Research various websites for price and service options.

Look into social-networking sites such as Facebook or MySpace to find personal information. Search using name or email address to find available information. In addition, do an Iinternet search using a search engine by typing in your name or the person you are attempting to search and clicing on links that appear to give personal information. Perform a "deep web” search using ZabaSearch or Spock for oftentimes-hidden information.